The Gospel of Grace: Effortless Christianity?

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


 Whenever us believers hear something new, we as fallible humanity usually respond in similar ways. We either reject it and spend much energy fighting what we've just heard. Or we seemingly receive it but then follow it to the extreme turning it into something it was never intended to be, rejecting any and everything we've ever heard. Lastly, we sometimes simply receive it, study it, prove it out, and are better for it. 

What was your response when you heard the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Grace? How did you receive it? Or have you never heard the Good News? The Gospel of the Grace of God manifested in Christ Jesus. 

 Today, I'd like to address a response some have to the glorious Gospel of Grace. This area of practically living the Christian life. Some say it's effortless while others proclaim we have a part to play, rejecting this notion of effortless faith. So what is the right response?

Working harder or hardly working?

 If we stay centered we will come to a better understanding of what it means to live life under Grace, and have a focused understanding and awareness of the Finished Work. This is the most important truth we must grasp. It is Finished. It wasn't started and has yet to be finished. It wasn't begun by Christ and expected to be completed by us and our works and performance.  

 Jesus completed the Work. The Father is pleased. He has fully accepted the once for all sacrifice of His Son. He isn't waiting on its fulfillment or completion. It is Finished. The Father isn't looking for our contributions to Jesus' Work to "perfect" it or make it a reality. It's the Finished work, not the just started work or "the waiting on someone else to help complete it work." 

 We must understand the work is finished and keep that as the foundation for successful Christian living. Living the life in Christ must have its beginning with this understanding. So again let's ask, is it effortless Christian living? Before we answer I was reminded in my heart that we must give this some context to help more folk understand the issue.

Keep it in context

 The Body of Christ makes up some billions of people who've received Jesus and His free gift of Grace, life eternal. Apart from the essentials, all Christians believe, i.e. the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ, the infallibility of God's Word, Jesus is the only way anyone can be saved, God our Father is the maker of Heaven and Earth, there are various denominations to agree or disagree on the minor issues. So it stands that not all believers have the same experiences. 

 That said, the idea of effortless Christianity was really a response to what believers who had been involved with the Word of Faith Charismatic circles of Christianity had experienced. Over the years much of faith teaching had transformed from the idea that you could take God at His Word, that what He promised He would fulfill to more of a works and performance message. In essence, it mixed the Old and New Covenant when it came to receiving from God. 

 Effortless success was the way one Grace minister phrased it. Another said it a little clearer, speaking of self-effort. So the idea of effortless Christianity came as a response of sorts from the performance-driven, achieve to receive mindset many had adopted. 

 With that understanding, let's bring it back to the center. Do we have a part to play? Is Christianity effortless? Is Grace a message to affirm laziness, apathy, lethargy, and slothfulness? 

Living the Grace life

 Having been one of those under a performance-driven ministry hearing words like do your part, Christianity isn't effortless, can make me pull away from that. That is why we must live in the center and let go of the extremes. 

 The Gospel of Grace is not a do-nothing message. That is it is not a message promoting slackness and lethargy. If what you hear leaves you sensing that you should separate from the local church, fellow believers, Bible study, prayer and personal devotional time, note you haven't heard the Gospel. Grace is gracious and full of God's love. Love doesn't isolate itself.

 It is true that the Gospel of Grace is a do-nothing message in the sense of do nothing to earn or achieve or merit God's favor and goodness and love and blessing. Think, what righteous act could make you receive the most important gift of all, salvation? No amount of sacrifice, giving, Bible study, apparent faithfulness could merit God to make you righteous. 

 This is where the center is. Grace is effortless in the sense of personal merits, achievements, and works done to try to be found worthy enough to receive from God. Living under Grace isn't effortless in the sense of being in a relationship with our Father. Rest isn't inactivity, it is Spirit-led, Spirit-directed activity. 

 Now don't use the fleshly lie that the Holy Spirit hasn't lead you to be a giver or fellowship with fellow believers or ever pick up your Bible. What happened was He called and you hit ignore messages. Spending time with our Father is refreshing. It brings peace and guidance and wisdom. It isn't a chore or a work to perform.

 If Grace isn't completely effortless then what is our part? 

 29 ‘This is the work God wants of you,’ replied Jesus, ‘that you believe in the one he sent.’ John 6:29 NTE

 To believe in the one He sent. We believe in Jesus that's a living active Faith. If we believe we will follow Him. Look at James 2. Note James mentions Abraham and Rahab. Abraham offered his son. Rahab opened a door. They didn't do this task over and over to get God's attention. No, their faith in God was living and active. It caused a response from them.

 In summation, Grace is not a message of do nothing, be lazy. It is the Good News that Jesus finished the work. There is rest in that. This Faith in rest will cause a genuine response. Rahab opened a door, a task that could've gotten her killed. Yet, something in her heart produced a bold response and action. That wasn't effortless, yet it also wasn't a performance-driven, I hope God will like me now, kind of action. The truth is in the center. 

 Follow love's leading and guiding. The Spirit will lead you into all truth. He won't lead into error, false teaching, immorality or a lazy, lethargic way of living. 
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The Reason for the Season: the Father and His Family

21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 NKJV

 It's Christmas time once again. Malls are packed. Package deliveries are filling many a front porch. Christmas songs fill the radio. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

 At this time, we also deal with the ever-controversial debate is Christmas too commercial? Is it really about receiving gifts? At the same time debate rages on, tradition and not truth abounds about the Christmas story, that is unScriptural songs, incorrect portraits of the Nativity scene etc. 

 What we also ponder at this time of year is the reason for the season. In an ever-increasing secular culture, we as believers must always remember the reason for the season. It's not about frosty men and red nose deer. It isn't about being cold outside and celebrating all things winter. 

 Some would respond, sure we know Jesus is the reason for the season. That is true, but it goes a little deeper than that. Why is Jesus the reason for the season? 

 Listening to some religious traditional minded leaders we may get some misunderstandings about why He came. About why He was sent. 
“Glory to God in the highest [heaven],
And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.” Luke 2:14 AMP
The angry gospel, the hyper holiness message, tend to convey the idea that God sent Jesus to finally straighten out mankind. To sort out the bad from the good. They've used this passage of the Christmas message to say, see God only approves of certain men and God is angrily disapproving of the rest. 

 This idea is that Jesus came for the good guys. He came to rescue the righteous and condemn the bad guys. He came to finally rescue those righteous ones who were already following God. 

 The truth God revealed in Christ is no one has got their act together. There are no good guys in comparison of the absolute perfect standard of God's righteousness. We all need a Savior. 

 Another tradition is this subtle concept that God sent His Son to find faithful servants. That God was really looking for a people who would be His dutiful servants. In other words, God was seeking servants and subjects to serve in a kingdom. 

The Father and His Family

 This is not the Good News Gospel. Look closely once again at the Christmas account. The Christmas story is about glad tidings of great joy to all people. When God was saying He was well pleased with men, He was speaking the end from the beginning. This was not a proclamation that God is pleased with the behavior of mankind. This message was that God is well pleased with all mankind, that is He is accepting and approving off all to receive this new life.

 The Good News isn't a select, exclusive message. For centuries, the Hebrews were the only ones offered a way of right standing by following the Law and sacrifices. The Good News was that God is accepting all of humanity to simply receive a free gift. Be it Jew or Gentile, male or female, all are welcome.

 Why did He come? Jesus was not sent to find subjects. God already had servants. Though they weren't perfect, the children of Israel had a servant, master relationship with God. Jesus came to offer a new dynamic of relating to God. 

 Instead of merely being a servant, the Father wanted a family. He wanted sons and daughters, not servants and subjects. 

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13 NLT

The Father has always sought a family. He placed Adam in the garden. Before the fall He communed with him face to face. After the fall, because of man's fallen nature, God couldn't commune face to face. Sin was a barrier that needed to be removed. 

 With Jesus Finished Work, mankind would once again commune with God in an intimate way. What God did is something much better than the garden. Instead of simply communing with mankind face to face, with the new birth, God could now dwell inside man. God's temple is not a building but man's spirit. God dwells inside the believer never to be separated again.

 The reason for the season? The Father was seeking a family. God was not seeking subjects. He was seeking sons and daughters. He was not sent to create a new class of indentured servants. He was sent to bring about a new species of being that had never existed. The born-again man, the righteous man, the new creation man that has God Almighty, the Creator actively living inside of him. The Father gave a Son so He could receive a Family. 

 The Good News, the glad tidings of great joy of Christmas is a message that should be heralded year round. God in His exceeding great love for us, gave His one and only Son so He could receive a family. He wanted sons and daughters to commune with and to have fellowship. He was not looking for slaves, servants or subjects. He was looking for you. He was looking for whosoever will to come and be a part of His Family freely. This is the Good News reason for the season.

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Losing our Religion: Stone Throwers or Love bearers?

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:5 NKJV 






 We've been in an ongoing study concerning the religious traditions of men. We are seeing the benefit of relinquishing religion and embracing God's goodness and His truth, God's Word. Staying with the Word brings freedom, life, and wholeness. Traditional concepts of men just lead to confusion and striving. 

 If you've been a long time reader/subscriber to this Good News of Grace blog site you know we've dealt with the sin issue extensively. We've seen how God has dealt with the sin issue. When we get to know our Father more and more we can see things from His perspective better and better.

 In this study of losing our religion, we've seen God is always good. We have seen Grace is greater than shame. Today, as you may guess, I sense the need to once again address the right response to the question of sin.

 Recently, a famous Christian singer came into controversy. She didn't respond to some question about what is or isn't sin in a manner that was satisfactory to some. In the midst of the controversy, what I took note of was not the issue of her response but rather how the Church responded to her. How the Body of Christ treated her. 

Stones at the ready?

 Let me first say this. When addressing the secular world, what words are they going to hear and take heed to? That their "favorite" behavior is wrong? Going back in my lifetime, seeing the world around me, behavior choices like using profanity, engaging in sexual immorality, drunkenness etc were not taboo to the average unsaved person. This was just living. Not using expletives to describe every situation, waiting until marriage, not getting drunk seemed like an old-fashioned, boring, missing out on the fun, way to live.

 So, standing in a secular audience and bringing the love of God to them, what would capture their hearts more? Telling them that this behavior is a sin? Telling them how wrong they are? Or just sharing how loved and valuable they are to God? That He isn't mad at them and He has a free gift awaiting them? Obviously, sharing God's love is the key, not pointing out what all is sinful in their lives.

 Pointing out the sins and flaws of the lost sends the wrong message. It clouds the message of the Cross that says come freely. It pollutes the Gospel with the idea of Grace plus good works. It conveys the concept that before one can come to God and receive new life in Christ, they must clean up their act. They need to deal with their sin and then God will receive them. If we could clean up ourselves why did Jesus die for us? This is the lie of religion that we must be found worthy of His Grace and good enough to receive His free gift. 

 Is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ supposed to be stone throwers or love bearers? Are we to have stones at the ready when one of our own doesn't respond the way some think they should? Is it our job to point out the evil in this World? What I mean are we supposed to just roam the streets and proclaim to all how much of a sinner they are?

Superstitious Christians

superstition is not just throwing salt or carrying a rabbit's foot. A different type of superstition exists among Christians. Some so focus on the commandments, the passages speaking of behavior, and the Law that they respond to them in a superstitious manner. 

Allow me to elaborate before you think I'm off base. I am referring to looking at the Word as the letter and not the Spirit. I am referring to folk living in fear of breaking a statute, a command. In other words, one sees someone stumble, they can't respond in mercy but only in a harsh judgment. Why? They are so entrenched in the letter and not the Spirit. 

 Jesus was brought a woman caught in sin. Yet what was His response? Stone her? No, He gave her the gift of no condemnation. He did acknowledge this was a sin but He gave her the key to overcome. 

 Some are so superstitious of His commands, fearing if they missed it one little bit. Why is this? The root of this fearful approach is because they don't know Grace. They haven't experienced His love in His fullness. They are unsure and uncertain about their own security and assurance in Christ.

 Therefore, these are known more for what they are against than what they are for. Grace and mercy and the love of the Father say I love people a whole lot more than I hate their sins. The religious superstitious mantra is the opposite. They hate the sins of people more than they love them. 

 Hate the sin but love the person? Yes, that is biblical. That is the Gospel. The reason some hate that phrase is that in reality, the message claimed to love the person but instead focused so much more on the hate of the sin. Hate sin? Yes, for sin is evil. Sin destroys, it kills, it robs. Jesus did something about it though. He died for us all. Now it's about receiving a free gift and then that sin stuff won't appeal to us, to our new heart.

  Back to the situation of the Christian singer. Some were angry that the person didn't answer clearly that the behavior in question was a sin. This leads me to point out Jesus and the Apostles. When Paul preached to the idolatrous Gentiles, why didn't he go on a long rant about how sinful they were? When Peter came into the Gentiles house, did he detail how sinful they were before ministering to them? No, they shared the Gospel.  

 Look at Jesus. In John's Gospel. He meets a woman in clear sin. What is His response? 

 This woman is a divorcee, a woman living with a man she isn't married to. She is having sex outside of marriage. Think of the life of this woman.

 Scripture tells us she was going to the well in the later afternoon. Why? Because she was the one in known sin and the people in her town would gossip and put her down. She avoided the people by going late in the day. Can you imagine the guilt, the unworthiness she dealt with continually? 

 This passage in John proves beyond doubt that Jesus is Grace. The passage begins by saying:

4 But He needed to go through Samaria. John 4:4 NKJV

 This is Grace. He needed to go through Samaria because Grace needed to meet this woman right where she was. Immorality and all. Grace finds us where we are. He doesn't wait for us to find or seek Him. 

 How did Jesus respond to her? Did He list the passages and read them to her with a clenched fist and finger wagging? Did He speak of the commandments against adultery and fornication? Did He call her a worthless whore? Did He gather the town around to reinforce the truth that fornication and living together before marriage was sinful? Most importantly, did Jesus tell them to gather some stones?

 Jesus pointed her to a natural well. Showing her that drinking from the world, the flesh and the temptations of the enemy leave us wanting. Leave us unfulfilled and always thirsting. He pointed her to Himself. He showed her partaking of Himself and receiving the free gift of Grace is the only thing that will satisfy. 

In summation, this is the message we should be proclaiming to the world. Not how sinful they are but how loved they are. Show them how empty and unfulfilling their sin really is. Point them to the only One that will satisfy. We are to be love bearers proclaiming the Good News. Jesus doesn't have a stone in hand. He has nail-scarred hands open to receive whosoever will come and receive this gift freely. 

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