Hebrews 8:7

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second".

"Hebrews 8:7 says; “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant” (talking about the law covenant) “no place would have been sought for another”. There was something wrong with that first covenant. That’s why another covenant had to come. The grace covenant that had already been established in eternity! (v8); “For God found fault with the people”. The law covenant is a faultfinding covenant. It is based on you and your performance and so God scrutinises your performance through the law. There is no way you can please God because we are always falling short and always messing up. God always must find fault with us through the law. That covenant is a terrible covenant and that is why Jesus said; “Come to Me those that are heavy-laden, weighed down and crushed”. Why? Because they were living under a faultfinding covenant".

Reference: Ryan Rufus - "God's Eternal Covenant" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 28th October 2008.

2nd Timothy 1:8-10.

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel".

“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or ashamed of me His prisoner but join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God who has saved us and called us to a holy life”. Remember that is not a holy life that we try to live. That is a holy life that He has called us to and given us in Christ before the foundation of the world. When He said “Be holy as I am holy” – He never meant try to be as holy as Me. That is impossible for mankind to be as holy as God. God never said be holy with your own holiness. He said “Be holy as I am holy - With MY holiness!

(v9); “Who has saved us and called us to a holy life” – that’s His holiness. “Not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”. This grace was given us in Christ before time began!".

Reference: Ryan Rufus - "God's Eternal Covenant" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 28th October 2008.

1 Corinthians 4:17

‘I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord’

"Of course, Paul did communicate through epistles full of objective truth, set out in clearly stated propositions, but he wanted to send a living letter. He wanted to sustain the incarnational aspect of the glorious gospel with its emphasis on personal relationship and example".

Reference: Terry Virgo - "Firstline" - Newfrontiers Magazine - July - September 2009 issue.

James 2:10

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all".

"James 2:10 says if we keep the whole law and yet fail in one part then we are guilty of breaking all of the law. The law is a composite unity and integrated. So if I look at someone with lust in my heart that is not my wife then I have committed adultery and if I hate someone then I have committed murder and even the intent is equal to the crime by the law. No one is justified by the law and no one impresses God by the law indeed no one’s performance impresses God at all. It doesn’t please Him or make Him want to bless you. All the good things you do does not make God want to bless you. That is an Old Covenant law mentality".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "We are God's Workmanship" - City Church International, Hong Kong - 24th May 2009.

Ephesians 1:3, 2:6

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that is in Christ Jesus ... God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus".

"You are seated in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus! That is where you are! That is your heavenly position seated in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus! What else is true about this heavenly position? Your heavenly position is that you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. God cannot bless you anymore in the heavenly realms - He has fully blessed you in Christ Jesus! You have received every blessing in the heavenly realms! Your heavenly position in Christ is that you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ!".

Reference: Ryan Rufus - "Re-defining Holiness by Ryan Rufus" - City Church International, Hong Kong on Sunday 2nd May 2009.

1 John 4:17

" ... as He is, so also are we in this world".

"The Bible says in 1st John 4:17; "As Jesus is in heaven, so are you in this earth". As He is so are you in this earth! God doesn't examine you to see whether you are good enough or holy enough - He looks at Jesus to see if He is good enough and holy enough and He says; "Yes! As He is so you are in this earth!". He looks at Jesus to see whether Jesus needs to repent of any sins and says; "No! He doesn't!" - and THAT is how He sees you! As He is so are you in this earth!".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Stress-Free Living" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 17th May 2009.

The Book of Acts

"The most lyrical book in the world! Live in that book I exhort you!".

Reference: Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "Quenching The Spirit (1)" - Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recording Trust CD.

Galatians 3:15-17

"Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect".

"Galatians 3:15-17 brings good news however! When the law was introduced - the covenant of Moses did not nullify the covenant that God made with Abraham which is grace and faith. So now God has got two covenants that Israel can relate to Him through. 1. A covenant of grace and faith and be blessed along with Abraham with faith like Abraham that God is good all the time. 2. The law. (Israel) chose primarily to relate to Him through the law. Every now and then you see prophets of faith rising up and you see seasons of revival - temporary seasons but then a whole long period of low level anointing. You know what little seasons of revival are? Not the fasting that they went through or the warfare and the beating themselves up. Somewhere in the middle of that they got a glimpse of grace and they believed in the goodness of God and that pulled heaven down and for a year or two there were miracles and you then you watched while every revival STOPPED. It was because legalism came in. The law is not based on faith and without faith it is impossible to please God".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 3" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 18th January.

Galatians 3:9

"So those who have faith"

"What is faith again? Faith is a recognition that God's whole being and desire is one of TOTAL goodness to you and His desire is to heal you, give you blessing, give you health, establish you, strengthen you and give you success in the destiny that He has called you for".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 3" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 18th January.

Galatians 3:5-6

"Does God give you His Spirit"

"The Greek word there is "supply" which is the present, continous tense. "Does God continually keep moving in power by His Spirit and work signs and wonders among you - because you observed the law or because you believed what you heard?". This faith currency in grace and not being under law is about the moving of the Spirit andthe working of miracles that God KEEPS (present, continous tense) supplying. We shouldn't have occasional miracles! There should be daily healings of the sick, daily miracles of financial provision, daily deliverance from depression, daily miracles in marriages, daily miracles of people being saved, of people living in joy, of acts of love and kindness and service! But when you go back under law then it is not based on faith and without faith it is impossible to please God".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 3" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 18th January.

Deuteronomy 28:1,15

"If you obey these laws and commands THEN I will fully bless you ... IF ... all these curses will come and overtake you".

"It is not about how much you try or how good your intentions are. It is to FULLY obey. That is 100% and there is no room to drop! (Galatians 3:10); "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse". ONE fully obeyed on our behalf. One fully did it as last Adam on our behalf. One FULLY redeemed us from the curse of the law that the blessing given to Abraham can come tous. That means that NONE of the curses in Deuteronomy 28 belong to us - not even one. Christians should not be living under any curse of poverty, sickness, disease or broken relationships. Many Christians are living under the curse as people not in Christ because they are trying to pursue righteousness rather than submitting to the gift. None of the curses belong to us but ALL the blessings belong to us because in Christ we have FULLY obeyed the law! God wanted to relate to His people on grace and faith - not on our performance but HIS!".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in Righteousness - Part 2" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 11th January.

Colossians 3:13

"Forgive one another just as Christ HAS forgiven you!".

"He has TOTALLY forgiven you past, present and future and it is not conditional on you forgiving others - it has already taken place at the Cross! You can't mess it up! You have got full forgiveness! And because I know that even if I don't forgive them I am still already forgiven past, present and future then that empowers me to WANT to forgive them. People fear; "If I don't forgive them then God will not forgive me and He will hand me over to the tormentors". That is Jesus preaching before the Cross and before the New Covenant! That is a terrible motive! I forgive so easily because I have been totally forgiven by the Father and nothing bad I am sowing out there can get me to reap bad stuff today".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in Righteousness - Part 2" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 11th January.

Ephesians 3:20

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us".

"The Bible has just said that God is able to do immeasurably more than our greatest prayer meetings could ask or think or imagine according to the power that is at work within US! Not at work just within a prophet or an apostle! But is at work within US! The Church! US! The Bible is saying that this power that can do immeasurably more than we can ask is not going to work from heaven. There is a power at work within us that is going to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine!".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "The Authoritative Command for Healing - Part 2" - City Church International, Hong Kong - 17th September 2006.

Ephesians 3:14

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from His family in heaven and on earth derives it's name. I pray that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power by His Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith and I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power with all the members of all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that goes beyond knowledge - that you may be filled to all the measure of all the fullness of God".

"Not just for the early church! "Throughout all generations for ever and ever!". It says height, length, width and breadth of the love of God! A four-dimensional understanding of God's love! Why does he use all four? Hebrew people understood what a cube was! They understood that a cube represented perfection in all dimension! When God told Moses how to build the Holy of Holies He gave him the exact dimensions. 10 metres by 10 metres by 10 metres. When Solomon built the Temple he built it as a cube but expanded it to 20 metres height length and depth. The New Jerusalem in Revelation is 200, 000 km in a perfect cube! What does it represent?

It means that the love of Christ is not short in one area towards you. It is a PERFECT cube - a full perfect total love towards you! In other words in some area in your life you are more holy and have got success in that area - you are tempted to believe that in that area God's love for you is a bit longer but in that area where you are still struggling with sin or failure or problems - in that area God's love is a bit shorter. What Paul is saying by revelation is that the love of God for you has to surpass knowledge and you have to get revelation that He has a perfect cube of love for you. He loves you in all four dimensions and His love for you is not short in one area towards you! He loves you unconditionally!".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "The Authoritative Command for Healing - Part 2" - City Church International, Hong Kong - 17th September 2006.

Luke 13:6-17

(Luke 13:16) "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham" - Abraham had been dead for near 2, 000 years. "... as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years" - Jesus could have said '18 years' - but He said 'long' - He is making a point. " ... should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" - now that is the law.

How did this woman find out that she was a daughter of Abraham? Those synagogues would have been full when Jesus was preaching. The woman would have sat at the back and she was bowed over and crippled for 18 long years! It wasn't by God but by Satan. As a woman in a chavanistic society - Jesus wouldn't have even been able to see her. But while He is preaching, He is preaching about Abraham.

Jesus would have preached the law to the self-righteous and would have preached Abraham to the broken and to the hungry.

How did she find out that she was a daughter of Abraham? It was the content of His message. He would have been telling them about the covenant of grace. He preached first to remove unbelief and wrong thinking. That is why long preaching is good! Thinking needs to be changed!

(vv7-9); "'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down!" - He is talking about a fig tree that needs to be cut down because it is not producing any fruit. The fig tree represents Israel under law. There are two trees that represent Israel. The olive tree and the fig tree. The fig tree represents the death under law. The abscence of the supernatural, dead religion. Adam and Eve covered themselves up with fig leaves. Jesus cursed a fig tree in Mark 11. If you want to talk about the supernatural and the line of Abraham in Israel - then look at the olive tree.

The olive tree is the life of God. If you go to Romans 9:7, 11:1 - you will see it talks about the descendents of Abraham - not all are descended from Isaac. He had Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was born through human effort and the flesh and Isaac was born through the power of the Spirit in the supernatural of God. In Romans 11:17-24 he says we Gentiles have been grafted into the olive tree.

The olive tree is the anointing - the life of God.

If you read the context going back to Romans 9 then he is saying about not the law - the olive tree is a result of Abraham!

True Israelites are descendents of Abraham - not descendants of the law but the faith that Abraham had! We are not grafted into the fig tree but the olive tree. We have got Christians today trying to get grafted into the fig tree. How will Israel get saved if we get grafted into the fig tree of law?! They will envy us and get saved when we get saved and grafted into the inheritance of Abraham - the olive tree!

So Jesus is preaching Abraham! But when He gets with the arrogant self-righteous He lays the law on them big time to expose how arrogant they are. That they are NOT keeping it!

Don't take the outlandish things that Jesus says in the Gospels and say I have got to live by that. See the context is that He is saying it to arrogant people! Christians say; "That is the new law of the New Covenant! Jesus is preaching under the Old Covenant that you must not commit adultery but under the New Covenant even if you look at someone with lust then you have committed it!". Oh pleaseeeeeee! There is no faith in that! We are ALL dead if that is the case!

He was preaching Abraham however to the broken and hungry for God.

(v10); "He was teaching in one of the synagogues" - Jesus taught, explained and unpacked truth! (v11); " ... she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all" - You will never be able to straighten up under the law. (v12); "When Jesus saw her" - How did Jesus see her? She was sitting at the back, crippled and bent over! "Woman, you are freed from your sickness" - He is speaking in past tense but she is still bent over! (v13); "immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God".

As Jesus was preaching the wonder of Abraham, suddenly in this woman's mind she realised this - "I don't have to be a daughter of the law! Abraham's covenant is still available! I don't have to go to God through the law - I can come to God through Abraham!". And I can imagine that she got a little bit angry. She probably thought; "I have never heard the synagogue rulers tell me that I am a daughter of Abraham. All they told me is that I am a daughter of the law. They told me that to get the blessing I have got to keep the law and deserve it and be good enough and they told me the reason I am sick is that God is against me and punishing me!".

But she said; "Today I realise I am a daughter of Abraham - and this means I can get healed today without deserving it!". Today I can get out of financial debt without deserving it! Today I can get out of depression without deserving it! Today I can get out of bondage and addiction without deserving it!

When you reason in your heart that I can get the blessing without deserving it then you are thinking the thoughts of faith - you are thinking faith! The law is not based on faith. The law would tell you to forget about faith; "Just get good enough to deserve it!".

When you preach Abraham - people realise they can get the blessing without deserving it! That is what produces faith!

Her FAITH got Jesus' attention!

Smith Wigglesworth said that God will ignore 10 million people that don't have faith and find the one in the crowd that does have faith. There was a whole synagogue full but Jesus found the one woman. She was sitting there thinking; "Wow I am a daughter of Abraham - I am not a daughter of the law! I can get things from the Father who loves me - things I don't deserve! They are available NOW!".

This is the tragedy although the story ends well. On the first day that this daughter of Abraham got sick - healing was available that day. The 2nd year healing was available. The 3rd year, the 4th year. Because only when she had a clear message on grace did healing kick in.

For 18 "long" years she had no capacity to have faith for her healing because the law is not based on faith.

She saw herself now as a daughter of Abraham. 18 years of bondage ended the day she understood grace. 18 years of bondage ended the day she understood I am no longer a daughter of the law but He is calling me a daughter of Abraham.

I HATE it when I hear people saying that miracles are only for a certain time - one day in the right time. The right time for this lady was 18 "long" years ago! Why did Jesus say "18 long years"? Isn't it amazing that Grace Himself said; "Should not this daughter of Abraham be healed on the Sabbath?". Why is He saying that? And who is He saying that to?

He is saying that to the synagogue rulers. Jesus is saying it to the law people who have robbed the church of faith. Should not this person have come out of financial debt? Should not this person have a healing in their body? Should not they get a better job? Should not they prosper? He is saying that they SHOULD but you are saying that they should NOT!

All heaven is obligated once they come out of law and rise up in faith - then heaven can't help but be obligated to heal! Those who are of Abraham's faith are blessed along with Abraham - when the law is taken off people then we can get them all healed.

18 long years. 18 is the number of bondage. It is the number in Scripture for captivity. In the book of Judges it says Israel went into captivity for 18 years. 6 - 6 - 6 = 18. 3 = perfection. 6 = human pride and human effort. What is the mark of the Beast? Legalism. Babylonian religion and dead works. Not the Gospel or the Old Covenant! This woman was "bowed over" by a demonic spirit. She attended that church for years and the Pharisees didn't help her. They made her a daughter of the law. When Jesus came she discovered she was a daughter of Abraham.

What was she looking at for 18 years? Dust. The Bible says in the book of Genesis - He says to the serpant Satan - "Dust shall you eat". The woman spent 18 years looking at the food of Satan. 6 - 6 - 6. All she saw was human effort. People's feet. The food of Satan. When Jesus touched her with grace, the first face she saw in 18 "long" years was Jesus the Messiah! When you live under law you spend your life psychologically looking at dust - human effort - condemnation - disappointment and struggle.

When the revelation comes that you are a daughter of Abraham - when that comes, you will see that lovely Face every day shining on you and you will move in a new realm of freedom and glory.

Can you believe these synagogue rulers tried to oppose Jesus and stop Him bringing a member of their congregation out of bondage?! That is how the religious demon has opposed us as we preach this message consistently!

A pastor in that synagoguee tried to oppose grace to keep a member of his congregation crippled in the name of religion!

(v14); "But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath". (v15); "But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites!".

Don't you like Jesus' attitude to religious people?! He doesn't get sweet and back off! He just says; "You hypocrites!". This is the Jesus we love! I love Him!

(v17); "As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him" - In any culture Jesus was not afraid of humiliating people that oppose grace because His eyes were on the broken multitudes that need grace. He didn't hold a board meeting and discuss law and grace - He just preached grace and produced faith in the people.

I promise you this lady would not have got healed if Jesus had preached the law there - because the law is not based on faith. He preached Abraham and she realised in that flash of revelation - that I am a daughter of Abraham and that God will give me what I DON'T deserve!

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 3 - The Law is Based on Faith" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 18th January 2009.

Isaiah 54:9

" ... so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee".

"The emotion of anger is gone forever but the emotion of surging love abides".

Alec Moyter - "Tyndale Old Testament Commentary on Isaiah" - IVP, Leicester (1999) - (p341).

1 Corinthians 15:56

"Now death's stinger is sin, and sin's power is the law".

"How did it (the Law) do so? How does it still do so? How does sin use the Law of God to deceive us? How is it that 'the strength of sin is the law'? First sin deceives us into mis-using the Law. It persuades us that nothing matters but actions and that desires, imaginations and so on do not count at all. It persuades us to believe that if we have not performed an actual evil dead we remain free from sin ... As long as I am not committing those actions I am keeping the Law and I am therefore justifying myself in the sight of God".

Reference: Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "Exposition of Chapter 7:1 - 8:4 - The Law: It's Functions and it's Limits" - Banner of Truth, Edinburgh (1995) - (p155).

Romans 5:20

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more".

"The Law not only increases our knowledge of sin and not only strengthens our conviction of sin but because of what sin has done to us, it actually makes us sin and incites us to sin.

Because of what sin has done to us, because it has perverted our very nature and because it has such a grip on our hearts, the very Law that tells us not to do things creates within us a desire to do them all the more".

Reference: Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "Exposition of Chapter 5 - Assurance" - Banner of Truth, Edinburgh (1998) - (p293).

Romans 5:20

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more".

"It (the Law) came alongside, says Paul, 'in order that the offence might abound'. The word 'offence' refers to Adam's offence. And that ... includes our offences also ... so when he says, 'that the offence might abound' - he is referring to the sin of Adam and to all the sins of men ever since. The Law has come in alongside in order that this sin, these actual sins and offences might abound - that is to say 'might increase' or 'be augmented'.

What then is the function of the Law according to the Apostle? It has been brought in alongside in order that the offence, the sins might abound".

Reference: Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "Exposition of Chapter 5 - Assurance" - Banner of Truth, Edinburgh (1998) - (p285).

Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 54

"Isaiah 54:14; "In righteousness you will be established". You cannot believe that anything apart from what Isaiah 53 speaks about - that you were declared righteous because He carried your iniquity and He was punished for you.

Isaiah 53 speaks about the Cross and all that Jesus bore for you so Isaiah 54 can say; "Therefore God took an oath NEVER to be angry with you again!". He is talking about not your righteousness but the righteousness of God".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in Righteousness - Part 1" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 4th January 2009.

Isaiah 53:11

"(v11); "After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied" - that is the resurrection".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 1" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 4th January 2009.

Colossians 2:6

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him".

"Paul says just as you received Christ so walk in Him. Or the NIV says just as you received Christ, "live in Him"! How did you receive Christ? Did you have to earn or deserve or keep the law or be good enough? No - you received Him by grace through faith - He declared you righteous. So just as you received Christ - so walk in Him and live in Him.

There is a major theological heresy in this earth that is a very dangerous heresy and is more serious than any other deception in the Church today. It is this idea that there are two types of righteousness. The free gift of righteousness that God gives you and the righteousness that you have to perform after you are saved.

That's not only bad theology - that is confusing because that means that God's righteousness is not good enough. And how can you be established in the gift of righteousness if you don't know where God's gift of righteousness ends and where your performance of righteousness has to begin?

No! The truth of the matter is that the gift of righteousness is the only righteousness that you live by. You receive Christ by the gift of righteousness and you continue to live by grace through faith that "I am the righteousness of God". That gives you the power to change - but you are always righteous and are constantly righteous!".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Being Established In The Gift Of Righteousness" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 4th January 2009.

Romans 8:15-17

"(v15); " ... did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear but you received a spirit of sonship and by Him we cry "Abba! Father!". The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit ...".

The Holy Spirit is telling you that you are a son of the Father and is in you and through you is crying; "Abba! Daddy! Father!".

(v17); "If we are children then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs". Co-heir is an equal heir. "with Christ". (v19); "For the sons of God to be revealed". It didn't say that the world is waiting for Christians to be revealed but for sons to be revealed - led by the Spirit who only do what they see the Father doing and are not led by circumstances".

Reference: Rob Rufus - "Sonship vs Christianity" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 30th November 2008.