No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (v. 15)

Federalism focuses on what Adam did not do, which is keeping God’s command. However, the new reformation focuses on what Adam did not know and what he could not do consequently. It focuses on Adam’s limitations. The new reformation is about knowing what Jesus Christ has fulfilled – our adoption. Our adoption has always been God’s ultimate plan. We are the body of the church. Christ is our head. And the one and only invisible church is the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in uniting us all.

Many churches in the world have gone astray. I hate Federalism because it supports legalism. Legalism is as bad as antinomianism because it leads to antinomianism. The law of God is not the written code in the OT. The law is God’s will. Therefore, only the Son of God fulfills the law because only He knows the Father. God’s ultimate will is self-sacrificing love. It is the foundation of the kingdom of God. If we love one another, we speak the truth of God. And we put all our hope in God’s promise of the kingdom.

Concerning bearing fruit, I grew up hearing from people that I must do something to please God. Now I think that fruit is not something that we can see and touch. Only God sees our fruit. There are people in every church who put much time and effort into church activities. They are proud that they bear much fruit. But only God is the judge. God sees each one’s heart.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

I once suffered from a mental illness for about five years. I prayed to God and read the Bible. But it did not go away. Every morning I woke up feeling defeated because I knew I could not overcome the illness. But my illness was miraculously cured when I confessed that I could not overcome it. I thought that the only way to end this was to kill myself. I realized that my will could not overcome the temptation. That night Jesus appeared and touched me. When I woke up, I knew that I was freed. I know my story is not for everyone. If you have a mental illness, I’d advise you to seek professional help. I was too scared to seek help. But it was a lesson for me to realize that my will cannot fix my problems. Many Christians think that we only need to put effort to achieve something. Theologians and ministers say that we can now please God with our works because the Holy Spirit helps us. But I think God wants us to confess that our will is rubbish. Our will to sin is much stronger than our will to do good. When we feel weak and helpless, we ask God for mercy. And God shows us grace.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)