Good Call with Andrew Farley

What do we do with people we think might be abusing God’s grace? A caller from Canada recently asked about Christians who continue to choose sin. Sin is mastering too many people. But does the teaching of God’s grace cause more sin or less sin? If God’s grace is dangerous, should we instead give people more rules to follow? In this episode, I address whether more law or more grace will help those...

While the world may portray Christianity as stiff, lifeless, and judgmental, the reality is far from that. The Gospel and Jesus Himself are off the charts incredible. When you receive Christ, you are made new. You are completely forgiven, accepted, and loved and have access to the comfort and guidance of the God of the Universe. There is no standard to meet, because Jesus has already met it perfec...

A recent caller to the radio program, Derek, asked if there’s such a thing as the unforgivable or unpardonable sin. 1 John 5:16 references a sin that leads to death. Jesus mentions in Matthew 12:31 every sin will be forgiven except for one. Does this mean eternal life can become temporary life? Are we saved from any sin imaginable, or all but one? In this episode, I share the one unforgivable sin...

The idea of Christians balancing law and grace is a common misconception in the church today. Yes, the Law is good and serves as a tutor to lead us to Christ, so it might seem logical that it brings stability to Christian living. But as believers, we are no longer under the Law. Trying to balance it with grace will only lead to a mixture of failure and victory. That’s because sin thrives under the...

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14) A recent listener to the radio program, Lenny, called to ask if Matthew 7:13-14 indicates more people will ultimately be lost than saved. It...

It’s easy to feel discouraged when we see suffering. The pain and hurt caused by evil in this world might leave us doubting the goodness of God. If God is good, why does He allow disasters and tragedies? That’s the question a recent radio listener asked, and in this episode, I go back to our world’s first tragedy to help explain all the tragedies since. I share the truth about God’s presence in th...

In Psalm 51:11, David pleads with God, “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” Old Testament prayers like this seem to indicate a person can lose the Holy Spirit. That’s why a listener recently asked if a believer could have, lose, and then regain the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, the New Covenant offers us a solid answer to this question. In this episode, yo...

When we reflect on why we do what we do at The Grace Message, it’s simple: we want as many as possible to experience the grace of God! Far too many people have been taught that Christianity is about sin management and self-improvement, jumping through hoops trying to get right and stay right with God. They don’t know the freedom found in their forgiveness, righteousness, and new identity in Christ...

This week of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. His earthly life and ministry express God’s great love for us, and His death and resurrection ushered in the incredible gift of the New Covenant. Many, however, have never heard a good explanation of the New Covenant or understood its importance. In this episode, I explain what makes the New different from the Old. I also share some p...

Many are taught that living the Christian life is about adherence to a set of rules, political beliefs, or conservative values. Or that it’s about observing religious rituals and pursuing clean living. But is this common view of Christianity really the good news of the Gospel? In this short episode, I address a question that every thinking Christian needs to be asking: What does real Christianity...

A recent caller to the radio program asked if unconfessed sin hinders our prayers. Does it create an obstacle or blockage to our fellowship with God? What about the sins we forget to confess? In this video clip, I share how some religious teachers have used this approach to scare Christians into behaving. But what’s intended as motivational has the opposite effect. It’s a hijacking of forgiveness...

Shortly before ascending to Heaven, Jesus’ last words included, “Go and make disciples.” Known as the Great Commission, this famous instruction serves as a rallying cry for many churches and inspires people to move to the far corners of the Earth. But did Jesus truly say, “Go”? A closer look at the original language reveals something intriguing. It actually reads, “As you go…” or even “Having gone...

Can the sins of preceding generations be passed down to us? Sharon, a young believer, recently called into the radio program asking for clarity on this. She has received counsel from long-time believers who say she should pray away those generational curses. In this short video clip, I warn against following someone just because they’ve been a believer for a long time. I also address if we should...

When friends or family make lifestyle choices that don’t align with Biblical truth, knowing how to love them can be challenging. Do you keep quiet or say something and share your view? Or do you withdraw and avoid time together to make it clear you don’t agree? A recent caller asked how to navigate a painful family situation and avoid the appearance of condoning poor decisions. In this short episo...

The events surrounding the return of Christ can be captivating for Christians. Plenty of popular teaching outlines the timing of what’s to come, including a rapture of believers, unbelievers left behind, tribulations, and more. While these end times events come from pictures and symbols found in the New Testament and the book of Revelation, we should be cautious about translating imagery into a li...

When you’re discouraged or weighed down by difficult circumstances, God can start to feel distant. It’s easy to think you might need more faith to carry you through. Thankfully, it’s not the size or quantity of your faith that’s important. If you’re a believer, you have all the faith you need! It’s where you direct it that matters. As I recently shared with a caller, you can stop striving to get m...

Given its pagan roots, some Christians question whether Halloween is an appropriate holiday to celebrate. A recent caller to our program asked to what extent Christians should participate and how to respond to family members who might think differently. While it’s important to be sensitive to a weaker brother and steer clear of anything celebrating witchcraft or evil, does our freedom in Christ al...

In my book “God Without Religion,” I wrote that “self-improvement is a sin and an impossibility.” That’s right, a sin! In Galatians 3, Paul chastises the Galatians for trying to perfect themselves through self-effort. This is very different from what popular religion teaches, and a recent caller asked for clarification. Doesn’t God want the world to self-improve? Doesn’t it please Him when I do my...

Christians today have access to more translations and versions of the Bible than ever before. But which one is most accurate? A recent caller heard the King James Version was the best, and many today still believe it contains the fewest errors. There’s a lot to consider when we talk about translations, versions, and inerrancy, but we should be careful about labeling any version the “best” – includ...

“The church needs revival!” It’s a message Christians often hear preached, and the underlying theme is there’s something wrong with the body of Christ. The church isn’t doing enough to please God. Maybe you’ve even heard the church today is “falling asleep” or “dead.” They say the church needs to plead for mercy and show more commitment. This sort of talking down to believers conveys a message of...

Is it OK for divorced Christians to get remarried if their former spouse is still alive? A listener called recently for clarification after his friends said he’d be committing adultery if he were to remarry while his ex-wife is still living. This type of Scripture twisting around divorce and remarriage is damaging, unhealthy, and rooted in a misunderstanding of New Testament instructions. It leave...

Throughout the New Testament, the Gospel is clearly announced. It declares that we are saved by faith and not by works. But did you know that James 2 seemingly contradicts this? That’s right. Three times in a row, the apostle James writes the phrase “justified by works”: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works…?” (v 21) “Was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works…?” (v 25) “You see th...

The concept of “dying to self” is a widely embraced belief in Christianity, suggesting an internal struggle between good and evil within believers. This teaching emphasizes the importance of eliminating the “negative” part of you that otherwise needs to be overcome daily. However, it’s worth noting that the phrase “die to self” does not actually appear in the Bible. The closest resemblance can be...

When you go through seasons where God feels distant, you might think it’s because you did something wrong. A recent caller struggled with not sensing the Spirit and feared it was because she had backslid and wavered in her faith. She asked if doubting was apostasy and if she had lost her salvation. The good news for believers is the Spirit lives in you no matter what you feel. Your rightness with...

A popular religious teaching claims that if you have enough faith and believe hard enough, you’ll experience physical healing. It’s based on a belief that God’s will is for everyone to be healed. This teaching left a recent caller feeling at fault for not trusting God enough with her cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, she sensed something was off in her pastor’s guilt-inducing message. Whether it’s “na...