Mini: Grace's Asterisks
280 | “The Tingle Means It's Working”
Trade Your Asterisks for Confidence
Do you find yourself believing God’s promises, but always with an asterisk attached? This week, we're diving into those common "Yeah, but" moments — like wondering if you can really know you're saved, feeling like you don't deserve grace, or worrying that God is still angry about your latest struggle. We'll walk through why your "faith-o-meter" isn't the point and why the "tingle" of struggling with sin might actually be a sign of growth. Join us as we stop trying to manage the conditions of God’s gifts and start resting in a grace that is, quite literally, too good to be earned.
Takeaways
The Big Idea: We find freedom and peace when we trust the Bible’s words about God’s grace.
This Week's Challenge: Identify a personal "Yeah, but" about grace and replace it with a specific scripture truth this week.
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Welcome and Theme
Bryan: Well, hello, everyone. And welcome to the Bible Geeks podcast. I'm Bryan Schiele.
Ryan: I'm Ryan joy
Bryan: And thanks so much, everyone, for tuning in. Christians don't usually reject grace outright, but we do try to qualify it. We believe God's promises sometimes with an asterisk. That term. Yeah, but becomes the quiet little voice that keeps us from fully resting in God's grace.
Ryan: So in this episode we call out some grace asterisk some common ways that we say Yeah, but God's grace and we replace them with clear liberating gospel help us settle into the confident God wants
Grace Asterisks Explained
Bryan: so there are times where we decide that we're going to have a mini episode and we're going to try to keep it tight and dense. And then the topic comes along and it's like, "Dude, can we actually do this topic in a mini episode?" So we're going to try. I don't know if we'll succeed, but we're going to give this our college try here.
We're talking about grace, and I feel like every time we start talking about grace, we do this thing that we're going to talk about in more detail today. We throw a bunch of asterisks or caveats around it, on the heels of you having a Bible class recently about grace. And there were probably a lot of opportunities for you to talk about some of these asterisks in that
Ryan: Yeah, that was actually the design of the class that I didn't come up with somebody the sister in Christ that asked class said maybe could we put all of the Asterisk all of the I can't even say that at that word asterisk all of the disclaimers all of the Corrections all of the yeah But at the beginning so that we can just focus on the text and what what the Bible actually says about it which I thought was brilliant because yes because I am like the worst offender when it comes to first of all this habit of Correcting false doctrines Ryan is nodding his head because he knows he has edited some of these out whenever I do it That you know you you start going one way and you don't want to be misunderstood There's so much false teaching out there on grace So you say now we're not saying this and what ends up happening because of that is you have?
layered on top of the teaching so much baggage that it's like whenever After a lifetime of hearing every time you hear like you're saved by grace you hear 20 minutes on why that's a concern That you might get that wrong that it race becomes like this Can I actually trust this
but also just our human Tendency to not want to trust in grace as it feels so strange And so we put all of these up there on the board all of our asterisks all of our Disclaimers and everything and then we kind of confronted them with truth throughout the class and and so that's what we want to do here Today
Bryan: yes. So we are going to have a conversation about the true things about these concepts or why we might be misunderstood about grace in general. So that is the idea here is like, go back to truth, talk about what's true. But sometimes it is hard to have a deep conversation about something until you talk about what you're not talking about.
Ryan: it is because these things are real in our minds for many of us in this class I had a lot of conversations outside of the class about what people struggled with in Accepting God's grace like as a truth taking God's promises value and like you said God's Word is the answer to all of these Oh, we're going to let faith come by hearing we're gonna let the truth set us free as we know the trend back.
Bryan: So what if somebody said to
you, Ryan,
Can I Know Im Saved
Bryan: like, "Hey, yeah, but can I really know that I'm saved?" Like, where do you respond when somebody says, "Okay, but really, though, Ryan, can I really know that I'm saved?"
Ryan: Well, I would take them to the book of first John because that to me is all about the fact that God Wants us to know to have confidence. I think we can sometimes associate confidence with pride the way one of our elders here puts it is apostasy is possible But it is not probable.
In other words, if you take the whole teaching of Scripture, you can see yes You can fall away if you want to but hope does not Disappoint and we won't feel foolish for our confidence in our salvation So John ends his letter by saying here's why I'm writing to you in first John 5 13 that you may know You have eternal.
Insurance is tied to trusting God's testimony.
Bryan: well, and I think, too, it's helpful to see that God has shown us grace before we ever even were on the scene. I mean, you know, God has been pouring out his grace onto humanity before we were ever even created, like blessing us and giving us the gift of his creation and helping us to see all the amazing things around us.
Like,
I love that you brought up 1 John 5, which is really the whole point of what John is saying there in that little book, is like that you know, that you can know that you have eternal life. God wants us not to just be like wishy-washy and waffling around all the time. He wants us settled in the fact that God is the giver of all good gifts.
I Dont Deserve Grace
Ryan: what if somebody said yeah, but I don't deserve God's
Bryan: And that's really the big question, right? It's like, oh man, am I worth God's grace? Is all of this, you know, have I deserved it somehow? And again, like if it was about me deserving it, then this would be a paycheck and not a gift.
Ryan: grace Not grace.
Bryan: This would not be grace. It would not be this favor, this benefit or blessing to me. This would be a response to what I've done. So I don't think we have to trust in God's grace as if it like somehow we deserved it. Because Romans 5, 8, right? "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He gave us a gift when we absolutely did not deserve it.
And so if you don't deserve God's grace, yeah, that's the case. I mean, you don't.
Ryan: You don't
Bryan: Nobody does. And that's why it's such a gift.
Ryan: It is a gift visions to gives this picture at the beginning of us Totally stuck in the darkness and it goes through and doesn't tell us anything We do to change that in this the storyline there in Ephesians 2 1 to 10 It says but God but God did these things measurable abundant love and grace or where he?
acted in Christ You know that by faith trust our loyalty in Christ not by our works not by our performance Not by our our works of the law that would measure us up. We are saved so that nobody can boast it is Congruous gift right it is this gift that does not make sense based on who we are our Inherent value and yet God saw value in us But logic he
could conceive of is to be the opera in her.
Bryan: I mean, there's a whole conversation here. Like where does the Bible first talk about grace? And you know, do you know? Do you know where the Bible first talks about grace?
Ryan: is it is it Noah?
Bryan: So, you know, God's searching throughout the entire, you know, human existence at the time. And he just sees Noah.
And Noah has such a character that God shows him favor. So in that case, like Noah's character was part of God showing him that grace or that favor. But then you get to like Jacob, who was just a terrible human being for the most part. Yet God, because of his promises, Abraham still shows him favor or grace.
And, you know, it is like it's so tempting for us to think like, oh, it's about me, right? Like I've got to earn it. But we got to get out of that mindset real quick. And not, you know, not hold up one end of the spectrum or the other. The pendulum, let it swing too far one way or the other. Let's make sure that we just always understand like, dude, we're not worthy.
We're never going to be worthy. But God still shows us that grace while we were still broken. Yes.
Ryan: and And so yeah, that's where Ephesians 2 1 to 10 ends is us being a new creation and works But how about this one?
Still Struggling With Sin
Ryan: Yeah, but I still struggle with sin Something's got to be wrong, right because I am a Christian that is wrestling with and falling at times to sin
Bryan: Well, I just think, you know, the answer to this question shall be revealed in an upcoming episode that we're going to do. We're going to have Allen Greely back on the show and we're real excited for that. But I feel like there's a whole discussion here about what on earth is Paul actually talking about in Romans chapter seven.
And at least fortunately, we see the picture there that he comes to wretched man that I am, which is what we what we're kind of talking about here. Right. Like struggling with sin, wrestling with it, how wretched I am. And then he gets to verse one of chapter eight. There is now no condemnation in Jesus Christ.
Like that is, you know, the victory is his. He has it there and he puts it out on full display. Like, yes, if you struggle with sin, that means it's working. I mean, that's like, what is it? The old, you know, dandruff shampoo commercials, like the tingle means it's working. Like if you are struggling with sin, that actually means that's a good thing.
Right. And well, I think we'll talk about that a little bit more in an upcoming episode.
Ryan: yeah Dan sin is dandruff in this particular metaphor, but
take it to First John again and go to chapter 1 and 2 he says we can't walk in dark But he also says we can't say we have no sin and he's not he's not talking out of both sides of his mouth It is not to walk in dark later He'll use language like keep on sinning practice sinning that describes what we would call a past, you know Like falling away John is shaping kind of like maybe in some ways Romans 7 and 8 and 6 through 8 and all of that are shaping this tension So he says I am writing these things to you that you may not sin chapter 2 verse 1 But if anyone does sin we have an advocate with father Jesus Christ the righteous So his main emphasis his main aim as we talked about earlier is confidence But if we say sins not a big deal We missed it if we say I don't have been anymore or I have no hope because I struggle with sin We just aren't taking first John or Paul at face value.
We do have hope while we struggle.
Bryan: And let me let me clarify my dandruff comment just one more
Ryan: Oh, no. No, it was great I loved
Bryan: An asterisk to what I was saying in this episode about asterisks. You know, I think when we struggle, it's not proof that grace is gone or that God doesn't give us his mercy or forgiveness or anything. That struggle is just a proof now that you actually want to fight against the very thing that now you know about in Christ and that you used to ignore.
Like that's, I guess, the point. You used to ignore sin. You used to live with it. It was part of the water you were swimming in. But now in Christ, you see it for what it is and you struggle with it because you see it and you know that it needs to be dealt with. So
God Angry With Me
Bryan: the last one I think here is maybe an insidious one that sometimes sneaks in and it is. Yeah, but God hates sin and punishes sinners. So then I know that he's angry with me. How do you deal with that? You know that God hates sin and punishes people. Is God angry with
Ryan: there's truth in that that God doesn't like sin and there is wrath that God has against sin But what we find in Christ is Christ has dealt with the wrath of God That is the whole point of the cross is to appease that to deal with that You know read Isaiah 53 read all I just read the propitiation and first John do what you or you?
read earlier Romans 5 8 And if you keep reading God demonstrates his love towards us We were sinners Christ died for us much more than having now been justified by his blood He shall be saved from what the wrath of God
Or if while we were enemies we were reconciled to through the death of his son much more having been Reconciled will be saved by his life. But like we were somewhere now. We're somewhere else. It was worse before now We're trying to follow him how much more now will we be saved by
Bryan: I have this sermon I'm working on and I'm actually going to start it here in this upcoming Sunday.
So allow me to read Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7, which the context of this verse is while the people have just built the golden calf. And this is God at like his peak of being rejected by his people, like just right in the middle of the covenant ceremony. And the people are down there like trying to make a more manageable version of God down there.
But this is how God describes himself in Exodus 34. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and to the children's children to the third and fourth generation."
A lengthy reading, but like you just see oozing out of God's description of himself. Mercy, grace, forgiveness. And he's saying all of this at the moment when he could be so angry with them. And he is. He is angry with them, but he's going to forgive.
Ryan: he is going to forgive because that's his character. We don't read God is wrath We read God is love and his anger comes from his love his concern for you His commitment to his people is full of covenant loyalty and help in your struggle And I recently heard this advice to someone gruggling.
He said I guess I was memorized Roman He and he said like gonna take you three months But it's gonna change you memorize it or I would just say like at least live Romans 8 read it every day at least one struggling with this kind of idea It's going to be formative Which is a whole idea of the podcast this episode the Word of God is the answer to these issues I love that passage that you just read that shows his justice, but that's not the focus He is going to bring consequences, but the overwhelming character giving mercy incredible
Bryan: a few asterisks to kind of kick off our conversation.
Personal Grace Roadblocks
Bryan: And maybe as we kind of wrap this up, let's think about between you and me. Don't tell anybody, but what's another thing that you've struggled with in terms of grace, Ryan, when you've thought about, you know, what kind of gets in the way of grace for you?
Ryan: we're not recording this are we we just this is just us right You know, I I was thinking about back whenever I was not a Christian work through whether baptized I
had this turn that I don't what if I don't and it was like like I was viewing this faith ometer You know like like I was imagining this belief o meter where it would somehow creep Into on the needle and into saving faith or it would go too low or maybe that I needed perfect faith as opposed to seeing The faith is a decision not a feeling it's not a set thoughts not even certain it is a vision I choose where to place us loyalty and our faith can you row just like our obedience continues our heart for God's heart Oh and our love for the things and it doesn't make us any more saved as we row I can even say as the man said to Jesus, I believe Lord help my unbelief and you know what that is That's a decision.
That's a prayer for growth And so, you know I could add to this the expectation of any perfection or qualification with you know this this idea But but that's someplace I was stuck as a yeah, but and through a study of Scripture I came to understand faith or pen to eat more
Bryan: Yeah. I, I,
Ryan: not more completely Let me correct that not more perfectly but a little bit better and I still have a lot more to learn
Bryan: Lord help my unbelief. I love that. Yeah, so good.
Ryan: What about
Bryan: I think for me, it is just that idea that I mean, I know how bad my sins are. And, you know, I know that God knows that. And just to feel that that imbalance, like how could such a good God give me such a terrible sinner such a gift? Right. Like how how is that imbalanced relationship working out?
And I think this conversation is helpful because I do feel that. And I think a lot of people feel that way. And that, you know, may be like at the core of what you're talking about as well. But, you know, I just I get that sense that like I don't deserve this. There's no I'm not worthy of this at all. And, you know, I think for a lot of the people who are honest enough about their sin, when they see that, they also start to struggle with this idea of like, how could God even bend to someone like me and favor me or show me that kind of love and grace?
Ryan: I guess that starts to point us towards where
Bryan: Right.
Ryan: don't come from a bad heart It's usually I think most off-tarded risk that struggled the most I don't want to like glorify it but I've just found that a lot of times people who I admire most have struggled with these kinds is because we as we Grow in Christ we even recognize our sin more and recognize that's part of the growth is when we're baptized We don't even know half the ways we're sinning, you know, and we keep falling and then we learn Oh, whoa, I shouldn't have been doing that.
That's awesome. Something more like Christ I don't know. There's there's a lot we can talk about here. Where does this come from
Bryan: Yeah. I think it's fear in a big way. Right. I mean, because this is God giving us a gift. How do you make somebody give you a gift? Right. And like, you know,
Ryan: So good, that's such a
Bryan: hands. And I love that like problem so often is like I want it in my control. I want to I want to set the conditions for it.
I want to know that like, check, check, check. I've met the qualifications for it. And boy, like that's for me a difficult one because I know I know how much it's not in my control. And there you go again with like this whole circular idea of gift giving that like I have to feel like when God has given me such an amazing gift of his grace, like what do I do?
And in response to that, well, I absolutely allow my transformed life to completely give myself over to him because he's such an amazing gift giver. Is that is that giving him something back? Well, yeah, in a way. Like and I don't think that's I don't think that's outside of the scope of what we're really talking about here.
But like for me to then give myself back to the Lord and feel like I'm somehow in control of the relationship. No, no, that's not that's not where we're at here.
Replace Yeah But With Truth
Ryan: I love that and What we want to land on and maybe this could a challenge for everybody is to find those Yeah, but and bring it back rip place where we find what no, these are the fact your feelings are not fact They're real but they are not the truth.
God is gonna tell you the truth in his word, right?
Bryan: just the facts, man. I feel like we're in an episode of Dragnet here. Yeah. Identify the yeah, but and replace it with the truth. Replace it with a verse. I think that's something I can meditate on.
Ryan: Absolutely, so we closed our grace class with this board full of grace back and then what I had everybody do is summarize down a verse or statement a statement from a hymn even but something that you know from Scripture is true and Take your stand on it.
Don't just don't just say it Don't just leave it but rest your life as we stand on the promising dog and so that's what we want to do with these ten grace facts that we're gonna take turns reading there as we close is We're gonna declare these and I would encourage anybody listening like hear them from the heart of God to our hearts This is what God has a to you want to start us off
Rapid Fire Grace Verses
Bryan: Let's rapid fire this thing. So 2nd Corinthians 12, verse nine. My grace is sufficient for you.
Ryan: for freedom Christ to set us
Bryan: If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the father.
Ryan: in will have no dominion over you It's you are not under law But under race
Bryan: He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
Ryan: the God of all grace will door and firm rank that Lee
Bryan: I get the good one here. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Ryan: Amen and by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace toward me was not in I work not I but the grace of God
Bryan: And no one will snatch them out of my hand. Those are good. Yeah, I can see why you'd why you'd finish up a class with those verses. And if you can just grab onto one of those this week and really lean on it and remind yourself of it. I got all over that thing. Meditate on it.
Ryan: Yeah.
Bryan: So good.
Wrap Up and Farewell
Ryan: so we find freedom and peace when we trust the Bible's words out God's grace and that's where we'll leave this episode I don't know if we met our mini standard or if we we pushed beyond that but thanks for diving into that This was really encouraging to me
Bryan: Cool. Well, thanks so much, everyone, for tuning into the Bible Geeks podcast. Find us on our website, Bible Geeks, that FM and you can find show notes and all these other things there. Get in touch with us if you want to. And until the next episode, everyone, may the Lord bless you and keep
Ryan: Shalom.