New Ancient Rules for Healthy Relationships

Written By John Riggs
All Series
2026 Series

New Ancient Rules for Healthy Relationships

We all come from imperfect families that have shaped the way we think, feel, and relate to others, often in ways we don’t even realize. But when we receive Jesus, we are reborn into a new kind of family: God’s family. In this series, we’ll uncover how following Jesus invites us to leave behind the old, dysfunctional ways of relating and embrace a new rule modeled after God’s perfect love… to love others the way Jesus has loved us. These ancient truths still speak powerfully into our relationships today, helping us break free from unhealthy patterns and learn how to build stronger, Christ-centered connections

Teachings in This Series

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Week 6: Good
Week 6: Good

I cannot do good unless I follow Jesus by doing what honors God, what is wise, and what is loving towards others.

I cannot do good unless I follow Jesus by doing what honors God, what is wise, and what is loving towards others.

Notes Notes + Key Full Service

Week 5: Discipline
Week 5: Discipline

Discipline is a long obedience that leads to spiritual maturity and healthy relationship.

Discipline is a long obedience that leads to spiritual maturity and healthy relationship.

Notes Notes + Key Full Service

Week 4: Forgive
Week 4: Forgive

Understanding how much God has forgiven me through Jesus Christ gives me the grace and strength to forgive quickly and continually.

Understanding how much God has forgiven me through Jesus Christ gives me the grace and strength to forgive quickly and continually.

Notes Notes + Key Full Service‍ ‍Talk with Someone

Forgiveness is hard, but healing is possible.

In this week’s message we explored why forgiveness—though vitally important—is so difficult. Because relationships matter, sin wounds us deeply, and hurt often leads to anger. Yet anger is a secondary emotion—a reaction to pain, fear, shame, or loss—and if left unaddressed it hardens into bitterness and robs us of reconciliation. Scripture gives believers a path forward: we are to forgive quickly and continually as a reflection of how Jesus has forgiven us. Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4 calls us to put off the old self and put on a new way of life shaped by grace, truth, and forgiveness. Jesus makes the impossible possible: because He bore our sin on the cross and offers immediate and continual forgiveness, we are empowered to release what we’re holding onto and extend forgiveness to others. Forgiveness isn’t optional in God’s family—it’s at the heart of our faith and essential for healthy relationships.

Recommended Resources

1. Free of Charge by Miroslav Volf
A thoughtful and powerful exploration of grace and forgiveness as unearned gifts, Volf emphasizes that forgiveness frees both the forgiver and the forgiven. This book challenges cultural grasping and invites readers into the liberating reality of grace.

Purchase “Free of Charge” on Amazon

2. Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Timothy Keller
Keller combines biblical theology with practical insight to show that forgiveness is rooted in the gospel: we forgive because God first forgave us in Christ. This book is a clear and compassionate guide for anyone struggling with forgiveness.

Purchase “Forgive” on Amazon

3. Murder, Motherhood and Miraculous Grace by Debra Moerke
An inspiring true story of unimaginable hurt and the radical forgiveness that followed. Moerke’s testimony powerfully illustrates how Christ’s grace enables forgiveness even in the most painful circumstances.

Purchase “Murder, Motherhood, and Miraculous Grace” on Amazon

John Riggs

Human. Flaws and all.

https://jriggs.net
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