Are you Qualified to be Blessed?

 

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 NLT

 In this life, whenever we are applying for a new position at work, applying for a loan, or inquiring about admissions into a trade school or university, what is one of the first things we look for? We look to see what the qualifications are. We then assess ourselves, our achievements, and our skill sets and see if we meet the qualifications.

 When it comes to life in the Kingdom, we must understand how this Kingdom functions and operates. In the world system, achievements, accomplishments, attainments, and acquirements are what matter most. Is this the way God's system operates?

 According to most ministries, and churches, it appears the answer is yes. The religious tradition of man is always looking to "score points" with God. Whenever we see a promise in the Scripture, people generally look for some condition that must be first met in order to receive said promise. 

 Many do not rightly divide the Word of God, they look to the Old Covenant, mix the Old and New, and add stipulations and conditions to all God's promises. They see what God told Israel and try to place those same demands on the Church. The truth needs to be heralded for all the saints to hear. 

 Jesus has fulfilled the Old and all the promises of God are now yes and amen because of Him. There are no conditions to be met. We don't have to earn or achieve anything before we can lay hold of the promises of God. All God asks is that we simply believe and receive. 

 Belief is not a work. Believing is a response to information presented. God presents us with the Good News of Grace and all He purchased and provided for us and we simply respond with believing and readily accepting it. 

Are you qualified to receive the blessing?

 The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is Good News, not bad news. If we look and find any stipulations or works needed to receive take note that Jesus has already met those demands. Jesus paid the price in full. He has forever qualified those who believe to receive all God has provided.

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossian 1:12-14 NASB 

The Word is clear. The Word cannot lie. The Spirit and the Word agree. God has already qualified us in Christ Jesus to receive all the blessings and goodness of God.

 Tradition will argue and say no, only the faithful abound with blessings. So you need to be found faithful in order to be blessed. Still others would claim the Word said we must first hearken unto God, observe and do all He commands and then we will be blessed. 

 These are all Old Covenant stipulations and conditions in order to be blessed. Did the Cross not change anything? Was Jesus' perfect Redemptive work insufficient to fulfill all the obligations the Law and Old Covenant demanded? 

 Look at what God declared about Adam and Eve in Genesis 1. Really ponder and reflect on the dynamic of their relationship with God. What task did they need to complete before God blessed them? What exactly did they need to do enough of before they were qualified to be blessed? What action, spiritual disciplines, and good work did they need to be engaging in before they received God's blessing? 

 Tradition would respond, well that was in the Garden of Eden, that was when there was no sin, and they were in perfect standing with God, completely holy. Exactly right. The amazingly good news is because of Jesus, the Grace of God, we are in even better standing with God. How so? 

 Not only are we made holy once for all time, made the Righteousness of God in Christ, forgiven forever, but God Himself dwells within us. If we are in an even better relationship with God than Adam and Eve then how much more are we already qualified for all the blessings of God? What more can we do to add to Jesus' perfect work?

 Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are qualified to receive all the Goodness and Love of God because of Jesus. There is nothing else we need to do. We can't give enough, abstain from sin enough, and love others enough to qualify more for His love and blessings. Jesus' work was enough.

 In summation, we need to stop disqualifying ourselves from receiving all Jesus purchased and procured for us in His victorious work of Redemption. Jesus has paid the price in full. He paid our way totally and completely. Rejoice in that and freely receive it. 

Image by Tayeb MEZAHDIA from Pixabay 

Does God crush His children? (How Good is God?)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8 NKJV 

 This website is dedicated to proclaiming the unabridged Gospel of Grace and the uncompromising truth of God's Goodness at all times. That in all times and in all situations God is Good.

  When we speak of God's Grace, the understood premise is the knowledge of the true nature and character of God. God had to first make clear His true nature and character before revealing the Gospel is the Grace of God revealed in Christ. That's why Jesus went about doing Good and healing all when He walked upon the earth, perfectly demonstrating the Father's all the time Goodness to all.

 With this understanding, it seems good to tackle yet another religious tradition of man. Now before we go further, let me answer why it is so important to dismantle and destroy these religious traditions. We live in a fallen world and people are lost without Christ. How can fallen men reach out a trusting hand to God if they are told God is in fact the one responsible for their misery? 

 If God is ordaining their destruction how then can they trust Him for salvation? If God is so angry at them, how could they even dare approach Him? The proclamation of the Gospel suffers when religion paints a portrait of God on the canvas of men's minds as that of an angry tyrant sending plagues and pestilences and punishments upon them.

Is God crushing His children?

I recently came across a video that made my heart "sink." In this video clip, a "minister",  a rather well-known "minister" made the stunning statement;

"oh by the way if God would crush and kill His perfect, spotless, sinless Son, who do you think you are?" 

 Now of all the things we can say about God, is this something Jesus would have spoken concerning His Father? With such a shocking charge lodged against my Father in Heaven, I did a little search concerning this insidious religious concept and found other ministers also making these same accusations about the Father;

 "Sometimes He crushes you because He’s going to bless you so much he doesn’t want you to get arrogant. He wants to humble you."

"God knows exactly where to crush you to bring you to the place you need to be."

 Some even teach the notion just like a rose is crushed to make perfume God will also crush us to create a sweet-smelling aroma. These are the strongholds in the mind of the religious Christian. We must topple these sacred cows with the Scriptures so we can set the captives free.

  The only time we see the Father "crushing" someone is in the substitutionary aspect of the redemptive work of Christ. Isaiah 53 speaks of this. This was God's love in action. That is God the Father put the judgment for all the sin of mankind upon the body of His Son so that you and I would never experience judgment. 

 We must boldly declare that God is a Good Father. That He is not the one "crushing" people. He isn't the author of anguish, affliction, agony, misery, and heartbreak. The Father is the author of life, wholeness, and peace. The Father takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. God is for you and not against you. This is all because He loves you eternally and unconditionally.

 What does the Word declare about our Father?

 8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9 KJV

                                                                           

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4  who redeems your life from the pit who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 MEV

  (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. Deuteronomy 4:31 MEV

13 No one who is tempted should ever be confused and say that God is testing him. The One who created us is free from evil and can’t be tempted, so He doesn’t tempt anyone James 1:13 Voice

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 

 The Word is clear. God is a Good God and not the author of evil. God is not crushing you, no matter what circumstances you may be facing. You can come to God trusting Him to help you through the tough times because you know He isn't the author of it. 

 God is for you not against you. The Father isn't orchestrating evil situations, calamities, catastrophes, or cataclysmic events to crush you to better you. He gave us His Spirit within to lead us and guide us. He gave us His Word to lighten our path and to instruct us. 

 In summation, lose the religious traditions and embrace Grace. Cling fast to the truth of the Word and not man's traditions. God loves you and is for you. Hold fast to His Goodness.

Images courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living in Sin?

 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 NLT

 1 What, then, shall we say? shall we continue in the sin that the grace may abound? 2 let it not be! we who died to the sin -- how shall we still live in it? Romans 6:1-2 YLT

 Much of Christian theology and doctrine are realized and lived out practically based on mere human understanding and man-made traditions rather than God's Word alone. More plainly stated, much of what Christians actually believe and practice in their day-to-day lives is rooted in what they heard someone or some minister say. Often it's not actually rooted in the Word of God.

 Some of these Ideas and suggestions and concepts includes thoughts like all who commit suicide will surely go to Hell, if you get divorced you can never remarry, or God loves you but sometimes is displeased and disappointed with you. Or perhaps one of the biggest thoughts conveyed, if you sin too much God won't forgive you. Where are these concepts specifically addressed and stated this exact way in the Bible, God's Word? 

 I will help you, they are not in the Word. Christian believers and ministers alike infer, assume, and reason certain things to be true based on a flawed, traditional, and veiled view of Father God. Often, believers assign their own attitudes and reactions, and conclusions to God. Allow me to elaborate. 

 Christians many times knowing how we might personally react or respond to a certain situation unconsciously assign that same attitude to our Father God. We then form and fashion a theology of Father God based on this and not the character of God we see clearly demonstrated in the Word. In general, we wouldn't continue fellowshipping with someone who fails us, wouldn't forgive someone if they continued in the same action repeatedly, and would judge someone swiftly if they continue wronging us, thus we conclude God is the same as us.

 Understanding this, I want to examine a concept in the Church I have heard expressed throughout my Christian life. This concept transcends all denominations and ministries I was ever involved in. This concept and idea of living in sin.

 What is living in sin? The response to this in the average believer's mind is a person who is actively committing adultery, someone living with someone they are not married to, someone who has a drinking problem, or a homosexual. Is this what living in sin means?

 I submit to you that this is not the actual meaning of living in sin. I certainly concur based upon the writings of Paul the Apostle of Grace, that adultery, fornication, alcoholism, and homosexuality are indeed sinful actions. However, that is not what it means to live in sin.

 When we consult the manual, the Basics Instructions Before Leaving Earth, the Bible, God's Word, the phrase living in sin is not found anywhere. When we need the truth revealed it's essential we check the Word. We desire God to instruct us not man or experience.

 In our text, we see Paul instruct us not to continue in sin. The word sin is the noun, not the verb. Paul is speaking of position, of identity, not actions. Of course, identity and position affect our actions. 

 Now when it comes to claiming to live in sin is defined by our actions, we see much hypocrisy in the application of this label. What I mean is, we see the man living with a woman he isn't married to and say they are living in sin. Yet we don't look at our lives and see how often we worry. We don't look in the mirror and see the bitterness we still harbor at old bosses, family, and former friends. 

 The Word tells us that which is not of Faith is sin. How often do we label those who fail to walk by Faith as living in sin? Worry is the sin of not trusting God, yet so many Christians are world-champion worriers. Where is their condemnation? 

 Let's allow the Word to be the final authority. Paul was telling us not to continue living in our old identity. We are New Creations in Christ. We are made alive in Christ anew. Dare to take your place as the very Righteousness of God in Christ.

 I believe the reason the concept of living in sin describing our behavior is so popular is that it becomes a means to control believers. The enemy uses it to control our thoughts by throwing flaming darts of condemnation at us. We won't press in to God relationally because we believe He is mad at us. We believe He hasn't forgiven us. 

 Religious tradition controls believers through guilt. Better give and participate in all our programs cause if you don't you'll be living in sin. Your prayers will go unanswered. This is why we must understand Grace and the New Covenant.

 The enemy and religious tradition try to convince believers that answered prayer is rooted in our behavior. Often Healing and wholeness are seen as rewards for good behavior. Don't be misled. Grace is unmerited and unearned favor. Healing, protection, prosperity, deliverance, favor, and abundant life are already ours because of Christ, not our own works. Therefore we can't do more good to earn them, and we can't do anything bad enough to disqualify us from receiving them. 

 As true as it is that our sinful actions are detrimental to ourselves and others, (natural consequences), it doesn't mean we should accept guilt and condemnation. Guilt and condemnation won't motivate us to make better choices. All they do is make us mask our flaws even deeper. 

 In summation, live in Grace. Live in the new identity Christ has made us. Don't walk in guilt and condemnation. Though sinful actions may have natural consequences, know God isn't punishing anyone. Finally, let the Word of God, not tradition be the final authority for truth in our lives. His Grace is greater. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: Too much Goodness?

For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 We've been in an ongoing series looking at the life lived abiding under the Grace of our Lord Jesus. We are examining practical aspects of the Christian life. This examination comes in the form of a question. Are we abiding under Jesus' Grace, or foolishness (pseudo grace), or legalism (man's traditions and attempts to earn favor and love)?

 Recently, many churches and ministries have been sounding the alarm concerning ear-tickling, positive, feel-good messaging. The concern is that the Gospel is being too diluted and made too appealing to the lost. This begs the question, does the Gospel of the Grace we proclaim have too much goodness?

 The Gospel is the Good News of the Grace of God pledged in the life, substitutionary death, and triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The old gospel hymn perfectly sums up the message of Grace. Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried all my sins far away, (forgiven forever). Rising He justified ( made those who believe Righteous), freed me forever, one day He is coming back, what a glorious day! 

 Some warn that the message some proclaim is ear-tickling. It makes light of sin and has no conviction. It doesn't proclaim to sinners how wicked and evil their sin is. It doesn't tell them about eternity in Hell. It doesn't command that they repent, turn around and cease their wickedness. 

 I recently read about one of those ear-tickling, "fluff", feel-good, happy preachers. This minister was speaking with a woman whose theology first and foremost was clearly unbiblical. She also had been divorced five times. She was currently living with a man she wasn't even married to. They were living in open sin and rebellion against God's clear command of purity before marriage. 

So did this "preacher" correct her? Did he show her sinful she was, and had broken and violated God's commandments? Did he open the Scripture and line by line reveal to her how sex outside of marriage was clearly sinful and rebellious?

This divorcee and open fornicator, shacking up with a man never even got one word of "conviction" and telling her about Hell, and the need to repent of her sins. All this "preacher" did offer her was eternal life. This feel-good, ear-tickling, happy, preacher is named Jesus Christ. Be sure to watch out for Him and His happy message. Too much Grace is obviously dangerous. We need to make the sinner uncomfortable and show them how wicked and dirty and unacceptable they are before God. 

 This is the account of Jesus and the woman at the well from John 4.  This is a powerful illustration of the Gospel proclamation. Yes her theology was clearly incorrect, Jesus affirmed that. Yes, she was living in sin, Jesus revealed that. Yet in all this, she never felt condemned, she never felt worthless, she never felt unworthy and unwelcome. 

 Grace reveals the truth in love without compromise, but it's not a harsh, condemning proclamation. Grace magnifies what Christ has done, not what our sin has done. The Gospel is the proclamation of the answer to the problem, the antidote for the ailment, the light that reveals the way out of the darkness. It's the heralding of the Good News that God has reconciled lost sinful man. It's the glad news that God isn't mad at you, He is mad about you!

 I trust you're tracking with me that it's the legalist that is sounding alarm bells about a feel-good gospel. The legalist feels that if the lost aren't made to feel unworthy and wretched they won't really be saved even if they do respond to an invitation to trust in Christ. They magnify sin and guilt and minor on God's Love in their messaging.

 When I was a young boy, I remember being raised in church. I heard the gospel regularly, that is the basic message that Jesus came, died and rose again, and is coming back. I simply believed that. I never believed we came from monkeys or evolved by accident. Yes, as I got older I rebelled and sinned. I still believed though, and as I got old enough to fully understand, God revealed to me all are guilty before God that's why Jesus' work was so needed, and why it was so powerful in its working and accomplishment. 

 In all this, I never once felt condemned, unworthy or unwelcome. Legalists can't seem to grasp that we as individuals grow in our understanding of the Gospel and all that Jesus did for us. This includes progressive changing in actions and thinking. We don't need pointed fingers and wagging tongues of condemnation to guide us.

 The Gospel is Good News. It is not a message of shame and guilt. It is not a message of hellfire and wrath and an angry God who wants to punish all. Grace simply reveals the Good News of the Father's Love expressed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in Him alone and receive New Life. Receive His free gift and pass from eternal death to eternal life. 

 The error of the foolish is they, once having been freed from religion, set their eyes again upon the stones they had relinquished. They again clutch these stones in their hands that used to be hurled at the sinful, and now turn them towards the legalists. They foolishly embrace bitterness at the legalist and began throwing stones at them.

 This isn't the Gospel way. The same Grace we now give the vilest sinner is the same Grace available to the most legalistic among us. Grace is gracious and loving to sinners and saints alike. Remember, the legalist may call us their enemy but that doesn't mean we have to count them as our enemy. 

 In summation, the Gospel is a happy, feel-good, positive, and pleasing to the ear proclamation of glad tidings and hope. Grace proclaims the truth in love. Grace isn't denying the existence of future judgment or an eternal hell for those who callously reject the love of God, it's just that this isn't the message of the Gospel. It isn't what we proclaim to the lost. There is no bad news in the Good News, and the Gospel is Good News. 

Image by nneem from Pixabay

Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: Is Grace and Faith enough?

For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 A life lived under Grace brings celebration, joy, and peace that supersedes natural expectations. Under Grace, we have confidence in our approach to God and a permanent sense of acceptance and approval from Him. The victorious Christian life is only realized by Grace alone through Faith alone.

 This is why it's important to have a working knowledge of Grace and Faith in our personal lives. The enemy likes to sow the seeds of legalism and foolish pseudo-grace in our thinking in an attempt to derail us off the Righteous path of the triumphant victorious life in Christ. This is why we've been examining Grace and foolishness and legalism in recent weeks.

 In our last study, we answered the question of what it means to be saved. Today, it seems good to continue along the same line and ask what must we do to be saved? This is an age-old question. Legalistic religion and tradition and pseudo-grace offer their answer but how does Grace respond?

 Again citing our last study, we can see that this question is moot for the foolish because they believe all are already saved regardless of personal Faith. Again, Paul and the other Apostles dismantle this foolish thinking. Jesus, Himself proves pseudo-grace foolishness is in error as well. 

 Legalism on the other hand, through mixture, brings much confusion to the Church on this subject. The simple question, what must I do to be saved has a simple answer. Yet legalism makes the simple complex, convoluted and complicated. 

 Legalism teaches that one must make a commitment to God in order to be saved. In other words, it's not about trusting God's promise, it's about us making a promise to Him. Legalism says we must promise or commit to God to live a life of complete obedience and submission. If you didn't commit to Him, are you really saved?

 Legalism claims we must repent in order to be saved. Repentance according to legalists is a change of direction, a cease and desist of any and all actions contrary to God, a sorrowful realization of one's faults, failures, and flaws. If you haven't repented are you really saved? 

 Legalism appeals to people regardless if they consciously agree with all they claim or not. The reason it appeals is because it always makes room for something for us to do. Natural human nature seeks to boast in what has done. Look how I did this noble act or performed this kind deed is something many of us have boasted about at some point in our life.

 Salvation is by Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone. There is no boasting in human effort. There are no requirements to meet. There are no checklists to complete. It's simply trusting in Jesus alone and nothing else.

 It's not trusting Jesus plus our commitments or change of behavior. It's not trusting in Jesus plus our pledge to live pure. Jesus plus something always equals nothing, but Jesus plus nothing equals everything!

 Allow Grace to give the simple answer to the question what must one do to be saved? Paul the Apostle of Grace was asked this very question. What was his response? The Holy Spirit through Paul answered this way;

  30 He then led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your household will be saved.” Acts 16:30-31 MEV

 Grace answers the simple question with a simple answer. Simply believe. The Spirit through Paul didn't respond with believe, plus stop all your sinning and ungodly habits and pledge to never do them again. The Spirit through Paul didn't respond with, nothing, you don't have to do anything you're already saved or will be after you die, didn't you know? 

 Grace has the best response. Believe in Jesus and receive salvation. It's that simple. No matter how far in sin you feel simply believe/trust in Christ alone and you will be saved. It is that simple.

 In summation, let's ask again. What must we do to be saved? Simply believe in Jesus. Trust in Christ alone and you will be saved. Grace is the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

 

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Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: What does it mean to be Saved?

  For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 We've been a new series, examining the practical aspects of the Christian life lived with a Grace and Finished Work perspective. We are locating ourselves in our walk with God in the form of a question. Are we actually abiding under Grace, or foolishness, or legalism? 

 We've already looked at many aspects of the Christian life under Grace, such as what about the Law or differing personal convictions. Today, it seems good to look at salvation in Christ. What does it mean to be saved, what are we actually saved from?

  Grace has been revealed to all mankind in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul informs us in Titus that Grace has appeared to all mankind offering salvation to whosoever will receive it. Grace finds us where we are offering the free gift of New Life in Christ. Upon acceptance, no cleanup on our part is required. Grace sees us where we are in all our sins, depravity, brokenness, and spiritual death and stoops down and brings us out and lifts us up, translating us from death to life.

 What does it mean to be saved? What is a Christian?

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16 MEV

 24 “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24 MEV

 A Christian is simply one who believes and trusts in Christ alone, believing He is arisen and is seated at God's right hand. What does it mean to be saved? It is simply this, one who trusts in Christ alone and therefore has been delivered from spiritual death and now possesses eternal life. 

 Now the foolish cannot answer this question. For they believe that all humanity is already "saved" or righteous apart from any belief, any trust, or any conscious decision to willfully trust Christ alone. Love to them is a divine invasion of the will of all humanity. God knows what's best for all and therefore He forces all to abide with Him regardless if they choose to or not.

 They also can't answer the question of what it means to be saved because they deny that anyone was ever actually lost. Spiritual death or separation is a made-up concept that legalists push on humanity they claim. If no one was ever lost, no human was ever born with the lost Adamic sinful nature, what is there to be saved from? In essence, Jesus didn't even need to die. 

 The foolish's view of mankind's spiritual condition is clearly contradictory to Jesus' words and the words of Paul. So what about the legalist's view of what it means to be saved? How would they outline what it means to be saved?

 Legalists will claim Grace is great. Grace is amazing for it finds lost sinners and offers them salvation. Yet in the grand scheme of things Grace is insufficient in and of itself to save you. 

 Legalism tells the lost to come just as they are, Christ will receive them. Yet, with the passage of a little time, their salvation is unassured. The legalists will claim what it means to be saved is that you have begun living a life that is completely opposite to your old one. In other words, being saved means your performance, your behavior, and your actions are completely morally perfect and flawless. 

 Legalism points to our lives and how we lead them to prove one is saved. They don't to point Jesus' perfect obedience, they point to ours. If we fail to measure up, they will claim it is highly unlikely we were saved to begin with. For if we truly repented when we came to Christ we would be living like Jesus in the here and now. 

 Repentance isn't a change of mind to the legalist. Repentance is a change of lifestyle. A complete change. If we aren't living 100% morally upright it proves we were never made right with God. 

 Grace is so much better than foolishness and legalism. We received new life in Christ by freely trusting in Christ alone. We have been delivered from spiritual death and now possess eternal life. Once we possess this gift of eternal life it is ours forever and cannot be lost. This is what it means to be saved.

 In summation, follow Grace in its fullness and relinquish foolish pseudo-grace and legalism. Don't allow these false ideas of man to take root in your thinking. Instead, stay with the Word, with the Gospel of Grace and the Finished Work of Christ. Grace is amazing and needs no mixture or additives. 

Image by Shaarc from Pixabay 

Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: Grace and Law?

 For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 We've begun a series examining the practical aspects of living the Christian life under Grace. The premise of this study is in the form of a question. We are asking if we are walking in true Grace or foolishness or legalism in the practical areas of the Christian life. 

 We have looked at the areas of our understanding of the Christian Faith. We have looked at not throwing stones at others for their convictions. We have looked at what makes Grace so amazing and what diminishes it. 

 Today, it seems good to examine the Law and its place in the life of the Christian. Because the Gospel of Grace is misunderstood sometimes, the Church, the Body of Christ, sadly likes to incorporate aspects of the Law in their lives and ministries. Legalism, therefore, becomes a stronghold rooted in the minds of many.

 What's truly sad is how so many are oblivious to the amount of legalism in their thinking and approach to God. You may ask what about the foolish-minded and Law? The foolish understanding of Law and Grace can quickly be remedied by allowing the Scripture to have the final say.

 What I mean is, the foolish understand the stronghold of Law mixture, so basically they just dismiss any and all commands or any discipleship, or spiritual growth principles. If they ignore it all they won't have any stronghold of legalism. We have the commandment of Love in the New Covenant. We have principles of growth Paul laid out for us. These are not legalistic or burdensome. 

 Loving God and others is a blessing because we first know and understand God loves us and has poured out His Love upon us and within us. This answers the foolish-minded response to Law. Again the legalistic approach being such a stronghold needs much teaching so believers would gain a clear and unobstructed and uncorrupted understanding of the Gospel.  

 One mistaken concept the legalists embrace is that they see every single teaching of Jesus as a New Covenant principle. Not rightly dividing Jesus' words, they mistake the messages for the Nation of Israel, the messages to the lost, this world system, and His expounding and explaining the Law as commands addressed to us, the Church. Christ did speak New Covenant truths. Christ did speak to the Children of Israel. Christ did give warnings to the lost. Christ did preach the fullness of the Law. Which is why we must rightly divide His teachings.

 So when Jesus gives us the total weight of the Law, proving to all mankind our lost condition and need for a Savior, legalism draws the wrong conclusion. They claim Grace has a higher standard of conduct than Law. More clearly stated, they are saying under Grace there are stricter moral commandments than even the 613 commands of the Mosaic Law. 

 When Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, expounded on the Ten Commandments, He was showing Israelites and future peoples, both Jew and Gentile alike that God's standard is absolute perfection. He was revealing to whosoever has ears to hear, that here is the end of your proverbial rope. This is the end of your performance. Jesus was saying, Guess what! Your goodness, your conduct, your behavior, and your performance will never be enough!

 Grace brings us to a place where we truly see our broken and faulty condition before a thrice Holy God. No, not to judge, not to condemn, not to castigate, but to bring us to a place where we can fully receive Grace. As experts tell us, you can't save a drowning man who is still fighting. God gives Grace to the humble, those who have come to an end of themselves, that is, their efforts attempting to appease and please God in their own strength.

Throughout the Scripture we see God rejecting the proud but giving Grace to the humble. God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's. Abel offered it in Faith, which means he was humble before God whereas Cain was not.  

 Another mistaken concept legalism embraces, which in turn strengthens the rooted stronghold in their thinking, is their misunderstanding of the place the Law has today. Countless times I have encountered the legalists who respond to the proclamation of the Gospel of Grace claiming we as the Church are still under the Law because Jesus said He came not to abolish the Law. Therefore, they conclude the Gospel of Grace is a false gospel. Failing to rightly divide Jesus' words and actually ignoring the full passage, they cling to one phrase and ignore the complete text.

17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one dot or one mark will pass from the law until all be fulfilled.  Matthew 5:17-18 MEV

 Jesus truly stated He hadn't come to abolish the Law. However, let's actually read what He said. He said He didn't come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill. Jesus was foreshadowing His coming work of Grace on the Cross. 

 Grace doesn't say the Law has been abolished. Grace doesn't say because we aren't under Law we can now freely steal from our neighbors, lie, covet their possessions, and commit adultery. Jesus fulfilled the Law on our behalf, pouring out His Love upon us and within us. We don't need a list of do's and don'ts to walk in love with others. 

 By fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, Jesus met every requirement justice demanded. Jesus completed the work on our behalf. We can freely receive His Righteousness because Jesus' performance was perfect and provides us all the benefits of right standing, acceptance, and approval with a Loving Father. 

 Legalism produces the confusing and corrupted cocktail of Law and Grace mixture. Legalism says yes receive what Jesus did, but it's still insufficient to find perfect acceptance and approval with the Father. You are still required to meet the standards of the Law, of course, picking and choosing which of the 613 are relevant to keep and observe. 

  Grace says Jesus' work was enough. Grace says When He said it was Finished, He didn't say to be continued, to be perfected, to be completed by our works, our actions, our behavior, or our observance of aspects of the Mosaic Law. Grace says Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law on our behalf, therefore we are perpetual right standing and acceptance and approval before God our Father.

 In summation, let's stay with Grace. Let's fully embrace the Gospel and allow the truth of Grace to uproot any strongholds of legalistic thinking. It is done, Jesus is enough!

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Another Mistaken Idea: Tongues were merely for evangelizing in foreign languages

For the one speaking in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; indeed, no one understands him, yet he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:2 Mounce

 Nothing can bring more misunderstanding, misdirection, and misconception in the life of the believer than mistaken ideas concerning God. Nothing can trip up the believer more than mistaken ideas concerning His Word. Therefore, periodically, we address these mistaken ideas and shed the light of the Gospel truth on them.

 When it comes to praying in the Spirit or speaking with tongues, a major mistaken idea has formed in light of the tradition of men. Traditional religion, in a vain effort to conceal their unbelief, has perpetrated an absurd idea concerning evangelism and tongues. This mistaken idea allows and gives credence to a powerless, faithless Christian expression. 

 When the Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, He ushered in a new way of living, a new expression of power and praise, and a more personal intimacy between the Father and His Family. With His coming, Jesus began baptizing believers in the Spirit. The timid become bold. The weak triumphant in Christ.

 The Church was also given Grace gifts to confirm the Word. With all these amazing gifts and benefits, tradition found a way to make the Word of no effect in the lives of believers. Tradition says tongues and the fullness of the Spirit are not for today because they have served their purpose.

 Tradition's mistaken idea is that speaking with tongues was merely for evangelizing in foreign lands. They cite a mere portion of the events of the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out. They've lifted the verses out of full context in Acts 2 to prove this absurdity.

 Looking at the full events of Acts 2 we can see how mistaken this idea is. The idea is that since the Jews gathered from all nations in Jerusalem at this time heard the believers speaking tongues in their own languages, thus eventually getting saved. This means tongues were merely about the Apostles being gifted to preach to foreigners. Actually reading the second chapter of Acts clearly refutes this.

 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4 NKJV

 If tongues were merely about evangelism, who were the 120 preaching to in the upper room? Each other? Was Peter preaching to John to get saved? Was Andrew preaching to Mary to trust in Christ? Also, why would they be speaking in a foreign language when they all spoke the same language? 

 When Peter preached to the multitudes he didn't speak in tongues to share the Gospel. Clearly, he didn't speak some thirty dialects all at once, that's impossible. He spoke in his native Hebrew, remember all those gathered were also Jews, the diaspora Jews so they would know Hebrew, and there would be no need to "speak in tongues to preach the Gospel."

 Let's go further in debunking this absurd claim. Look at Acts 10 and the account of the Baptism in the Spirit and tongues there.

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Acts 10:44-46 NKJV

 Again the mistaken idea is that speaking with tongues was merely for the purpose of evangelizing to foreigners. You can't get more foreign than Cornelius. He was Italian and Peter was Hebrew. 
 So what happened here? Peter was preaching to Cornelius' household in his known tongue. Suddenly, the Spirit falls upon Cornelius' household and they get filled with the Spirit and speak with tongues. 

 So who was Cornelius preaching to? Peter? Peter needed to get saved? I trust you're tracking with me and seeing how absurd this mistaken idea truly is. 

 You can see further proof in Acts 19 when Paul laid hands on the Ephesian disciples. This mistaken idea is clearly debunked when we stay with God's Word and simply read it. Tradition and the Word don't mix.

 Tradition forms and formulates ideas based on man's experience and a mere scanning over the Bible instead of actually reading it. Tradition shields itself within these mistaken ideas. It provides blinders so as not to see its weakness, its lack of power, and its Faithless condition. 

 Tongues are supernatural gifting of Grace to build up the believer. To provide greater intimacy in prayer. Are the number one source for receiving wisdom and clarity in our daily life. Tongues provide the believer with rest and refreshing in a weary world. 

 In summation, stay with God and His Word. His Word debunks the traditions of men. His Word is Truth and the final authority. His Grace supplies all we need to live in victory in this life. Don't neglect so great a gift as the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the powerful prayer language the Spirit gives. It's because of Grace, and it's for you!
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Christ our Healer

 for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26b KJV

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2 KJV 

 We are continuing our study of divine healing and wholeness. We are examining five proofs that it is always God's will to heal. When a loved one or we have a need for healing we can have boldness and confident assurance it's God's will to heal every time.

 When we speak of praying for another's healing, and that healing isn't instantaneous, then spiritual-sounding religious tradition attempts to provide a reason. They say things like God is more interested in building that person's character through this illness. Or God has a purpose in the delay so as to build endurance, or to use the person as an example of how to suffer joyfully. 

 That is all religious hogwash based on the powerless, Faithless tradition of men. Jesus never withheld healing from anyone. He never used the Curse to perfect, instruct, mold, produce patience, teach or train anyone. Look at Luke 22. Jesus healed a man who came to incarcerate Him. I'm confident that this fellow probably needed some character development.

 Looking at Jesus brings us to the fourth proof of God's will to Heal. Jesus' actions in His ministry reveal God's heart for healing. Peter sums up what Jesus did in His earthly ministry;

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

 This passage unveils much of Jesus' work of ministry. This passage reveals what Jesus went about doing, good. How many it's God's will to heal, all, and who the oppressor is, that is, the one bringing sickness and disease, which is the enemy, the devil. 

 Jesus only went about doing good. He declared He only does what He sees His Father doing. Since Jesus only went about doing good and healing and delivering and providing for all, then we can rejoice to know this is who our Father is. God is therefore not the author of evil or torment, poverty or disease, or disaster. God is a Good Father and only does good!

 For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38 MEV

 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:9 MEV

 Jesus is the express image of Father God. Jesus is the will of God in action. Jesus is perfect theology. Jesus is our clear perfect picture of God's will. He never brought poverty but provision to all who came to Him. He never made anyone sick. He only healed whosoever came to Him. Looking at Jesus how then can anyone conclude healing isn't always God's will?

 The fifth and final proof of God's will to heal is Jesus' redemptive work on the Cross. On the Cross, Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sins, not only paid the price for the complete forgiveness of every sin, not only made Righteousness by Faith possible, but He also bore every sickness and every disease. He purchased our healing at Calvary. 

4 Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains -- he hath carried them, And we -- we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace [is] on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us. Isaiah 53:4-5 YLT

 Isaiah 53 records Jesus' work of redemption on the Cross. Jesus took your sickness and your disease. Just like salvation is available to whosoever trusts in Christ alone, healing for every sickness and disease is also available for whosoever trusts in Christ alone. In fact, when one places their trust in Christ, all that Christ procured at Calvary is immediately theirs in Him. 

 Tradition rejects this glorious truth of the Gospel. They claim Jesus' bearing all sickness and disease was fulfilled before the Cross. That this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' earthly ministry. That Isaiah was only referencing Jesus healing people in Israel to prove He was the promised Messiah. They cite Matthew 8 as proof.

 There is a major issue with this. It's true that Matthew 8:17 declared that it be fulfilled what Isaiah spoke, as Jesus ministered healing to a multitude. However, this doesn't prove that healing is not in the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross. How can I say this? Because I, as a Gentile, a non-Jew, have trusted in Christ and have received new life in Him.

 Matthew goes on to say in the 12th chapter that Jesus healing a multitude, and not wanting it broadcast abroad fulfilled another prophecy of Isaiah. This passage in Matthew 12 destroys this weak argument against healing in redemption. Look closely at this passage;

 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:...

 And in His name Gentiles will trust.” Matthew 12:17, 21 NKJV

 This passage tells me salvation being made available to non-Jews was fulfilled before the Cross as well as healing the sick. So because of the way tradition interprets Matthew 8, we have to also conclude that saving non-Jews was only for His earthly ministry too, and not for us today. I hope we can see this is not what these passages are teaching.

 Jesus was simply revealing the Father to mankind. Jesus was giving us a sample of His complete work of Redemption soon to come. Jesus is so Good and merciful He couldn't wait till Calvary to minister help and hope and healing.

 Still another tradition is that Jesus only "healed" us from sin. That Isaiah 53 is speaking of spiritual healing. The problem is we weren't sick with sin. We were dead in sins. Not sure about you but I have yet to see any dead people healed. I know of dead people being raised back to life. That's not healing that's a miracle of resurrection life. 

 On the Cross, Jesus not only made us Righteous and forgiven, but He also made us healed and whole. Look at Jesus' complete work of Redemption. From the garden to the grave, Jesus purchased our total and complete redemption. By His stripe, healing was made ours. He took our curse and gave us the blessing, Redemption from the curse, and complete Righteousness. He became something He never was so we who trust in Him could be something we never were.

 In summation, is healing God's will? Absolutely! His compassion and lovingkindness prove it. His Redemptive name reveals it. His Word confirms it. His ministry and Finished Work of Redemption demonstrated it. Healing is always God's will. Now trust Him for wholeness at all times, trust on the basis of His Goodness and not your own. 

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Good News of the Gospel: Healing is always God's will!

  for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26b KJV

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2 KJV

  

The Gospel of Jesus is Good News. It reveals God's great Love and Grace for you and me, and to whosoever may come and freely receive. What's so unique about the Gospel is that it doesn't just deal with forgiving sins and giving us eternal life. The Gospel includes divine healing and health.

 Anytime healing is mentioned inevitably some believers express concerns, and bring up questions. Sadly some even state their objections to healing. The biggest concerns and questions and objections all center around what God's will is.

 Ascertaining and discerning the will of God has been such a mystery to so many believers. Many elevate and exalt the will of God as being something mysterious, unknowable, and concealed from our understanding. They see God as blinding our eyes to His ways, His plans, and His purposes. This is not the nature of a Good Father.

 John's Epistle sheds some important light on this subject for us;

 14 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 So if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15 MEV 

 Here John reveals a wonderful truth. If we petition God or ask something of Him that is His will then we will have that petition. So how do many believers ascertain the will of God? 

 Many will simply ask God for something, again mistakenly believing the will of God is a mystery that they can never know, and wish they get a response of yes. They don't receive what they ask? must not have been God's will. That is a fatalistic and truly ignorant way to discern God's will.

 When John reveals this precious promise about answered petition prayer, he gave us insight into the will of God. If God says we must ask according to His will, then that means God has obligated Himself to His children to make His will known to them. How has He done this?

 He revealed to us His will by giving us His Word. God's Word is His will! It's His will revealed to us. Paul confirms this, in his Epistle.

9 making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, Ephesians 1:9 MEV

 We are His and He is ours. He is our Good Father and He has revealed His will to us. Everything that pertains to life and Godliness is found in God's Word. 

 For the sake of this study series, we are focusing on healing. Is healing always God's will? Yes! Absolutely, there are five proofs of His all-the-time willingness to heal. 

The Mercy and compassion of the Lord

 The first proof we can see revealed to us is God's mercy and compassion;

 They shall abundantly declare the fame of Your great goodness and shall sing of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all His works. Psalm 145:7-9 MEV

 God is Love. His lovingkindness and tender mercies include divine healing and health. The cold, ritualistic, religious tradition of men, sees God's miracles and healings, as mere mechanical works simply to confirm His identity as the Messiah. Yet when Jesus healed the multitude, often we see the miracles prefaced with the phrase He was moved with compassion. Is He any less compassionate today? 

 God sees sickness and disease as the evil byproduct of sin and the fallen creation. His loving hands only hold healing and health. There is no disease, disability, or debilitating diagnosis in His hands. His hands only bring life, blessings, health, and goodness, never sickness, pain, or poverty. 

 See the mercy of God. Look closely at the Father and His tender mercies and compassion to all. This compassionate Father only wants you well, not suffering sickness and disease. Faith grows exceedingly when we see and understand His great Love for us. Faith works by love, not our love, but His love for us. 

 In summation, we can know God's will. God's will is not a hidden mystery concealed from us. He made known the mystery of His will to usward who believe. We can see His compassion and see His willingness to heal and make us whole. He is a Good Father, and we can trust Him. 

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