More from Jesus > Religion

Here are more thoughts from Jefferson Bethke from Jesus > Religion:

The biggest difference between religious people and gospel-loving people is that religious people see certain people as the enemies, when Jesus-followers see sin as the enemy.

It's only when we understand that in Jesus we are cleansed, washed, and renewed that we see our sin fall by the wayside.

Avoiding sin isn't about us not getting in trouble; it is about us trusting that the Creator knows his creation best and has designed the world to work in a certain way.

Keep our eyes on him, and we will make it because it depends on him, not us.

When Jesus and his righteousness are ultimate, then you actually see evil as the source of evil, rather than politics, money, or gender.

But the truth is, God doesn't grade on a curve; he grades on a cross.

It seems Jesus didn't come to lower the standard; he actually came to raise it. He took the issue from external to internal.

Jesus is quite clear: We are not the center of the Scriptures. He is.

Every character, every story, every construction plan--I still don't know what a cubit is, by the way--is a shadow or a symbol of Jesus. This is good news, because if we aren't the heroes, we can stop trying to save the day.

The paradox of the Scripture is that it calls us way more sinful than we think we are, and it calls us way more loved than we think we are.