What is Radical Grace?

Many Bible-believing churches talk about grace.  Here are some things that should characterize a church that follows the biblical principles of grace. Relevant Bible passages are listed for further study.

1. Free Grace is taught and preached consistently. A grace-oriented church encourages gospel preaching that makes it clear that we are saved by grace plus nothing, through faith plus nothing, in Christ plus nothing. Their gospel message does not imply that we have to make commitments to God or do any good works in order to be saved, or do the same afterward to validate that we are saved. Assurance of salvation is available to all who believe in the promises of God. Likewise, our subsequent Christian growth is based on grace just as our initial salvation was. Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:16; Titus 2:11-12

2. People are encouraged to grow in grace. Grace gives people both motivation to grow and room to make mistakes while it gently guides them into maturity. This is the process of discipleship. Growth in grace has as its goal Christlikeness. A church that is serious about making disciples will help people grow deep in the Christian life. Ephesians 4:7-16; Colossians 2:7; 1 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 3:18

3. Grace is the primary motivation for Christian living. There is a positive approach to ministry which motivates people to grow by grace not guilt. Preaching and teaching does not make people feel unnecessarily guilty. instead of emphasizing what we are or are not doing, grace emphasizes who we are in Jesus Christ. This motivates us to live up to who we are as God’s greatly blessed children. Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20-21; Ephesians 4:1

4. People are accepted as they are. A church should model God’s own love and gracious actions toward all people. Though we are each different and prone to sin, God accepts us because we are His children in Christ. A grace-oriented church shows acceptance to people not only when they come to Christ for salvation, but also as they try to live the Christian life. Such a church accepts differences in culture, personality, opinion, giftedness, questionable matters, and personal preferences because God has accepted the person. Romans 14:1-13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Ephesians 1:6

5. The unbiblical extremes of license and legalism are avoided. Grace is not perverted into an excuse to do whatever we please, called license. The Bible says that grace teaches us to live godly lives. The opposite perversion of grace, legalism, implies that we must adhere to non-biblical or man-made standards to be acceptable to God. A church can exert subtle or overt pressure to conform outwardly to such artificial standards. But a grace-oriented church holds to the Bible’s clear teachings, is flexible in the unclear issues, and never allows human rules to supercede the authority of Scripture. Mark 7:1-23; Romans 6; Colossians 2:20-23; Titus 2:11-12

6. Liberty is balanced by love. Grace frees us to love and serve God, which means we should love and serve others also. A grace-oriented church will teach how to balance the joyful liberty of the Christian life with a love for God and others. This means that in areas of conscience or questionable things, we are encouraged to temper our activity by considering how it will affect others and by acting only out of love. We are encouraged to use our liberty to serve others. Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8; 10:23-33; Galatians 5:13-14

7. There is an emphasis on being, not doing. Busyness is not godliness; godliness is godliness. And godliness begins in the heart with the realization of who we are as God’s children through faith in Christ. The grace-oriented church encourages godliness by emphasizing growth in our personal relationship to God. Ministry and service come from the joyful desire to honor God, not the mistaken belief that God is not happy unless we are busy. Luke 10:38-42; Ephesians 5:1-2; Colossians 2:6-7; 2 Peter 1:2-11

8. There is a sincere desire to share the message of grace with the world. Those who have been freely blessed should be willing to share that blessing with others. The “God of all grace” desires all men to be saved through His provision in Christ. If a church is seeking after God’s heart, they will be active in reaching the world with the gospel of grace, because that is where God’s heart is. Matthew 28:18-20; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; 2:1-7

9. Those who sin are dealt with biblically. The reality of sin in Christians is understood and addressed biblically. Personal confession and restoration is taught. Sins of a more public or blatant nature are handled by the church lovingly and prayerfully with the goal of restoring the offender to full fellowship with God and the church. The grace-oriented church reflects a healing environment rather than a critical and condemning spirit. Matthew 18:15-20; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8; Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

By Dr. Charles Bing

Can grace save us with out some effort on our part?

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.”

Someone has His eye on the horizon, looking for you.  Yes, He’s just that into you

What’s with the Double Stuff ?

Isaiah 40:1-2 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, and that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.”

Here is yet another beautiful snapshot of God’s amazing Grace. You have to hold it up to the light to see it in all its beautiful detail.

These are the toughest times financially that most people have experienced in their lifetime. You can drive the streets of your town and see a sheet of paper taped on the front door of homes all over town. It’s a legal notice of pending foreclosure on that property. Most of us rarely if ever remember seeing those signs in our lifetime.

Yet they have been around since Isaiah’s time. When a person incurred a debt they were unable to pay, a sign was posted on their front door that spelled out the scope of the debt. How humiliating to have your worst out there for God and everyone to see. Even worse, back then not only the person’s property but their family and the very person themselves could be seized for the debt.

You may be feeling less than “comforted” at this moment especially considering Isaiah said she received from the Lord’s hand “double” for her trouble. But this is a picture of redemption. The whole context speaks of valleys being filled in and difficult peaks being lowered and rough places being made smooth. We could use some of that today.

Did you notice the phrase “she has received from the Lord's hand double”? In that situation of impossible debt, if a person of great means happened to pass by and pause to read the note of debt, and if they were moved by compassion to help by paying the debt, something very special happened. The benefactor would fold the card in half on to the nail, and sign their name across the card. They became surety that they would pay the debt for the debtor, and the person was completely free. That action of folding the card in half was called “The Double”.

Now can you see why the comment “from the Lord's hand” takes on such great significance? What does that do for your understanding of Philippians 4:19? “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God initiated this “front door signature” concept on the very first Passover with the blood of the lamb. God has always been an extravagantly gracious God except to those who demanded to live by rules (Moses you talk to God for us. Whatever He says, we are well able to do.)

One final thought on “The Double”. Once the benefactor folded the card over and signed to cover the debt, NO ONE had the right to peak behind the doubled card and see what the debt “was” (past-tense) because it was no more. It was paid in full. Not only was the debt paid but the person was free. Isaiah specifically said the “double” was for her sins. That’s amazing Grace, He really is just that into you!
                                          The Well at Crystal Lake

"Can't Touch This"

In his opening line MC Hammer thanks the Lord for blessing him with his lyric ability. I wonder if he got the title from God Himself. The Lord used that phrase when He was speaking about a holy artifact that represented His presence, for in fact from time to time He rested there. God gave the people specific instructions regarding the handling of His presence.

One time Israel went to face off against the Philistines and got kicked to the curb. Befuddled (not accustomed to loosing) they realized “oh yea – we forgot God (the Ark) we better go get Him.” Now we can get all spiritual and say “how could they” like how could Mary & Joseph misplace little Jesus? Truth be told, more people head off to work each day and forget the Lord than those who won’t leave home without Him.

So they send back to Shiloh for the Ark, born by two priests who were not the church’s best and brightest representatives. In short, they lost the Ark; let it fall right into the hands of the enemy. Now the Ark wasn’t a magical box that brought fortune to the beholder. But the enemy knew as long as God’s children didn’t have the presence of God with them, it leveled the playing field, and that it did (and still does today).

The enemy was amused by the special box but calamity struck everywhere they brought it. They surmised God might be angry with them for hauling Him all over town so they decided to make a peace offering and send the Ark back on an Ox cart. Imagine, this is the God of the whole earth we’re talking about. So they fashion gold mice & hemorrhoids (representing the problems they were experiencing) and sent the gold objects along with the Ark back towards a town called Beth-Shemesh. God has a sense of humor. “Hey what’d you get for Christmas? ….Ah….don’t ask.”

The milk cows pull into town and the children of God are happy to have their Ark back. They know something about handling the presence of God so they get the priests to remove the Ark from the cart. They burn the cart and sacrifice the cows as an offering to God. You won’t believe what happens next.

Some curious fellows want to sneak a peek inside the Ark so they slide the lid off – oogh can’t touch that. Half the translations say 70 men dropped dead. The other half say 50, 070 dropped dead. If you were one, it wouldn’t really matter how many others there were would it?

You see, the lid of the Ark is called the Mercy seat, that’s where the blood of the lamb was shed for the atonement of mans’ sin. The Mercy seat is also where the presence of God sat between the cherubim. When Jesus (the Lamb of God) shed His blood for your sin, it covered the Mercy seat. Your transgression was removed as far as the east is from the west. What is “under” the blood is off limits, paid in full. No one has the right to slide the mercy seat off and look into your past. You don’t have the right to let them or even help them.

So when someone approaches you with the obvious intention to lift the mercy seat and per into anything that is under the blood, back away just as if they were about to pick up a stick of dynamite. There’s dynamis power in the blood of Jesus. Tell them, “you’re own your own there bud, I wouldn’t touch that thing with a ten foot pole.” It’s just that serious to God! Mercy triumphs over judgment.