The Gospel of Grace: Overcoming Traditional Religious Concepts

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition

 We've been in an ongoing study of the Gospel of Grace, the Good News of Jesus Christ and all He's done for us. We've seen the reality of the truth of God's Word. We've seen the reality of the New Creation, what it means to be a New Creation in Christ. We've seen the reality of Righteousness. We've seen the reality of the New Covenant.

 Today, I want to address an issue that is essential in understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. That is fully embracing what Christ accomplished in the Finished Work. In order to do this, we must first relinquish traditions that bring doubt and confusion concerning God's best for us. So today, I want to address the importance of overcoming traditional religious concepts. 

Jesus the Person of Grace, made it clear, tradition makes the Word ineffective in your life. Think about it. Before you heard the Good News of salvation by faith, you lived your life apart from God, lost and spiritually separated from God. The Finished Work was complete. Jesus had accomplished all He came to do. Redemption was already available yet until you acted upon this truth you remained lost. The truth was ineffectual until you knew and understood it.

13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJV

 So let's look at some of the most common traditional religious concepts and see the truth of the Word eradicate that falsehood.

 There's something the matter with you!
 I am using this phrase to include several common misconceptions. Traditional Christian gatherings with their songs and sermons can be summed up this way; God is good, Jesus was perfect, but you are bad. Sadly, many unconsciously feel that if they haven't been reminded how bad they are they really didn't have a truthful, sincere, faithful worship service.

 I've even heard some ministers say things like its good to "beat up" the sheep with our preaching, just don't "beat them down." In essence, saying harsh preaching is productive because it beats them upward. Meaning it causes them to improve their behavior patterns. 

 Another misconception under this banner is the guilt syndrome often associated with it. Phrases such as "you're coming up short" or "you know you could be doing more." Sometimes it displays itself with leaders parading someone in front of others who volunteer their time. Or one who gave a large donation. Or who supposedly spends hours in prayer and Bible study. The unspoken point is if they did this much surely you can do more. 

 These concepts rob us of experiencing the sweetness of an intimate relationship with our Father. Guilt, comparing ourselves to others, introspection motivated by shame, only produce a fractured view of God, it produces an orphan mindset. The Truth removes these errors.

 The Truth of the Word says we are made the Righteousness of God in Christ.  The Truth says we are accepted in the Beloved.  God tells us who we are not man. Our value and worth are seen in the great price Jesus paid for us. God is good, Jesus is perfect and because of the Blood, there is nothing the matter with you.

God's Love and mercy have limits.
 Just listening to the messages of some ministers and it seems God is still angry and filled with rage. That at any moment He is poised to pour out wrath. I can't count how often I've heard preachers say God's going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if He doesn't judge America. 

 The message many cling to is the idea that though God judged sin in the body of Jesus on the Cross, He is still judging nations today for their sinful living. Many proclaim God loves you to the lost but when the lost act lost the message turns to God will get you for that! 

 The truth of the Word overrides this tradition. 

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 

How clear can this be? This is who God really is. Isaiah prophesied of the New Covenant that God would never be angry with us. Know the truth, God is forever satisfied with Jesus' once for all sacrifice. He is not pouring out judgment for sin. Jesus bore the sin of mankind. God is faithful and just.

 You can exceed and exhaust His Grace.

 Many traditional preachers will casually mention Grace but quickly dismiss it when discussing the failures and shortcomings of believers. It's as if Grace was the cover charge for your entrance into God's family but your conduct is what really matters, that is it's what keeps you in the family.

 Grace is good but we need more preaching on commitment. We need more preaching on sacrifice. We need more preaching on obedience. They are very works minded. They see believer's sin and they invent some mysterious line that can be crossed where they forfeit their eternal salvation by sinning too much. Inquire as to where this line exists and they can't pinpoint its location but are just certain it exists so straighten up or you'll cross this line.

 The truth clears up the confusion.

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 NKJV

 His Grace is inexhaustible! His mercy is new every morning. You've never gone too far. God will never leave you or forsake you. 

 God is the author of your trouble, tribulation, tragedy.

 Listening to some leaders it seems God plots, plans or preordains disease, destruction, devastation, and death. Like God in His infinite wisdom has some mysterious motive for killing your offspring or bankrupting your business. 

 This concept is such a deep-rooted stronghold in the minds of so many believers. It has helped create major theological schools of thought. When in reality, mankind experiences harsh and difficult circumstances and want to assign God some role in it. As if it would cause God to be less than omnipotent if He didn't at least allow it. 

 The problem with this concept is that it removes any and all personal responsibility for our life choices. It also puts a blight on the character of God. It turns God into a puppet master. 

 The truth cancels this terrible traditional concept. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. Not one place do we see Jesus sending famine or pestilence to a nation. We never see Jesus cause someone to become disease ridden or bankrupt. Jesus healed all who came to Him, He didn't make them sick or afflict them a terminal illness. He never killed a child so God could have a flower in Heaven.

 The truth is we live in a fractured fallen creation. That's why bad things happen. Sometimes the enemy tries to attack, that's why Jesus gave us the authority to enforce satan's defeat. Sometimes people's poor choices cause heartache. Still, sometimes we don't always know why bad things happen. 

 What we do know is that God is always good. He is a good Father. We praise Him in the midst of the mystery. The truth of the Word says He is faithful and just. Jesus Himself said if you've seen me you've seen the Father. The truth causes us to trust Him more and more especially in dark times. We couldn't trust Him if He was the One bringing the tragedy.

 In summation, we can always trust in God. When we remove traditional concepts our relationship with God flourishes. We see God is for us and not against us. We don't feel abandoned or shut out from His presence. We don't wallow in guilt or shame. We know His Grace is inexhaustible. We know He is our good Father and always has our best at heart. 

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Gospel of Grace: Understanding Mixture

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition




 We've been in an extended study of the Gospel of Grace, the Good News of Jesus Christ and all He's done for us in the Finished Work. We have seen already that this Gospel is not a religion. We've seen the reality of the New Covenant. The reality of our Righteousness and the New Creation. 

 Today, it seems good to address this issue of "mixture." That is the mixture of Grace and Law. The mixture of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. As one minister said the mixture of Law and Grace is a confusing cocktail.

 This issue of mixture was one the Apostles dealt with extensively at the beginning of the Church. If you read Romans, Galatians, and Acts you will see it clearly. When Peter was told by God don't call common or unclean what I've called clean, this was the Good News that this salvation wasn't just for Jewish people. 

 Showing how powerful and influencing this mixture can be, look at Peter in Galatians 2. God Almighty told him specifically that the Gentiles were not unclean and salvation was available to them. Yet, Peter refused to eat with the Gentile believers because some Jewish leaders were present and he feared them. Paul openly challenged him. 

 Even with God Himself giving one a vision and spoken confirmation, this concept of mixture overrode the truth. That shows us how powerful mixture can be. It feeds off religious fears and concerns. Paul called it hypocrisy and a misrepresentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Mixture defined

 What is meant by the phrase mixing Law and Grace? To be clear, Paul and Peter are seen in their Epistles citing some Old Covenant passages and events. It doesn't mean that the entirety of the Old Testament passages are not Scripture. Quoting the Old Testament doesn't constitute mixture in and of itself.  For we can find Christ in the Old concealed. 

This Mixture is more clearly stated as Grace and Law-keeping. That is anytime we try to earn, achieve, receive what Christ procured at the Cross for us by our own efforts, our performance, our goodness, and spiritual disciplines. One reason so many fall into this trap is they don't understand what it means to be righteous.

 Righteousness is right standing with God. That is divine acceptance and approval with God apart from our doing. If one seeks forgiveness, favor, wholeness, by doing then they are mixing Grace with Law. They are mixing their works with Christ's perfect work. 

 Look at this event in Galatians 2 between Peter and Paul and you will clearly see what mixture is. Peter knew already that we were made Righteous by Faith and not our works. He wasn't living under the yoke of burden of Law-keeping any longer. Then when some Jewish believers who were operating in mixture came Peter wanted to "fit in", he wanted their approval. He was in fear over them. 

 To identify mixture we must have a full grasp of the Good News Gospel of Grace, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep it centered. If your minister asks for volunteers in the Church, that is not mixture. If leaders are involved in outreach ministries to the community and they ask for help or resources that doesn't mean they are proclaiming mixture. 

 Now if they said, volunteer or you won't be healed or you will let God down, then that would be mixture. So what is Law and Grace mixture? It's when we seek acceptance and approval and favor and blessing from God based on our doing, on our performance, on our good deeds. 

 Another area that we must address is this idea of mixing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. In Acts 15 we see a clear picture of this. The Judaizers wanted to ensure all believers were Torah observant. They wanted them to be circumcised and to keep all the Law. Look at Peter's words.

10 So why on earth would you now limit God’s grace by placing a yoke of religious duties on the shoulders of the believers that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 Don’t you believe that we are introduced to eternal life through the grace of our Lord Jesus—the same grace that has brought these people new life?” Acts 15:10-11 TPT

Peter knew the truth and that's why Paul did publicly withstand him and correct him. Look at the powerful words Peter used here. By mixing the Covenants we are limiting God's Grace. 

 Want to know what falling from Grace is? It's when we fall back into Law-keeping. When we mix the Old Covenant with the New. 

 The Old Covenant is obsolete. It is completed in Christ. This statement draws some ire from many folks. You know there is a reason for this. Perhaps, we have not been more clear in our articulation of the New Covenant. 

 When it comes to theology, men can be downright nasty. People begin to label everything and if you have a certain label now your an enemy to this person or that one. I enjoy studying theology but I am cautious about labeling everything. 

 Oh, you believe the Old is obsolete, you must be a replacement theology follower. Oh, you believe you can't lose your salvation, you must be a Calvinist. And on and on the labels are thrown around. I am no Calvinist and do not ascribe to replacement theology. 

 When we say the Law is fulfilled and the Old is complete what are we saying? Are we saying God has no more dealings with Israel? If we say yes then we are dismissing passages of Scriptural promises. If we say no, some will then say we are for Believers being Torah observant. Oh brother. Religious traditions are serious strongholds in people's minds.

 Stay with the Word and you won't be bogged down in the muddy path of religious traditions. God's Word is the truth, not tradition. God has made certain promises to the people and the Nation of Israel. God is a God who keeps His promises. I would be denying clear Scripture to say that God has no more dealings with the Nation of Israel. Look if He made promises to them to preserve them and broke that promise could we trust God with our eternal salvation? 

 Though what I just said is the truth, then this mixture crowd raise up and try to get Christians to blend Old Covenant practices with New Covenant Grace. Many are Gentiles and push the Church to be more Torah observant. They side with some Messianic Jewish leaders and wish the Church to embrace its "Jewish roots".

 I have actually heard these people teach that the Bible is fallible because the KJV doesn't use Hebrew terms to describe God, that they don't refer to Jesus as Yeshua and such. I was astounded to see a church in America declare that when the council in Acts 15 convened the Church cut away its Jewish roots and thus miracles were sporadic and the Church got weaker. 

 These Judaizers love to quote Paul in Ephesians about the one new man that comes from Jews and Gentiles. The problem is the one new man they describe is the one new Gentile who now lives more like a Torah observant Hebrew. They use poor exegesis to substantiate their claim. 

 What Paul was illustrating is the Powerful New Covenant. The One New Man is not a Torah observant Gentile. The One New Man is the man that had never existed before. That is the Born Again man. That is the one who is a New Creation in Christ Jesus. The New Man who is Righteous, forgiven, secure, accepted and approved by Christ Finished Work and not performance. 

 Some of these Judaizers advocating Covenant mixture claim they are only wanting to honor God and His Word, the Torah. I've said this before but it bears repeating. If people want to show honor then honor God's New Covenant, which is a Covenant of faith not sight. To embrace shadows and not the substance is to walk in unbelief. Under the Old, you could "see" your righteousness by how you kept the holy days, honored the Sabbath, and abstained from forbidden foods. It is not a light thing to God to try to mix the Covenants and to teach the Saints that keeping or honoring or observing holy days, feasts, manners and customs is honoring God and His Word when the substance has already appeared and fulfilled all the shadows by His redemptive Work. We are to honor the Finished Work and His New Covenant and keep it free from mixture and error.  

 In summation, rejoice in the Good News. Rejoice that Jesus procured our total salvation by His once for all sacrifice. Stay with the New Covenant and God's Grace and find lasting hope, help, and wholeness. Stay with the Gospel truth, that Christ is our Righteousness and not our doing, not our efforts and achievements.
Image by andrea candraja @Pixabay

The Gospel of Grace: Reality of Complete Forgiveness

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition


We've been in an ongoing study of the Gospel of Grace, the Good News of Jesus Christ and all He has done for us. We've seen that this Gospel is not a religion. We've seen the reality of our Righteousness. We've seen the reality of the New Creation. 

 Today, it seems good to look at the reality of our complete forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Knowing we are forgiven of all our sins removes the burden and heavy load fear, condemnation, shame and guilt put on us. This is why the enemy works overtime to deceive many into thinking they are only partially forgiven or that God reserves the right to withhold forgiveness if we sin too much.

 It is an insidious lie from the enemy that convinces people that they are not totally forgiven. Hearing we are forgiven past and present and future staggers our natural thinking. It seems too good to be true. It can't be. So initially we may react to the Good News by rejecting it. I know I had a momentary reaction of could this really be? That is my heart, my spirit man leaped at this Good News but my mind was so astounded I wanted more confirmation. 

 I searched the Scriptures. I was hearing this Good News preached in book and television from this anointed man of God from Singapore. He gave Scriptures. Yet I had to search for myself. I saw that the Scriptures not only confirmed this, I also saw that God's Word heralded these glad tidings over and over. Then God spoke within my heart and gave me a perfect illustration of this complete and total forgiveness.

 When I was a young man myself and another family member attended a Veteran's Day parade. We were on street level and could only see a float or two on the left or right of us beside the one directly in front of us. Some people relayed we could get a better view from the top floor of a parking garage nearby. We agreed and went to the top floor. From that view, we could see the entire parade. We were able to see every float, from the last one to the very first one. 

 God reminded me of this event. He relayed to me that, that is how He sees all those who've received the free gift of Grace. He sees their whole life from start to finish, from their first breath until their last. He looks at their entire life and says FORGIVEN! When I saw this, and Scripture confirmed this, I knew we were forgiven past present and future! 

 Don't believe me believe God's eternal Word;

14 who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins Colossians 1:14 TLB

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. Colossians 2:13 NLT

12 I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior]. 1 John 2:12 AMP

2 He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and he is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world’s. 1 John 2:2 TLB 


32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 NLT

13 bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Colossians 3:13 AMP

 What I've posted is the Scriptural proof of just how many sins He has forgiven us. He forgave us all our sins. Not just some, not just past, but all of our sins. We are forgiven past and present and future. 

 Now religious tradition plays semantics and word games. They see these same passages and some will only assign these to our past sins up to the point of conversion. After that, we are responsible to confess each and every one of them or we won't be forgiven. 

 So, as a result, we become sin conscious and not righteousness and forgiven conscious. The Church as a whole has a sinner image. That is they see themselves as a sinner and not the Righteousness of God. Just ask your average Christian. Are you righteous? Are you just as righteous as Jesus? Are you forgiven of all your sins? 

 More often than not the response will be "I hope so" or "I am not so sure, I messed up recently." We need to identify with the risen Christ and His Finished Work. Agree with the Cross. We are eternally forgiven. 

 God's forgiveness isn't granted in installment payments. It isn't received in increments. Forgiveness is received once for all time because His eternal sacrifice was a perfect sacrifice made once for all time. 

 What if we sin after we receive Jesus and this once for all forgiveness? Do we need to confess our sin in order to receive forgiveness of that sin? First, this is a relationship with our Good Father. When we blow it, we don't run from Him. We don't even have to run to Him because He isn't separated from us, He is right there with us. He never left us. 

 When you blow it, thank God for your forgiveness. Confess your Righteousness. Confess your once for all time forgiveness. Confession simply means to say the same thing. We say the same thing God's Word says, we say the same thing the Finished Work says. We are forgiven, we are righteous, we are cleansed once for all by His precious Blood. 

 Also, because we are already forgiven we can confess our sin. This is not the fearful, religious practice of confession in order to be forgiven. We don't confess our sins in order to receive forgiveness. Because we are already forgiven we can be open and honest about our faults and flaws and struggles. I am talking about communicating with our Dad in Heaven, It is being in agreement of what God already said. It's the relationship we have with God. 

 Because our sins are forgiven forever and God is no longer counting our sins against us we can find freedom. Not freedom to sin more,(although He will let you make dumb choices with your freedom but be prepared for dumb consequences, and these consequences are not God's punishment or God judging you), but freedom from sin. In the midst of our darkest moments, no matter how far we've fallen, He is there reminding us of whose we are and who we are in Him.

 Acknowledging our faults and failures to our Father who loves us unconditionally, who isn't accounting our sins against us, who is not seeking ways to punish us, but to lead us to total freedom, brings hope, help, and healing. It brings the realization that the Cross has already destroyed the yokes. It opens our eyes that He already broke the chains, already loosed us from all sin and bondage. 

 In summation, rejoice. You who've received this free gift of life eternal are forgiven once for all. You're forgiven past and present and future. God isn't holding your sins against you. He has set you free once for all. Rejoice in this great Good News!
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Gospel of Grace: More Realities of the New Covenant

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition

 We've been in an extended study of the Gospel of Grace, the Good News of Jesus Christ. We've seen that this Gospel isn't about religion but a relationship with our Good Father. We've seen the reality of the truth of God's Word. We've seen the reality of the New Creation and the reality of our Righteousness in Christ.

 We've also examined the New Covenant. Today, it seems good to further examine an aspect of the New Covenant. I would like to address an issue many seem to be having difficulty with pertaining to the New Covenant. That is this issue of the relevance of the Old Covenant today. Is the Old still in effect today?

 Before the reality of the Grace of God was fully seen in the Church this was not really an issue. That is, it wasn't as controversial as it seems today. I believe this is because of the tradition-minded reaction to the Grace awakening that has occurred in the Church. 

 Telling believers they are no longer under the Law and the religious minded goes into panic mode. They feel their traditions are in jeopardy and they react with full resistance to the revelation of God's Love and Grace. Why? Flesh likes to feel it is contributing something. 

 The Flesh is not always about sexual immorality or drunkenness. The flesh isn't just about losing your temper, overeating, or unbridled passion for possessions or power. The flesh is a way of thinking. More clearly stated, the flesh is a mindset that is contrary to Scripture, counter to God's way of doing things.

 Did you know you're "in the flesh" when you think God is holding your sins against you? That God is displeased with you as His child? That you need to work harder to be more accepting and pleasing to Him? That you've messed up too much for God to use you? That you've out-sinned God's Grace? It's also fleshly thinking when we say the Old Covenant is still in effect for the believer.

What I am NOT saying

 You have to clarify truth so as not to be misunderstood by the religious minded or the foolish minded. The entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the Word of God. It is God-breathed. It is the inerrant Word of God. All the Word is profitable for us, Paul reminds us of this. 

 No one who is sincere in their Grace walk would say God's Word isn't profitable. That the Bible isn't God's Word. Some who deny God says the Bible is full of contradictions. It actually isn't when you rightly divide it and understand the two Covenants. Under the Old, you will find admonitions to perform. Yet in the New, you will see admonitions to quit your striving and just believe. This isn't a contradiction but rather how those under the two different Covenants related to God.

 So to be clear, let me say again, there is profit in studying the Old Testament. We can see Jesus in the Old concealed. We can see God's faithfulness to His Word and His people. If He was faithful under the Old surely He will be faithful under a New and better Covenant. 

Done away...

 So is the Old in effect today or not? The answer is clear. 

 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13 NKJV

 The Word of God is clear, with the establishment of the New the Old Covenant is made obsolete. It means Jesus and the Finished Work fulfilled the Law and completed all the requirements of the Old. When those who are reacting to the Grace awakening with resistance they rush to claim well we are still under parts of the Law, the moral parts!

 Let's really examine that concept. If we are under even a portion of the Law no matter how minute, then we are under all that comes with that Law. If we are still under the moral Law then what happens if we don't measure up perfectly? 

 Jesus said concerning adultery if you even look at a woman with lust you've committed adultery. That means if we gazed at another too long and lust entered in that glance we are guilty of breaking the Law. If we are under the Law, then we are also under the punishment of the Law. That being death. What this means if we are under "moral" Law, then we are dying spiritually over and over each time we sin. This also means each time we are breaking the Law, we are losing salvation and needing to be born again, again and again. Thank God for the Finished Work and establishment of the New Covenant thus fulfilling the Law and setting us free from Law and sin and death.

 What people need to realize is the Law of Love. That is the New Covenant Law. Love guides us into morality and steers us away from immorality. If we love, we won't violate another with a lusting gaze. If we love we won't steal from them, we won't cheat them, we won't lie to them. His perfect Love received compels us to conform to the same image of Love. 

 Paul also made it clear this Old Covenant is obsolete, done away in Christ in 2 Corinthians. Look at the words the original KJV uses to describe the Old Covenant.

11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 

13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:11, 13-14 KJV

 See Paul's words he attributes to the Old. Abolished, done away, a veil on the heart. Paul doesn't just say the Old is done and leave it at that. He points us to Jesus. He points us to Grace and the New Covenant. He shows us how to remove the veil. 

 In summation, what is the place of the Old in the life of the believer? Is it still in effect today? Are Christians under any portion of Law or Old Covenant? We see clearly that the Old is fulfilled in Christ. That this New Covenant exceeds the glory of the Old. That receiving Christ and knowing and understanding all He has accomplished in the Finished Work removes the veil of condemnation and the Old Covenant Law. Let's honor the New Covenant. It's a better Covenant with better promises. 
image@Pixabayhttps://pixabay.com/photos/book-bible-open-glasses-1936547/

The Gospel of Grace: The Reality of the Love of God

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition

  We've been in an ongoing study of the Gospel of the Grace of God. The Good News of Jesus Christ and all He accomplished for us. We've seen the Gospel isn't a religion. We've seen the reality of the New Creation, and the New Covenant. 

 Today, I sense the leading to look at the reality of God's great love. Primarily, I want to focus on receiving this unconditional love and then how we can exhibit this same love in light of His Grace. How do we receive this Love?

 God's Love is unconditional. It is eternal. It can't be worked for or earned. 

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT

 God's great Love is for the undeserving. It is for the unworthy. It is for all of us, those lost or those found. His Love is unfailing. His Love is matchless, there is none to compare it to. His Love is the only Love that brings fullness, that brings completion, that supplies, is the only thing that satisfies and brings wholeness to all areas of life. 

 Sometimes we draw back from this Love. We see our own failures. We see our own misdeeds. We even see our own motives or self-centered thinking, and sometimes draw the conclusion that God is disqualifying us or distancing Himself from us. That He loves us less. 

 Nothing can be further from the truth. In our darkest moments, that's when God's Love shines brighter. This Love perceived and fully received produces change. Change of thinking, change of speaking and eventually changed behavior. 

 This Love defined is the agape or unconditional Love of God. It is God's good will toward us. It is His benevolence to us. It is His affection for us. This word agape in the Greek also defines His Love as a Love feast. That is astounding! His Love is like a grand buffet or smorgasbord of His unconditional kindness, goodness, and mercy! 

 Now once we receive this Love what do we do with it?
Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father. Ephesians 5:1 TLB

 Once received we can exhibit this Love to others. We can bring love into every area of life. In all our interactions with others, we can be a byproduct of that love feast.
2 Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him. Ephesians 5:2 TLB

 To be a more effective vessel of His Love we must boast in His Love for us first and foremost. Look at the Apostle John. He is sometimes referred to as the Apostle of Love by many students of the Word. Note how John refers to himself as. 

 John boasted in Christ's love for him. This put Christ's Love in the forefront of his thinking. From this supply of Love, we can now function and flow releasing His goodness and kindness to others. We aren't doing good deeds, engaged in acts of charity to earn favor or any blessing. We are living and abiding and responding to this great Love within.

Living for ourselves?

 Once we've received the Good News Gospel of Grace, what is the response? Do we now simply dismiss all devotional time? Do we omit Bible study and prayer? Do we cease volunteering our time? Do we cut off our giving? Do we go on a verbal rampage, slandering all others who have yet to awaken to Grace?

 This is important to know and understand if you want to walk in full triumphant victory. Any message that omits Love as the root, that leaves you in bitterness, resentment, swollen anger, and rage is not a message of Pure Grace. Grace has never been about living for yourself. 

 The disconnect is some have taken the amazing out of Grace. Well-meaning but misguided brethren have caught a glimpse of Grace, and see the brand new identity the New Creation creates and conclude that because of His great goodness this must have been everyone's identity since the garden and the enemy through wrong believing convinced us otherwise. The idea being no one was ever lost or in need of redemption.

 My response is, if no redemption is needed why did Jesus come and die? No that is foolish teaching. Humanity as a whole is lost and in need of redemption. Jesus paid that price because of His great Love and made this new life available to all if they simply receive it. 

 However, if we were never lost and the enemy used some form of teaching to keep us blind then those who taught this must be our enemy too. This is where we see some embrace a "grace" message. They rant and rail and attack others and seek to tear down. They never seek to reconcile and build up. Paul the Apostle of Grace reminds us of something;

 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. Ephesians 4:2-6 NLT

 See it's so clear. We are one Body. There isn't a religious Body and then a Grace Body, we are one, the Body of Christ. We are all growing. We are all learning. Let's show love and kindness to all our brethren, not just those whose eyes have been open to Grace. 

 Let's also heed Paul's words. Unite in Christ. Not unity of agreement about this doctrine or that but unity in Christ Jesus. Under Grace, we have found lasting freedom. Let's not use that freedom to ignore others. To no longer volunteer. To live only for ourselves. 

In summation, let's demonstrate this great Love bestowed upon us. This Love supplies us. It flows through us. It is there to lead us and guide us to show Jesus' Grace to others. Through His Grace and Love supply, let's be quick to lend a hand. To be a blessing, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Let's learn to be exhibitors of His Love and Grace more and more. 

Image@Pixabay/GDJ

The Gospel of Grace: Reality of the New Covenant

I am shocked over how quickly you have deserted the grace gospel and strayed away from Christ who called you to Himself by His loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel of salvation by works! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true! There is only one gospel—the grace gospel! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with Christ’s grace to confuse you with lies. Galatians 1:6-7 TPT first edition


 We've been in an extended study of the Good News Gospel of Grace. The Good News of Jesus and all He did for us in this Finished Work. So far we've seen that this Gospel isn't a religion. We've seen the reality of the New Creation. We've seen what it means to be Righteous. We've seen the reality of the power in the Blood.


 Today, it seemed good to focus on the reality of this New Covenant. Here's a question for you. When you buy some new clothes do you get rid of some old clothes? When you buy some new shoes do you throw out the old to make room? 

Out with the Old, in with the New

 Just as we make room in our house for the new things we buy we also need to remove the Old to make room for the New. Sometimes though we like to keep some of the old stuff and try to cram the new stuff with the old in our storage places. In like manner, Christianity likes to keep the Old and New together. Christianity hasn't made room for the New. 

 We see many churches and ministries vying to keep aspects of the Old Covenant, while the New Covenant has come. Ministries want to incorporate what prayer and giving and relating to God looked like under the Old and add that to this New Covenant. Look at the songs we sing. Look at the books we write. Look at the sermons many preach.

Old Covenant saints begged God not to remove His presence from them. They had to ask and plead for God to come into their midst. They had to follow certain protocols for God to move on their behalf. They had to go to a prophet to hear a word from God. 

 Today, churches sing songs just like the Old is still intact. We sing begging Him to come to meet with us. We ask for more of Him. We model our prayers after Old Covenant principles. This is not making room for the New.

 When a well-known minister declared it's time to make room for the New, out with the old and in with the new, many believers were in an uproar. I specifically addressed this issue in two former posts, you can read here and here. People don't want to put aside the Old they've grown accustomed to. 

 The New Covenant provided a New and living way to relate to God. What makes the New, New? Jesus! He fulfilled the Law with all its demand. He is the substance of what was once the types and shadows. What makes the Old, Old? Us! In other words, the Old Covenant was reactionary, not provisionary. It was a reactionary covenant agreement contingent upon man's behavior. The outcome of any situation depended entirely upon man's ability to perfectly obey the commandments, the statutes, and regulations of the Law.

 This aspect of the Old, man's doing, is what so many ministries, churches, and believers long to keep alongside the New. The problem is there isn't any room for both. There is no place for Jesus to be the total provision and at the same time keep the reactionary portion of the Old. That is, if we do this, God will do that. That isn't living by Faith. That is living by Law.

 When we see provisions like healing, Spirit empowerment, answered prayer, Righteousness, many want to keep in place stipulations, conditions, and prerequisites on the receiving of them. In the New, Jesus paid in full for these in the Finished Work. To receive them, just believe it. 

 Too often though, some don't wish to remove the Old and make room for the New. They will readily say these things are "available" but they are now mere rewards. Instead of provision, they are now a wage earned. They come by a combination of Faith and good behavior. If man could be worthy in their own strength of doing and obeying perfectly, why did Jesus even come?

 This is a major shift in our thinking and understanding of how God moves today. We still want our good deeds, our abstinence from sins, and our faithfulness, to be tallied in our favor and subsequently rewarded to the full. We want recognition for our goodness. This is the root which drives us to keep portions of the Old alongside the New.

 In order to fully grasp the New and relinquish the Old, we need to experience this shift in our thinking. Under the New, doing good and charitable deeds, abstaining from sin, being faithful is living from a relationship with our Father. You see under the New, we've received perfect, unconditional love. From this supply of love, we find ourselves effortlessly responding in love toward others. It isn't about trying to acquire enough points to be blessed. Blessing and provision are already ours apart from our performance, they are fully provided and paid for in the Finished Work.

The Cross worked and changed everything!

  Another aspect of the Old so many cling to is judgment. Not only do many seek the rewards of their doing, but they also long for the punishment of what others are doing. Many still cling tightly to an "I hope God gets them for that" mindset. 

 That is truly the root in all the judgment and wrath sermons and books and songs we see in the Church. The reality is this is merely cherry picking God's judgment. If we are to see swift judgment on behavior that would have to include our own. We surely aren't in favor of that. Our actions have good intent, we justify, others are just bad. 

 That is the self-righteous mindset Jesus railed against when He walked this Earth. Look at the judgment we see in the entire Old Testament. He flooded the Earth. He sent fiery serpents. He sent judgment on Israel when they broke the covenant. He reigned down hellfire on Sodom and Gomorrah. Why these acts of judgment? 

 Because there was no mediator between God and man. Because there was no once for all sacrifice paying the price. There was no substitute who took the full penalty of man's evil, wicked, selfish sins. 

 You know people aren't making room for the New when they proclaim outlandishly that God must apologize to Sodom if He doesn't judge America for its sins. Just what sins did Sodom have? Sexual immorality, lust, basically men following their every desire. Yet Jesus even said the sin of self-righteousness, refusing the Good News of Jesus was worse. 

 The Cross made the difference. If judgment for sin falls on any person or nation then God would have to apologize to Jesus. Jesus paid the full price. He took the full penalty of all sin. God the Father accepted this once for all sacrifice. The claims of justice were completely met. There is no more judgment for sins.

9 Just as in the time of Noah I swore that I would never again permit the waters of a flood to cover the earth and destroy its life, so now I swear that I will never again pour out my anger on you. Isaiah 54:9 TLB

 

 God isn't sending storms and tsunamis to coastal regions because of their wickedness. God isn't causing earthquakes, erupting volcanoes, striking places with tornadoes, creating wildfires, all to punish sinful places. Shock jock Christian voices see a natural disaster and proclaim God must be judging that land.

 Yet, we see places that are flourishing and they are "sinful". Stay consistent with Scripture. When judgment fell, God always sent a prophet proclaiming the coming judgment giving them the opportunity to change their ways. It isn't prophetic when we proclaim some divine sentence occurred after the fact! 

 In summation, we need to make room for the New. We need to stay faithful to the Finished Work. Stay true to what Jesus accomplished. We don't need to keep works, performance and earned blessing mindsets with New Covenant provision. We need to accept the reality that the cross worked. 

 There are consequences of poor choices. In a fallen and fractured creation, we will see disasters. Yet, none of these are orchestrated by God's hands. Jesus paid the complete price. We are forgiven once for all time.  Let's honor and only make room for the New and relinquish the Old. 

image@Pixabay/jeffjacobs1990