14 quotes by Sigurd Bratlie that just might change your perception of the gospel!

Sigurd Bratlie (1905-1996) was the leader of Brunstad Christian Church from 1976 until his death in 1996. He had a distinctive ability to bring out the gospel and the teachings of the apostles in a clear and straightforward way, so that everyone could understand. He had a sincere love for people and devoted his life to living righteously before God’s face, putting the truths that he preached into practice in his own life.

Bratlie had a genuine sorrow over and indignation against the superficial doctrine that so often turned “forgiveness of sins” into “permission to sin,” and fought to expose these false teachings and Satan’s deception his whole life, both in writing and in preaching. The missionary work of this unassuming man has helped many people to become true disciples of Jesus Christ, and to come to a deeper life and fellowship with Him.

Sigurd Bratlie was a prolific writer, the author of hundreds of articles and numerous books about Christian life and understanding of the Scriptures. The following quotes are from some of his books, which can also be downloaded as eBooks (click on the links). These insights can lead to ground-breaking development in your Christian life.

Grace

“It is no comfort for us to hear that grace is so great that even if we are in bondage to sin, we will get to heaven anyway. Our comfort is that God’s grace is so great that we no longer have to be in bondage to sin; now we can overcome sin. This is heaven for us!”

The blood of Jesus

“The blood of Jesus is much more than the blood of goats and bulls. By His blood we receive not only forgiveness for our sins but we are set free, so that we no longer need to commit them again. The blood of bulls and goats could only sanctify to the cleansing of the flesh from sins already committed. How much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God! In other words, we are no longer obligated to serve sin!”

Perfection

“When we speak about being perfect, we mean perfect according to our conscience as disciples—and this is possible! From that point we are to press on and be perfected. Jesus says, ‘It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher …’ Matthew 10:25. Nevertheless, until we are, we must be poor in spirit, and hunger and thirst.”

True grace is so much more

“Grace not only means forgiveness, it also means help. (Hebrews 4:16) Grace is not only given to forgive our sins, but also to teach us not to sin. (Titus 2:11-12)”

Twisting Jesus’ words

“Most people, when they hear an exhortation, say, ‘We can do nothing.’ They are quoting Jesus, which makes them feel like they are on solid ground. But just as most people twist God’s Word to make it suit them, these people twist the words of Jesus. What did He really say? ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’ John 15:5.
So when they say, ‘we can do nothing,’ they are actually saying they are outside of Him. Consequently, they are neither His disciples, nor are they members of the body of Christ.”

Satan’s wiles

“We see how little it takes for most people to forsake God in their hearts. Satan has only to offer them a boyfriend or girlfriend, more money or human honor. Often he only has to touch their possessions or cause them to be unjustly treated, or allow something to happen that they cannot understand. Great is the multitude that has forsaken God in their hearts. Their faith has failed, and Satan has rejoiced.
You who have failed and fallen away, if you had only understood what was at stake, what the conflict was all about, then you would have rejoiced in your trials.”

Temptation—a reason to rejoice

“Many people consider temptation to be the same as sinning; but if that were the case, how could James exhort us to rejoice? On the contrary, we who believe in victory win the crown of life in the trials [temptations], just as we read in James 1:12: ‘Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.’”

The Word is the Word of God

“Flee from all superficiality and idle chatterers! Do not argue with people about the Word of God. Receive the Word as the Word of God, and believe it just as it is written. Then it will effectively work in you. (See 1 Thessalonians 2:13.)”

Enabled to do God’s will

“The flesh with its lusts and desires is the veil that prevents us from doing God’s will. Those lusts and desires are too strong for us and cause us to sin, even though we really want to do God’s will. That is why God sent His Son and gave us the gospel—the glad tidings. This is the glad tidings: ‘Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.’ Galatians 5:16. It was this that Jesus made possible for us while He was the Son of Man.”

The new covenant

“If you have committed yourself to obey all the will of God, then the Lord commits Himself to clothe you with power from on high, to equip you with everything that pertains to life and godliness, to write His laws in your heart and mind, and to bless you with all spiritual blessings; and whatever you need to sustain your earthly body will be added to you. What more could you wish for?”

The huge significance of Jesus’ life for us

“The resurrection proved that Jesus had not sinned, despite the fact that He had this flesh in which we know dwells no good thing. He returned to the Father undefiled by the flesh of David. (See Romans 7:18.) The significance of this for us is that we can, through the gospel, attain to victory over sin and to the same life that He lived.”

Being molded into the image of Christ

“Jesus is the cornerstone, the foundation stone. It was by doing God’s will that He was formed and molded to be the cornerstone. When He came into the world He said, ‘Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’ Hebrews 10:7. We enter into the new covenant in precisely the same way. Now it is also by doing God’s will that we are molded into His image. In the volume of the book it is written about us.”

Our life cannot be hidden

“Life is the light of men; no one can borrow light from another. Today, too, there are people who live in sin but try to hide among the Christians. People trust them because they attend the meetings, and they seem to be good people. But the time is coming when they will be manifested for what they really are.”

What it really means to overcome

“‘He who overcomes!’ There are great promises for him. To overcome: that means not doing your works to be seen, but because you love Jesus, and everything you do is for His sake. If you do this, you are truly wise. Then you will be raptured when Jesus comes like a thief to fetch those who are ready. You will be clothed in white garments and be allowed to walk with Jesus, and He will confess your name before the Father and His angels.”