8 Ah Ha Grace Moments!

Aha Moment #8:

When I realized God only wanted a transparent, honest, love-relationship with me as my Father, where I was free to share with him my hurts, habits, hang-ups, and hopes without fear of his rejection, but guaranteed of his acceptance. This love-relationship replaced living by a list of rules such as "make sure you pray, read your Bible, have a quiet time, journal, memorize Scripture, and witness every day".

Aha Moment #7:

When I realized believers are called saints (holy, righteous, and forgiven ones), and never sinners saved by grace. Yes, we were sinners, and we were saved grace, but now the Bible calls us saints. Believers are called saints over 50 times in the Bible and 0 times sinners saved by grace.

Aha Moment #6:

When I realized that many of the Bible verses I had been taught the meaning of was wrong, such as 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, "If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come!"

In context, the meaning is the old temporal covenant of condemnation and death has gone (the Ten Commandments) and the new eternal covenant of grace has come (what Jesus did on the cross for us and his resurrection), where God no longer counts our sins against us, we are righteous in his sight, and the Spirit of Jesus lives in us and transforms us into his image.

Aha Moment #5:

When I realized the Old Testament (Covenant) does not start with Genesis 1 and the New Testament (Covenant) does not start with Matthew 1. Rather, the Old Testament of Law (Moses), a conditional covenant based upon man's obedience, went into effect with the blood of animals and covered sin temporarily (Exodus 24:1-8), and the New Testament of Grace (Jesus), the completed work of Christ for us based upon his obedience, went into effect with the blood of Jesus and took away sin eternally (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9).

Aha Moment #4:

When I realized "fallen from grace" did not mean falling away from God and into a lifestyle of sin, but instead meant falling into a religious and moral lifestyle of trying not to sin in order to earn God's forgiveness and acceptance (justified, righteous) rather than trusting in Jesus alone (see Galatians 5:4).

Aha Moment #3:

When I realized that Jesus took upon himself 100% of my sinfulness, then, in exchange, gave me 100% of his righteousness. (Romans 3:21-25; 5:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Aha Moment #2:

When I realized I did not have to seek ongoing forgiveness through endless confession, but had received God's forgiveness as an eternal possession.

Aha Moment #1:

When, by God's grace, I realized I did not have to practice a set of spiritual disciplines (have a daily quiet time, keep short accounts on sin, journal, etc...) to get close or stay close to God, or get forgiveness or stay forgiven by God, or to grow in my relationship with him, since closeness, forgiveness, and growing in my relationship with God is all by grace through faith in Jesus.