Law: The Enemy of Grace

New Title

Law: The Enemy of Grace

Pastor Ben Diaz

Hello Church Family!

Do you realize that Jesus’ number one enemy during His ministry on earth was the religious people?


Jesus came to fulfill the law and bring in a new covenant of grace. The religious leaders were expecting the Messiah—but Jesus came in a form they didn’t anticipate. He didn’t fit their mold. In the same way, we can miss what God is doing today if we expect Him to reveal Himself or demonstrate His power according to our limited expectations.


From the very beginning, it was God’s plan that Jesus would fulfill the law on our behalf and make us righteous, so we could have a personal relationship with the Father. John 1:1 reminds us, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.”


Religion says we must still fulfill all the law in order to reach God. But John 1:17 declares, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”


Truth without grace leads to judgment and condemnation. The religious spirit thrives on pointing out others’ faults—it’s proud and self-righteous. But grace and truth together lead to acceptance and relationship.


Jesus made us righteous with just one drop of His blood. Grace puts us all on the same level—completely dependent on Him, not on our own works. On the other hand, grace without truth enables people to remain in sin and destruction. That’s why both grace and truth together bring life and light through Jesus Christ.


People who walk in true relationship with Jesus often irritate those who are religious.



Pastor Ben reminded us that pride blinds us to our own faults. “And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:6)


What deception the enemy has played on those confused in their identity in the LGBTQ movement—to even have a “Pride” month. When you’re in pride, you cannot see the truth or experience change. Transformation requires humility. When your desire to be right outweighs your desire to change, you’ll stay stuck.


In closing, Pastor asked us to look inward and ask ourselves: “Is there an area in my life where pride is keeping me from transformation?”  The price of transformation is giving up pride—surrendering our beliefs to the Lord and allowing Him to change us. Pastor said, "It’s okay to be wrong, because Jesus was ‘right’ for me!"


To see the entire message CLICK HERE.


By Benjamin Diaz August 18, 2026
Este domingo en Vida fuimos desafiados con una pregunta sencilla pero poderosa: ¿Somos simplemente cristianos que conocen la Palabra, o realmente estamos participando en lo que creemos?
By Benjamin Diaz August 18, 2026
This Sunday at Vida, we were challenged with a simple but powerful question: Are we merely Christians who know the Word, or are we actually participating in what we believe?
By Benjamin Diaz August 10, 2026
Podemos pasar tanto tiempo buscando lo extraordinario que terminamos perdiéndonos lo sagrado de lo cotidiano. Esperamos la próxima temporada. El gran cambio. La oportunidad. Que una relación mejore. Que las circunstancias cambien. Imaginamos que cuando algo finalmente suceda, entonces comenzará nuestra verdadera vida. Pero Dios no es solamente el Dios de hacia dónde vamos. Él es el Dios del aquí y del ahora.
By Benjamin Diaz August 10, 2026
We can spend so much of our lives looking for the extraordinary that we miss the sacredness of the ordinary. We wait for the next season. The breakthrough. The opportunity. The relationship to change. The circumstances to improve. We imagine that when something finally shifts, then our real life will begin. But God is not only the God of where we're going. He is the God of right here and right now.
By Benjamin Diaz August 10, 2026
Estamos viviendo lo que muchos han llamado una epidemia de soledad. Aunque tecnológicamente estamos más conectados que nunca, muchas personas todavía carecen de amistades profundas y significativas. Como Iglesia, una de nuestras características más distintivas debería ser nuestra capacidad de amarnos unos a otros. Jesús dijo que el mundo reconocería a Sus discípulos por la manera en que se aman.
By Benjamin Diaz August 10, 2026
We are living in what many have called an epidemic of loneliness. Although we are more connected technologically than ever before, many people still lack deep, meaningful friendships. As the Church, one of our greatest distinguishing marks should be our ability to love one another. Jesus said the world would recognize His disciples by the way they love.
By Benjamin Diaz July 27, 2026
Las relaciones saludables no suceden por casualidad. Se construyen de manera intencional cuando permitimos que Dios transforme la forma en que amamos, animamos y caminamos junto a los demás. Esta semana, el Pastor Ben continuó la serie Relaciones del Reino enseñándonos sobre dos pilares esenciales: la visión y la fe.
By Benjamin Diaz July 27, 2026
Healthy relationships don't happen by accident. They are built intentionally as we allow God to shape the way we love, encourage, and walk with one another. This week, Pastor Ben continued our Kingdom Relationships series by focusing on two foundational pillars: vision and faith.
By Benjamin Diaz July 21, 2026
No todas las relaciones en nuestra vida tienen el mismo propósito. Algunas son pasajeras, otras son circunstanciales, y unas pocas son relaciones del Reino en las que vale la pena invertir intencionalmente. Este domingo, el Pastor Ben nos recordó que las relaciones saludables no ocurren por casualidad; se å sobre tres pilares: dominio propio, responsabilidad y verdad.
By Benjamin Diaz July 21, 2026
Every relationship in our lives isn't meant to carry the same weight. Some are casual, others are seasonal, and a few become deep Kingdom relationships worth intentionally investing in. As Pastor Ben reminded us this Sunday, healthy Kingdom relationships don't happen by accident—they're built on self-control, responsibility, and truth.
More Posts