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In this episode, EJ talks about the issue of allowing our experiences to determine our theology and view of God. We often experience suffering in our lives and struggle to understand God’s goodness in the midst of it. In fact, we view our suffering as a direct result of our sin—that God punishes us for sin that we commit. EJ takes a look at what Jesus had to say about this mindset.

In this episode, EJ gives the first part of an answer to a listener question about suffering. In this part of the answer, EJ deals with the idea of why bad things happen to innocent people, who should be blamed for such injustice, and the idea of retribution. Looking at the book of Job, you’ll see the answer is not as clear-cut as we would like it to be. Permalink

CONNECT WITH US:Send in your questions on life, theology, God, the Church, etc. to our podcast email: renewpodcast@gmail.comChurch leaders! If you are a pastor on staff at a church, I am making my book “Sons of Liberty: Discovering Freedom Through the Father’s Embrace” available to you FOR FREE as a PDF. Send us an email (above) with your name, the church you serve at, what position you fill, and your request for the PDF version, and we’ll send that out to you!RESOURCES MENTIONED:“Sons of Liberty” by EJ Martone, click here“One Way Love” by Tullian Tchividjian, click hereTALKING POINTS:“Grace” is not simply “forgiveness.” The popular definition that grace is “unmerited favor” is true, but an oversimplification.In the original Greek language, the word grace means “extending oneself freely towards another.” In other words: God is not just showing favor, or declaring favor…He GIVES HIMSELF to you!Ephesians 2:8 — “For by grace you have been saved, through faith…”- Paul equates the saving work of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross with grace.To understand grace, you have to talk about love, because they are inseparable.1 John 4:8 — “…God is love…”- This love that pairs with grace is not just an emotion, it’s a person: God- Agapé is the word used to describe both God’s love and God Himself. It is a selfless, unconditional love that expects nothing in return.John 1:1 identifies Jesus as the “Word” that was with God in the beginning before all creation.- Before mankind ever took a breath—The Son of God knew that Man would fail, sin, and condemn themselves to death- Despite that foreknowledge, God still viewed Man worthy in His sight to not only to create, but to die for them!!!2 Corinthians 5:17-18 tells us that God has reconciled the sin of the world and that He is no longer counting sin against us.This message comes full circle when you understand that although we’ve been forgiven, that our sin is not being held against us, that if God is love then He holds no records of our wrong, and that this love was the motivation behind the cross, then you can receive this love and grace through faith as Paul says in Ephesians“Faith” is trusting in God that is the product of relationship with God.This love and grace is what separates the biblical God from all the other gods that Man has created.QUOTES:“No matter how much you do or don’t do—good or bad—God will always be full of love, kindness, and mercy for you!”“You can’t talk about the grace of God without talking about the love of God, because the act of grace was motivated by the love of God.”“My foreknowledge of my son’s SIN—his deception and his sneaking—did not affect my love for him or my willingness to lay down my life for Him.”“Before you ever took a breath, before you ever had the chance to sin—Jesus forgave you!”

CONNECT WITH US:Don’t forget to send in any of your questions about life, the Bible, Church, following Jesus, theology, etc. to our podcast email: renewpodcast@gmail.comMake sure to like our podcast’s facebook page to stay updated on news, new posts, and extra content: @renewpodcastTALKING POINTS:So many people live their lives with an unspoken motto that two quotes from Mel Gibson’s Braveheart really captures the essence of:“They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”The unspoken motto in most people’s lives seems to be: “I can do whatever I want. I get to choose. I’m in charge. I’m free!”Ironically, the people who live with this motto at their core are some of the most unhappy people you will meetThe BIG QUESTION: Can I really do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I want and live REALLY FREE? Will it be fulfilling? Will it be satisfying?You don’t have to participate with someone’s sin in order to show them the love of Jesus1 Corinthians 6:12“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”Issues in the Corinthian Church:- Hailed themselves as tolerant of EVERYTHING- The wildest party-city that would make Vegas blush- City settled by freed slaves who went wild with their freedom and that makeup was reflected in the Corinthian Church as wellWhen you remove restriction and bondage from someone who has been restricted and controlled for so long, there is a tendency to go wild with their newfound freedom. We see this especially in the lives of teenagers once they leave the house.Removing legalism from someone who has been raised in it must be paired with a right understanding of what real freedom actually looks like.3 Bondages That Prevent Us From Living Really Free:1. Bondage of the Law“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1)2. Bondage of SinRomans 6  —  Everyone serves someone. Either SIN or GOD. You’re not in control of the sin in your life, it controls you! Freedom is ONLY FOUND in JESUS3. Bondage of IdentityGalatians 4 — Outside of grace, the New Covenant, and relationship with God, we are no better than SLAVES. Inside of a relationship with God, we are SONS & DAUGHTERSThe great Christian Frustration  —  “I am doing everything right and yet I’m still unhappy.”Living a LIFE that is REALLY FREE is about obedience to God that flows out of your RELATIONSHIP with GodThe power of choice is in the presence of options. The more options there are, the more powerful the choice.The secret to living a life that is really free is in contentment. And the only way to find true contentment is in a relationship with Jesus.3 Ways to Live Really Free Today:1. Let go of Legalism (The Law kills)2. Let go of Liberalism (Not politics | Doing whatever you want)3. Find Balance in Jesus (He reveals who you were created to be!)QUOTES:“I don’t have to sleep with a prostitute to show the love of Jesus to a prostitute.”“I don’t have to do drugs with an addict to show the love of Jesus to an addict.”“Raising someone in legalism and then removing that legalism is almost a guaranteed nightmare”“The life of a Christian is more about BEING than it is about DOING.”

Make sure you check out the Renew Ministries website, where you can find Renew Resources and more information about the Martone Tribe and Renew: www.renewmin.orgOur goal is to be a RESOURCE to you — We created Renew Resources to produce materials that will help you lead and live to your greatest potentialWe want you to be part of the conversationIf you have any questions at all about God, the Church, theology, following Jesus, hot topics in our culture, the Bible…anything! — We want you to send those questions or topics in by shooting us a quick emailEmail your questions to: renewpodcast@gmail.comCheck out the work happening in Hamburg, NY through Connect Church:www.connectchurchwny.orgConnect with EJ on social media:Facebook:     @ejmartoneTwitter:           @ejmartoneInstagram:     @ejmartone