Can grace save us with out some effort on our part? Or must we obey the laws in God’s word?
I had a lady tell me the other day; “Grace is not enough to get us into heaven. No way can I embrace Jesus only as the way. God’s laws are in the bible and He means for us to obey them.” I sensed a sincere heart that was repeating things she may have been taught for years.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not Jewish, and the law was given to the Jews. Gentiles were never included in God’s law. Beside that often over-looked fact, there has never been one person successfully able to follow every detail of the law (except Jesus Christ). Jesus said if you offend the law in one point you’re guilty of the whole law.
People try to apply the law to guilt themselves (or others) into being more godly. 1 Co.15:56 says the law gives sin its strength. Applying the law will actually cause people to sin more because the strength of sin is the law. The law was designed to reveal sin (Ro.7:7). The law is also meant to lead us to Jesus (Ga.3:24). Jesus came and fulfilled the old covenant law. He.8:13 says the old covenant is obsolete.
For years we have heard that Grace is not enough to get to heaven (not as blatant as that, but through the implication “come to Jesus and then do all these things to secure your salvation”) but is that bible? Jesus said “it is finished”, was He incorrect? If the blood of Jesus isn’t enough, what more could I possibly add to satisfy God? You see, a pastor can fill an altar with fearful people by dangling them over hell. That’s “manipulation”. Jesus said we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free. We’re told to rightly divide the word. We have to know what is written to us and what was written to a specific person or people group. Many people find that takes too much effort to rightly divide so they erroneously try everything or reject everything. Neither approach works.
If you ever see Jesus, guess where you will find Him? Sitting on a throne of Grace He.4:14-16. I love Jesus Christ. One day just as I was about to stand and preach before a large crowd of people I said “Father I’m sorry I’m not perfect”. He immediately said back to me “so you think your perfection is better than the blood of Jesus?” I said “no Father that’s not what I said.” He said “that’s exactly what you said.” In that brief moment I decided I would rather be forgiven that self-righteously perfect any day. I’m not looking to change your mind, that’s not my job, I’m presenting Jesus who bids you to jump off the performance plan and find the rest in what Jesus accomplished for you
We choose to tell people what’s right with them. They have enough people telling them what’s wrong. David said “my sin is ever before me”. The most miserable person is a Christian who is self-condemned. Ro.8:1 says there is therefore now no more condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. You see the church has reduced Grace to a doctrine. That way they can accept only as much as they want or can tolerate. Grace is a person, His name is Jesus, and you either accept Him entirely or not at all. You can’t accept Him just a little bit.
The message of God’s amazing Grace will not bring unity in the body of Christ. The organized religion didn’t receive it that way from Jesus or any of the disciples. We’re likely going to meet similar resistance. The elder brother refused the Father’s request to celebrate the return of his once lost younger son. The elder brother felt more deserving, yet he never enjoyed his relationship with his father. Both boys were extended the unconditional love of the father. That’s what’s so amazing about Grace, no one deserves it, it’s unmerited favor.”
Jesus matured the law. Sorta like a teenager goes to adulthood. The law as the 10 commandments had it looks a little different then where Jesus took it. Matthew 5 and 6 gives a picture of ways of heaven that are what we need to put on.
ReplyDeleteOften when I ponder this "fact of Life" and the wisdom needed to preach/teach Grace without being perceived as one who fell into universalism, the following message from my friend, Elliott O'Hannes, comes to mind:
ReplyDelete"My Dear Theunis... However, such a sermon, especially in the 60s when I was attending P(sanitized) T(sanitized) Seminary, would have invited vehement opposition not simply among works oriented conservatives but among liberals as well. It was this milieu that enlightened me as to LIBERAL LEGALISM. Believe me, such legalism is no myth. It exists and is no less deadly than CONSERVATIVE LEGALISM. Both are "quid pro quo'. The latter is reflected in pietistic moral currency geared to making one 'good': "don't drink, don't chew, don't go with bad women that do," etc., etc., ad nauseum. I grew up under that pathetic guilt-inducing theological regime. Now let me share a bit of personal history to further explain liberal legalism.
Having discovered grace (in a secular university) I marched off to P(sanitized) T(sanitized) Seminary, thinking to further grow in the grace of Jesus Christ at a place of 'higher' theological learning. What I discovered was liberal legalism. The tune remained the same; only the lyrics had changed. That is, we were now expected to justify ourselves and atone for our sins through a life of perpetual guilt and social works and thus help to rectify all of the social and political inequities and evils of the world. So the new moral currency was social justification. So there you are. Legalists come in all stripes.
I still remember the bacculaureat sermon to our graduating class. It was entitled "Living on the Left Hand of God". In essence the preacher said that those who fell short in social action were the goats living on the left hand of God and of course destined for hell. Ah, more quilt. Just what I needed. Following that sermon, I found my true calling: to be an advocate of grace of Jesus Christ until my dying day.
So three cheers for a great sermon!!!
More later. Love, Elliott"