What is Grace?
Acts 13:38-39
38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through him every one that believes is free from everything from which you could not be free by the law of Moses.
REAL FORGIVENESS THAT IS NOT EARNED
but is a real gift from God
First I would like to say to each of you the three most important words in God's creation. I LOVE YOU. To all visiting now I really do love you, not just love for those who have already received Jesus, but love also to even the most skeptical of you who have yet to receive Jesus.
To begin lets talk about the simple Gospel of Jesus' love, his forgiveness and his grace. To my Christian brothers and sisters remember this always, Jesus said, "IT IS FINISHED." You are saved by grace, period! You are not saved by perfect obedience to the law of Moses. The law is holy and good and it reveals our need for a savior and an intercessor. But the law itself saves no one, rather the law reveals sin and it's punishment. It's like the penalty phase in a court room after you are found guilty.
This is why the grace covenant paid for by Jesus is so important. The Book of Romans states, "When sin increases grace increases all the more abundantly." We are covered and washed by the blood of Jesus, which was shed for us. This being done for us by Jesus during our weakness, not during our strength.
In other words if we could have done it on our own, Jesus Christ would never have had to suffer and die to pay our price required by the law of Moses. Jesus Christ took our place (the law's required death penalty for our sins) so the law of Moses could be fulfilled and completed and a new covenant of grace by Jesus' finished work could be established.
GRACE DEFINED:
Divine assistance given to man, or woman, for their regeneration and sanctification, unmerited, pardon, gift, a special favor, leniency, mercy.
Many Christians misunderstand the finished work of the Cross, this causes some of them to be judgmental, depressed and numerous other problems. They say they are saved by Jesus' grace, but then they preach the law of Moses as the way to attain righteousness. Its sort of like having the cart before the horse. Trusting in Jesus is not a faith that trusts in the law of Moses for salvation. It is a faith that honors Jesus' work in full filling the law and for paying our price on our behalf. Trust Jesus' finished work, not your own ability brothers and sisters, that is the real Gospel.
When Jesus said "
it is finished", one of the things he was declaring is that he was establishing a new covenant of grace, and righteousness by faith in that new covenant. Not by the perfect works of keeping the law. "For it is written not one does good, all have fallen short of the glory of God."
Paul and Timothy also reinforced this in their letters to the church. Paul said "Those of you who would be justified by the law, you are fallen from grace." Timothy said, "Those of you who would keep the law (or be justified) but then breaks it in even one point, then this person would be guilty of breaking all of it. The point is this, Jesus knew we could never obey the law perfectly. This because of the inherited sin from Adam's fall. Grace is God's gift to us through the price paid by Jesus on the Cross so we would not fall back in fear or doubt when we fail, sin, or worse.
This does not mean Jesus does not discipline intentional misuse of his grace. It's a heart thing and only Jesus knows our hearts to judge us correctly. Sometimes the person who is sinning the worst, is the one who loves God the most. They are trying so hard in their own strength and own effort to obey God, not understanding God's grace covenant correctly. The result, pain, fear, guilt, depression, anger and so on.
STOP TRYING to be perfect in your own strength and just
seek him as a child. Be honest with Jesus. He knows all your weakness' and failures already, Jesus Christ knows you will have many weak moments as you grow in him. That is what HIS AMAZING GRACE IS ALL ABOUT.
An example of law and grace. Paul said when speaking on the rapture of the church, he said we would be changed in the twinkling of an eye. He then said; "Oh Death where is your victory, where is your sting, for death is swallowed up in victory." This of course by the blood of Jesus.
Let us remember what Paul says just after this. If you understand this you will be blessed. Paul said: "
FOR THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW." Let me say that once more, the power of sin is trying to be righteous by the law of Moses. You honor the law of Moses by agreeing it shows your sin and it is holy for this purpose. But you glorify Jesus Christ when you accept his finished work on the cross for you by faith. That faith is this; "Jesus said it's finished, Jesus is saying. "I have finished paying for their sin required by the law of Moses, I judge them not, I have taken their death penalty in their place because I love them." Now you say amen and agree with Jesus and say also "It is finished" the one who loves me above all has paid my price and with a praise from the heart and your mouth, you thank the Lord Jesus for dying for you and your sin.
When you doubt his love when you have sinned, or have had a weak moment after accepting Jesus, then you are not really trusting Jesus' finished work and love. Your still trusting your ability to obey him, in order to receive his love. Jesus loves you on your worst day son's and daughter's, trust his love and grace. Jesus did not die for you just so he could sit around and wait for you to sin again so he could judge you and punish you. NO !!!!! JESUS LOVES YOU !!!!!!! He died for all your sins, past, present and future. It's a heart thing. Jesus gives you love, forgiveness and grace and he wants you to give the same to others, even to those who reject Jesus. So love and love one another.
Do you understand why Jesus said to judge not in the new covenant of his grace? It is because he decided not to judge you according to the law of Moses. Rather than judge you by the law, Jesus allowed himself to suffer the pain and the shame of the cross, then Jesus died for us in our place in order that the price and death penalty required by the law of Moses could be paid in full. This so we could live, as well as walk in his new covenant of his grace and all his promises. This includes miracle healing, deliverance, knowing his voice and his love and peace that surpasses knowledge.
Another important reminder about judging. Apostle Paul said "Who are we to judge outsiders, God judges the outsiders." Outsiders of course are those persons who do not yet believe in Jesus. When we judge outsiders, Jesus disciplines us for not giving the same grace and forgiveness to them, as he has given us.
Apostle Paul understood the law of God very well, he tried and tried to keep it after accepting Jesus. In the book of Romans Paul discusses his own experience. Most reading now should be able to relate to this same experience Apostle Paul had.
Paul said in Romans, "Every time I try to do the good that I want, (Trying to keep the law perfectly) I do the very thing that I hate. Wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of Death. But thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul declares that law was given to increase the trespass, and that through it sin would become utterly sinful. Why? because the law is holy, but we in our physical nature are not. We are unable to obey it perfectly no matter how hard we try.
So the law is holy and good, because it reveals to us what is good, and of course that it's impossible to obey it perfectly without Jesus' grace, love and power. Remember to keep the law perfectly you must also in effect die. The law of God says all who have fallen short must suffer the penalty of the law. This penalty is death, with no wiggle room.
This is also why Jesus died for us, not just to take our sins, but to pay the just requirement of God's law which is the death penalty. He took our place, because he loves us ALL so much.
The law of God always causes one of two things, it causes a person to either seek after God and a Savior, or it cause's a person to rebel because they find it impossible for them to keep the law. This is where most non believers become confused, or angry at God. They hear those that profess to be Christians saying, " Do! Do! Do! or else, keep the law of Moses, or go to hell. They say; "Quit this, stop doing that, come only to this denomination, give 10 percent and give that 10 percent only to us and so on and so on. That is not the truth, or real Christianity. Jesus said just come, come as you are. You do not try to clean up your own life, or change before you come, you just come to Jesus as you are and you ask him to help you believe. That's it, Jesus does all the rest, either at that very moment, or at a time in the future.
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