Grace is thus
defined as unforfeitable salvation..... in other words, "Once Saved,
Always Saved." But is this prevailing belief of evangelical Christianity
correct? Is grace in essence a free pass that allows us to do whatever
we want, with no consequences for our actions? Since the question involves
our eternal salvation, shouldn't we, as stewards of God's Word, make absolutely
sure that our understanding of this important topic is correct?
Before we proceed
any further, I would like to emphasize at the outset of this bible study that
grace is indeed something that is freely given; it cannot be earned by the
works of men, nor by strict adherence to the law. This point is not being
contested; for it is absolutely true, as made evident by the Scriptures. But
as we proceed through this study, I believe that we will ultimately come to
the conclusion that the accepted definition and understanding of the topic
is in need of revision; and not just by the world. Let's begin by looking
at a couple of pivotal scriptures, identified with asterisks, used by the
mainstream in justifying their belief.
*Ephesians
2:8-9- "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, nor of works lest anyone should
boast." This is the most quoted scripture in all the Bible used in support
of the "Once Saved, Always Saved" Doctrine.
There
are some points being established that we need to address in order to better
understand the meaning:
1) By grace we are indeed saved. As was
previously stated, this is not in dispute.
2) Faith is the vehicle by which grace is enacted.
It is through faith that we are saved by grace. Faith is but the
beginning of the process.
3) Grace is not generated by anything we can
say or do; it does not originate with mankind, but is a gift from God.
4) Grace is not as a result of works, lest any
man take the credit.
Now this is
usually as far as anyone reads. Why is it that Verse
10, which is a continuation of this passage, is completely
overlooked in their zeal for proof? "For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Remember that
Unger's Bible Dictionary stated that "any
intermixture of human merit violates grace,," yet
Verse 10 plainly tells us that works are a part
of the mixture. In this verse the word workmanship is the Greek word
poy-ay-mah, meaning "a product, something that is made,
workmanship. " So, as Christians, we are a product of Jesus Christ;
something that is made by Him; we are created in Him to accomplish good
works. It states that these 'good works' were prepared beforehand:
that we should walk in them. What was it that was prepared prior to Christ's
coming that God's people were commanded to abide by, and walk in?
Deuteronomy
5:32-33 (This is immediately following the giving of the ten commandments
at Mt. Sinai) "Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your
God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the
left. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded
you. that you may live and it may be well with you... "
11
John 6- "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should
walk in it. " The basic principles outlining the desired relationship
with God Almighty and our fellow man are what is being referred to- the ten
commandments.
From the information
given in Ephesians 2:10, we must come to the
conclusion that 'works' are indeed part of the equation, along with faith
and grace. The problem, then, would have be in the arrangement, or sequence
of these elements, as generally understood. We are told that the sequence
cannot be any combination that would offer 'works' as being the beginning
of the process, such as 'works-faith-grace.' We must therefore come to different
conclusion.
We are told
in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have
been saved through faith... " If grace is achieved via the avenue of
faith; and works cannot be the source; then faith would have to be the first
element in the equation. (Romans 5:2)
What would then
be the next element to follow?
James
2:14-20- 'What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has
faith but does not have works? Can faith save Him? If a brother or
sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them,
"Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, " but you do not give them
the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith
by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "you
have faith, and I have works. " Show your faith without your works, and
I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that there
is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe- and tremble! But do you
want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Faith
without works cannot be called faith. Faith must work; it must produce; it
must be visible. Faith must inspire action. Faith is more than mere
words; it is more than knowledge; faith is demonstrated by obedience.
Verses
15-26- Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered
Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with
his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled
which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
" And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified
by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rehab the harlot justified
also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out
another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works, is dead also."
It becomes apparent
that faith must be followed by works in order to even be considered faith.
As was brought out in this passage, even the demons have faith that Jesus
was the Son of God. (Luke 8:26-28) If faith were
all that was required to receive grace, as was presented in
Unger's Bible Dictionary, then Satan and his demons should receive
grace as well. What is lacking in them are the 'works' that should follow.
"Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
" Thus we come to the conclusion that the correct sequence in the equation
should be:
Faith-
Works- Grace
(Now,
before some may take exception to the sequence as presented, please bear with
me until the end of the study. There will be a more detailed explanation offered
that will clarify things.)
The Bible is
chock full of examples reinforcing this. God expects action from His people
in demonstration of their faith; and consequently promises to be there for
them when they do. It is very important to note that Abraham didn't earn the
promise of inheritance from God Almighty as a result of his own efforts- it
was freely given to him as a gift. (See Genesis 26:3-5)
However, just
because a gift is freely given doesn't mean that it is given indiscriminately.
A true gift is given without expectation of anything in return; it is indeed
freely given.... but it is nonetheless given for a reason. You give
a birthday present to the individual whose birthday it is. You don't walk
up randomly to a total stranger and present them with the gift that was prepared
for another.
Revelation
22:12-14- "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward
is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. the First and the Last. Blessed
are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. " We
see that salvation is also referred to as a reward. Everyone is to receive
a reward.... but the nature of the reward is determined by a person's works.
Those who follow His commandments are blessed, and are allowed access to the
tree of life
John
5:21- "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them,
even so the Son give life to whom He will. " The gift of eternal
life originates from Jesus Christ our Lord, but is NOTgiven indiscriminately;
it is given to whomever He decides to give it to. Hebrews
5:9- "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal
salvation to all who obey Him." (Please read Revelation
20:11-15.) The gift of God is indeed freely given without expectation....
but it is freely given to those who overcome and are obedient to Him.
*Romans
5:20-21- "Moreover the law entered that the offense might
abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned
in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. "
This passage
is the actual origin of the Mardi Gras festivals celebrated every year around
the world. The Mardi Gras is held on Fat Tuesday, a day before the revelers
are required to give up something they like as a sign of penitence for forty
days. The belief is that the more that people sin during Mardi Gras, the more
that 'grace will abound' to absolve them of their actions. Unfortunately,
they only read as far as is necessary to acquire the information they desire;
a biblical version of a get-out-of-jail-free card allowing them to do whatever
they want.
Once again many
will stop short of the end of the passage, not continuing the context in Romans
6:1-2: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that
grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live
any more in it? " I actually like the rendition in the King
James Version better; it says, "God forbid!" It
is the literal translation from the Greek. In subsequent translations it was
'softened up' to lessen the impact of Paul's statement. Shall we continue
to sin that grace may abound? God forbids it! Paul is making the
point that, once we have become part of the Body of Christ, our sins are forgiven....
but we are to make every attempt not to not to continue in them.
Romans
3:31- "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly
not! On the contrary, we establish the law. " This verse adds to
the understanding of the others. The law is established, upheld, through faith;
it is not done away with! Faith supports the law; it doesn't void it.
*Romans
6:14- "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are
not under law but under grace." One must read the prior two verses,
and the following verse, in this passage to get the whole picture. Verses
12-13-"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal
body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members
as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as
being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
to God." We're not to let sin reign over us.... so
how do we become instruments of righteousness?
Psalms
119:172- "My tongue shall speak of Your word, for
all Your commandments are righteousness."
Romans
7:12- "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and
just and good. " Continuing on in Romans 6:15-
"What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?
Certainly not!" As with the previous passage in Romans
6:1-2, there is a disclaimer that clearly tells us that we are to refrain
from sinning, from breaking God's laws. God forbids it! Paul knew
that there would be those who would attempt to use his declarations as an
excuse for their actions, and that's why he made sure to include the qualifier
at the end of these passages.
Look at
Verse 14: "For we know that the law is spiritual, but
I am carnal, sold under sin. "
Let
me ask you a simple question....
can something spiritual be done away with? Try to find one example
in the Bible where something spiritual was destroyed. To walk according to
the Spirit is to observe that which is spiritual, is it not?
Paul continues
this thought in Romans 8:6-7: "For to be
carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to
the law of God, nor indeed can be. " The inference in this passage
is that, since the carnally minded are not subject to the laws of God, the
spiritually minded must be. Enmity is defined as "deep-rooted
hatred or irreconcilable hostility. "
And why does
the carnal mind exhibit irreconcilable hostility towards God? Because it is
not obedient to the laws of God. Isn't this the attitude that is often exhibited
by those who are convinced that the law no longer matters?
Antinomianism
is the belief that God's laws no longer are applicable under the New
Covenant; that the moral law was replaced by grace. It rejects biblical
law, or the necessity for obedience to biblical law, as a requirement for
salvation. Antinomian is a Greek word which literally means "against
the law. " In evangelical Christianity, grace and antinomianism
are inseparable; two halves making up one whole. The accepted definition
for grace is affected as a result; and consequently we have "unforfeitable
and unmerited salvation." According to this conviction, God's unconditional
love requires that He forgive His followers, regardless of the sins
they have committed; regardless of how frequently they are committed.
Consequently, there are two sets of standards in play: one for the saved-
who are automatically pardoned for anything that they may do, and
another for the unsaved- who are condemned to hellfire for committing the
very same transgressions. I've heard many ministers say that the ten commandments
were 'nailed to the cross,' that they were just for those under the Old Covenant
and no longer apply.... yet I've heard these same ministers speak
of sin and sinning. They speak of sin in numerous sermons to their
congregations, and have various explanations as to what sin is. But what exactly
is God's definition of sin? Is the New Testament definition for sin
any different than the Old Testament definition?
1
John 3:4- "Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law, for
sin is
the transgression of the law." Here we have sin being defined.
Sin is lawlessness. Thus the New Testament definition for sin is...........
the breaking of God's laws,
the same as in the Old Testament.
Question:
If the law were indeed 'done away,'
how is it that Paul specifically warns us not to continue in sin? How can
someone continue in something that no longer exists? The early Christian Church
knew the answer to this question.... how is it that most today don't?
*Romans
10:12-13- "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,
for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever
calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. " Sounds pretty simple,
doesn't it? All you have to do is call on the name of the Lord and you are
saved forever.
But is that
all there is to it? 11 Timothy 2:19- 'Nevertheless
the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows
those who are His, " and, " Let everyone who names the name
of Christ depart from iniquity."
Iniquity
is defined as "wickedness, immorality, sin. " We are to
move away from sin.
Luke
6:46- "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the
things which I say? " It would seem that simply calling on the Lord's
name is not all that is required for salvation. Remember that the
word antinomian is descriptive of those who are "against
the law." But what does our Lord and Savior have to say about this
proposition? After all, it should be His opinion that we're concerned
with, don't you think? And why should we be concerned?....
because He is the One who gave both the law and grace to mankind.
Matthew
7:21-23- "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders
in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart
from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Salvation is
not a foregone conclusion! Good intentions are not enough
if they are based on wrong assumptions. Christ is not speaking of
non-believers or atheists in this passage; but is speaking of Christians who
believe in Him, preach in His name, prophesy in His name, and even perform
mighty miracles in His name. They have every appearance of being His followers.
However, those who practice lawlessness will not even be acknowledged
by Christ, but will be cast off; regardless of what they have done
in His name. Jesus is speaking of professing Christians who are diverted onto
the wrong path because they didn't "prove all things for themselves,
" but are tricked into believing a counterfeit of the truth.
Notice Verses
13-14: "Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who
go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads
to life, and there are few who find it. "
Narrow
in this verse is translated from the Greek word stenos, meaning "narrow
(from obstacles standing about):- strait."
Webster's
Dictionary defines the word strait to mean "strict,
narrow, constricted, difficult" We are warned that there are two
paths open before us: one is easy to travel upon because it is so broad and
open; the other is difficult to travel upon because it is so narrow and fraught
with obstacles. Many travel down the easy path that leads to destruction;
but only a few find and journey down the difficult path that leads to salvation.
It's estimated that there are over two billion
Christians living today, roughly one-third of the world's population....
and the vast majority of them advocate antinomianism in one form
or another. The full extent of Christian responsibility is merely to accept
Jesus Christ as the Savior, and salvation is then assured, regardless
of what is said or done; regardless of intent or recurrence.
Maybe it's just
me.... but which of the paths does this sound like to you? Taking this passage
into consideration, let me ask
a logical and appropriate question- wouldn't
those who practice lawlessness be the same as those who practice antinomianism?
It doesn't appear that our Lord and Savior, when He returns to this earth,
is going to forgive those who practice such things. (Look for the article,
the Mystery of Lawlessness.)
Question:
How can someone practice lawlessness if there
are no longer any laws in effect? We are to depart from iniquity by keeping
God's laws in our minds and hearts; it's not a free ride! God's grace
within us makes this possible.
There are other
scriptures used in 'proving' grace as the security blanket that covers all
believers, absolving them of any responsibility for their actions; but the
scriptures already provided demonstrate the essence of that belief. It is
important that we let the Bible interpret itself; because not doing so is
extremely dangerous.
11
Peter 3:16- "...as also in his epistles, speaking in them of these
things, in which are some things hard to understand, which
untaught and unstable people twist to their
own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures. "
Does this sound like "Forever Saved" to you? What I'd like to do
now is to, through scripture, get us to thinking in a completely different
perspective than we are accustomed to concerning this subject. If grace is
simply "unforfeitable and unmerited pardon, " then how
do we account for the following scriptures?
We Must Be Missing Something
2
Peter 3:17-18- "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand,
beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with
the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." We are admonished to grow in
the grace of Jesus Christ. How does one nurture or grow something that, according
to mainstream Christianity, was completely given to us upon our acceptance
of Jesus as Lord and Savior?
Another scripture
that may shed some light on this can be found in Philippians
2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work
out you own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God who
works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. "
We are admonished
by the Apostle Paul, the very one who wrote those other passages concerning
grace that are so often quoted by the proponents of the "Once Saved,
Always Saved" philosophy, that we are to work out our own salvation
with God's help! In Revelation 2:7 through
3:21, there are several letters written to the
churches of Asia Minor. In them each church is being presented with not only
their strong points, but their weaknesses as well. What's important to realize
is that, at the end of each discourse, God declares that it is the individual
who overcomes that shall inherit the Kingdom. This is also expressed
in Revelation 21:7- "He who overcomes
shall inherit all things, and I will be His God, and He shall be My Son.
" To overcome is to "conquer, beat, overwhelm, overthrow,
defeat, and win. " The word overcome denotes effort. Does this sound
like works are irrelevant to you? But this is only a part of the picture.
Hebrews
12:14-15- "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without
which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short
of the grace of God... " We are to pursue holiness, without which
no one will see the Lord; being careful not to fall short of the grace of
God. Hebrews 4:1-" Therefore, since a promise
remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come
short of it. "
Question:
If grace is simply "unmerited pardon,"
how can one fall short of it? To fall short of an objective, or destination,
is to miss it altogether.
Galatians
5:4- "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to
be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace."
This passage,
beginning in Verse 1, is speaking of Messianic
Jews who were asserting that a believer must follow the traditions of the
elders in order to be saved. These men were attempting to justify themselves
by those traditions, circumcision being one of the key issues. This is at
the essence of this controversy. Do we obey God and accomplish His
will in our lives; or do we follow the customs and traditions of men? We already
have shown that grace cannot be achieved by works; but that doesn't mean that
works aren't a part of the equation.
What is interesting
to note in this passage, and what is overlooked by everyone, is that it
is possible to fall from grace! It must therefore not be unforfeitable.
Remember that the various epistles were written to Christian believers in
the cities the letters were addressed to. They were not written to
the unconverted of those cities. In order to fall from grace, one must have,
at some point, had it to begin with.
Question:
If grace is "unforfeitable and unmerited pardon," then how
is it possible that one can fall from it?
2 Corinthians 6:1-
"We then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to
receive the grace of God in vain." Paul is pleading with the Corinthians
to not receive the grace of God in vain, implying that it is possible to do
so. According to the phrasing of this passage, one can receive the grace of
God in futility.
Question:
If the grace of God is unforfeitable, how is it that we can receive
it in vain?
Remember that
Unger's Bible Dictionary defined grace as "unforfeitable
and unmerited salvation." You therefore cannot lose your salvation,
no matter what you do. Oh really? Hebrews 6:4-6-
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and
having tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if
they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify
again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame. " This
is not speaking of the unconverted! This is speaking of people that
have had their minds opened to the truth.... that have received the gift of
the Holy Spirit from God Almighty. People have differing ideas as to what
the 'unpardonable sin' is, but I believe that this is the correct definition
of it. It is the living of one's life in willful disregard for God's laws
after having been brought to the truth. Throughout the New Testament this
attitude is referred to as "lawlessness. "
Question:
If grace is unforfeitable
salvation, then how is it possible that one can lose it forever?
Notice also
2 Peter 2:18-21- "For when they speak great
swelling words of emptiness, thev allure through the lusts of the
flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those
who live in error. While they promise liberty, (freedom from the laws
of God) they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is
overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after thev have
escaped the pollutions of the world throush the knowledge of the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, thev are again entangled in them, the latter end is worse
for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from
the holy commandment delivered to them. " The way of righteousness,
according to this text, was the holy commandment that was delivered to them.
Willful disregard for God's laws after coming to the knowledge of the truth
is sin that remains unrepented of.... and sin that is unrepented of is sin
that remains unforgiven.... and sin that is unforgiven is sin that has not
been pardoned, is it not? Thus we have 'unpardonable sin.' We've always considered
sin in this context to be singular in application; but we must acknowledge
the fact that the word 'sin' can also be plural in usage, denoting 'more than
one.'
This is further
explained in a companion passage found in Hebrews 10:26-31-
"For if we sin willfully (the key to the understanding of God's
grace towards us) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation
of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone
who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or
three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be
thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood
of the covenant by which He was sanctified a common thing, and insulted
the Spirit of Grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance in Mine, I
will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. "
Verse 36- "For you have need of endurance, so that after you
have done the will of God, you may receive the promise... "
Question:
If grace is simply unforfeitable
unmerited pardon, then how is it that willful sin is not covered by the sacrifice
of the Savior?
One thing in particular that should be noticed from the previous passage
is that grace is not simply a gift from God, a commodity if you will. There
is a Spirit of Grace responsible for providing the promise to us after we
have accomplished the will of God. This assertion leads us to a completely
different perspective concerning grace then has been viewed in times past.
Grace is not merely the "unmerited pardon of sin," but is also
an entity- a being. But who might that be? One would think that the source
of the gift would provide us with the answer to that question:
John
1:14- "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. " Verse 17- "For the
law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 1:10- (This passage
is speaking of Jesus Christ) "Of this salvation the prophets have
inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come
to you..." Jesus Christ is the originator; the source of grace. (For
a more complete explanation on this, ask for the study entitled, Who is the
Helper.)
In Romans
12, just above Verse 3 in the
New King James Version, there is the heading "Serve God with Spiritual
Gifts," giving the impression that what follows concerns the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. But pay careful attention to how it is phrased: Verses
4-6- "For as we have many members in one body, but all members
do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ
and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given us, let us use them. " Did you catch
that? We are given, as members of the body of Christ, different gifts to be
used in His service.... and these gifts are given by grace! The passage
then goes on to list some of these gifts: prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation,
charity, leadership, forgiveness, etc. Verses 11-12-
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ... " Ephesians
4:7- "But to each one of us grace was given according
to the measure of Christ's gift. " We can see an example of this being
applied in 1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by
the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain:
but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace
of God which was with me. " The grace of God 'working' within Paul
made Him what He became, and was responsible for the labors produced by him.
Question:
If works aren't a part of the equation, then how is it that we're told that
grace labored within Paul to accomplish good works? Isn't labor work?
What's interesting
about this is that, when you compare Romans 12:1-21
with 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, the Chapter in the
Bible outlining the "Gifts of the Holy Spirit." you'll
find them almost identical in content and meaning.
However, there
is one major difference. Please take note of 1 Corinthians
12:4: "There are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit. " Verse 7- "But
the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all."
Here we see that the different gifts given to the members of the body are
described as being "the manifestation of the Spirit." Please notice
the recap at the end of the chapter, and compare it with the previously quoted
passage in Romans 12:4-7: Verses 27-30- "Now
you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed
these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of
tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers
of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do
all interpret? "
The list in
Romans 12 is repeated in 1
Corinthians 12; yet in one passage, the different gifts are given according
to grace; and in the other, the same gifts are given according to the manifestation
of the Spirit. One must, as a result, consider the strong possibility that
the grace of God is actually the manifestation of the Spirit of God:
or the Spirit of God working within us. Ephesians 3:7-8- "...the gospel,
of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given
to me by the effective working of His mighty power. To me who am the least
of all the saints, the grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches of Christ." Paul became a minister according
to the grace of God, given to him by the effective working of God's power.
Now what is it that we believe to be God's power? His Holy Spirit!
Acts
1:8- "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you.. "
2
Corinthians 12:9- (This is Paul speaking)
'And He (Jesus) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,
for My strength is made perfect in weakness. " Therefore most
gladly I would rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. "' In this verse, the underlined components apparently
equate to one another:- My grace is equivalent to My strength....
which is equivalent to the power of Christ. Makes sense, doesn't
it? The effective working of the power of Christ- the manifestation of the
Spirit of God working within us, is grace!
1
Peter 4:10- "As each one has received a gift, minister it
to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. "
By manifold, it means "various, diverse, varied, multifaceted"
In other words, grace is not the same for everyone; it can vary from one member
of the body to another.
Romans
12:6- "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that
is given to us, let us use them... " We are to use the gifts that God
has granted to us in service to one another. In other words, we don't just
receive grace.... we also are to give it.
Ephesians
3:2-3-"... if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the
grace of God that was given to me for you, how that by revelation
He made known to me the mystery of Christ..."
2
Corinthians 4:15- "For all things are foryour sakes, that
grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound
to the glory of God."
Question:
If grace is merely
unmerited and unforfeitable pardon, then how can it vary in type and magnitude
from one Christian to another; and how is it that it can spread?
Before progressing
any further, I would like to point out something that is of extreme importance
when considering grace, and was alluded to in the previous paragraph. We are
not just to be the recipients of grace.... but the providers
of grace as well. In Matthew 6 we are given this
example. This is the Chapter that contains The Lord's Prayer; yet
how many people, in their numerous recitations of this instructional prayer,
actually acknowledge what is being said? Verse 12-"And
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. " This simple sentence
is critical to our understanding of grace, and its application in our lives!
Many will only read to the end of the prayer without continuing any further.
Verses 14-15 are a direct continuation of the
passage: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. " Notice how this
verse is arranged. We must be willing to forgive others for their trespasses
against us before God will forgive us ours.
In
Matthew 6:21-35, Jesus gave us The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
specifically to warn us of the consequences for not doing so. The essence
of the parable can be found in Verses 32-35:
"Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!
I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not have also
had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his
master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all
that was due him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you,
from His heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." If you
want to be forgiven, you must be willing to forgive.
In Verses
21-22 we find something concerning our attitude of forgiveness that
will give us greater understanding of God's forgiveness towards us. 'Then
Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against
me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? "' Peter had selected
a number for forgiveness that was even higher then that prescribed by Jewish
law, thinking he was being very charitable in his forgiveness. Notice Christ's
response to the question: 'Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you,
up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."' As our attitude
of forgiveness is to be shown towards those who have sinned against us, and
is not just a one-time occurrence; so is the forgiveness afforded
us by our Great Creator. It is not a one-time occurrence either! Seventy time
seven equals four hundred and ninety! Ephesians 4:31-31-"Let
all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you,
with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God in Christ forgave you. "
Question:
If grace is "unforfeitable and unmerited
pardon," then how is it that we can be denied it because of our disposition
towards others?
Titus
3:1-6- "Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to
obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil to no one, to
be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were
also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when kindness
and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washins of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured
out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified
by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly,
that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good
works. These things are good and profitable to men. " We are saved
"through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
" which in this passage appears to be equated to "having been justified
by His grace." Those who believe in God are admonished to maintain good
works. Now wait a minute.... if works have nothing to do with grace, then
why are we told to maintain; to continue in them?
The washing
of regeneration is referring to the sign of the New Covenant that is
an outward expression of our intent; our willingness to follow and obey Him.
It is called baptism. This can be seen in Acts 2:36-39:
'Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this
Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this,
they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,
"Men and brethren, what shall we do? " These men were convicted
in their hearts, and wanted to know what to do. Peter was very explicit in
his answer to them: 'Then Peter said to them, 'Repent and let every one
of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Peter doesn't say
repent and be baptized only if you feel like it. He admonished everyone
of them to do so. Repentance is essential to the receiving of grace.
Acts 17:30- "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but
now commands all men everywhere to repent. " Galatians
3:26-27- "For you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. "
Baptism is a sign; a physical expression of a spiritual willingness to do
as God commanded, just as circumcision was originally meant to be in the Old
Testament. Baptism is a means to an end, but is not the end itself. I mentioned
earlier that we would clarify the equation concerning faith-works- grace.
Here we find further explanation that should be added to our original equation.
The equation should now read:
Faith-
Repentance- Baptism- Holy Spirit/Grace- Good Works
The 'works'
that are needed in order for faith to come alive are not necessarily the works
of the law to begin with. What is required that faith may be viable is a humble
and contrite heart before the Lord, and a willingness to act upon it. It was
always to have been so. Psalms 51:16-17- "For
You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in
burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and
contrite heart- These, O God, You will not despise. " God despised
sacrifices made to Him that were done only according to the letter of the
law; and not according to the spiritual intent of the law. Isaiah 1:1-19
(Isaiah is writing concerning the wickedness of
Judah) 'Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to
the law of our God. you people of Gomorrah: To what purpose is the multitude
of your sacrifices to Me? says the Lord. I have had enough of burnt offerings
of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required
this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices;
incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling
of assemblies-1 cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons
and your appointed assemblies My soul hates; they are trouble to Me. I am
weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes
from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are
full of blood. "
The people of
Judah were doing exactly what many professing Christians are doing today.
They were willfully breaking God's laws; yet believed that by following ritual
and tradition they would to be forgiven their sins. They were going through
the motions, all the while missing the original purpose and intent of what
they were doing. Today, people believe that they can do whatever they want,
and grace will cover their sins; just as the ancient Hebrews believed that
the multitude of their sacrifices would cover them. It matters to God
how and why His laws are being observed- and not just the observances
themselves. Notice what God Almighty demanded of them: Verses
16-19- "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil
of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek
justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient... " Today is
no different. God Almighty looks upon the heart, not the outward appearance.
The following aptly demonstrates this truth.
We are actually
given a measurement; a yardstick to compare against in regards to works. We
should come to understand that there is a distinction made between
works before God, and works before men. It is Jesus Himself who provides us
with this difference; and it is His assessment that has everything
to do with the subsequent condemnation of works: Matthew
5:20- "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds
the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter
the kingdom of heaven. " We are told by Jesus Himself that our righteousness
must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, otherwise we will
be denied access to eternal life. We must therefore determine what the difference
is. Now the Scribes and Pharisees were the religious elite of Christ's day;
those who were respected and honored for their knowledge and devotion to the
law. They were comparable to what we today call popes, bishops, cardinals,
reverends, pastors, theologians, etc. Why is it then that Jesus was condemning
them?
There is an
entire Chapter in the book of Matthew that answers
that very question. The essence of Chapter 23 is
found in Verse 5-"But all their works they
do to be seen by men... " (I would encourage you to read the whole Chapter;
but for this study we will select only a few verses that explain the intent.)
Verse 23- "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected
the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought
to have done, without leaving the others undone." Anise (also known as
dill) and cummin are aromatic seeds that were used both in cooking and in
domestic medicine; mint is an herb. According to Jewish law, these
plants were subject to tithe. It should be noted that this tithing requirement
is not found anywhere in the Torah. The Scribes and Pharisees were careful
to follow the letter of Jewish law in regards to these things; yet
when it came to the 'weightier' matters of the law- matters concerning the
laws that God had given them, they ignored them. Justice, mercy, and faith
are all products of keeping God's laws from the heart. You see, it was always
supposed to have been so. Deuteronomy 5:29- "Oh, that they had
such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep My commandments...
" This is why Verse 24 is phrased the way
it is: "Blind guides, who strain out a gnat
and swallow a camel " The Pharisees were focusing so much
on the smallest aspects of their laws in order to appear righteous in the
eyes of men that they were ignoring completely the true purpose and intent
of God's laws. Verse 28 sums up the content of
the whole Chapter: "Even so you outwardly appear righteous to
men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
It's not a matter of outward expression or appearance that matters to God;
but the intent and attitude that matters. Matthew 15:8,
quoting from Isaiah; "Thesepeople draw near to Me with their mouth,
and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain
do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
It is possible to worship God in vain by accepting the customs and traditions
of men over that of God's laws. It does matter what you do!
Luke
18:10-14: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee
and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
'God, I thank you that I am not like other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers,
or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week: I give tithes of all I
possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise
his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, a
sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than
the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted. " It states that the Pharisee prayed to himself.
He evidently was out in front of the temple where his 'righteousness' could
be observed by everyone present. But his prayer, however impressive and eloquent
it may have seemed to those around him, never left the ground. He
prayed to himself.
Herein lies
the key; the difference between self-righteousness, and true righteousness....
between works of men, and works befitting God. The tax collector stood far
away from the steps of the temple, and would not so much as lift his eyes
to heaven. He acknowledged that he had sinned before his Creator in humility
and meekness. Sincere repentance is what God looks for. Upon this acknowledgment,
we become His workmanship, created in Jesus Christ for good works.... and
the substance of these works were revealed beforehand so that we can walk
in them. They are God's unforfeitable laws- the ten commandments.
Ephesians 2:10 once again: "For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them." You see, when someone has the
Holy Spirit- the Spirit of grace working within them, they want to
obey God's laws. Obedience to His laws are a natural expression of the Spirit
of God working within us. His righteous commandments are the perfect spiritual
expression of love towards God and man. It is not possible that we achieve
and fulfill this kind of love by our own efforts. We thus come to a different
conclusion then that of evangelical Christianity......
Grace is not achieved by the works of the law........
the works of the law are achieved through grace!
Hebrews
12:28- "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot
be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Grace is the
means by which we can serve God with reverence and respect. Grace makes it
possible for us to live as God originally intended us to.
Romans
3:31 once again: "Do we then make void the law through faith?
Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the
law. " The Greek word translated as establish is histemi (his-tay-mee),
meaning: "to make to stand, remain, abide, confirm, appoint, continue,
covenant, establish, uphold. " Do we then make void the law through
faith? God forbids it! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Grace produces
works. God's laws become established in our lives; in our hearts
and minds because of the grace given to us.
There will still be those who deny this; saying that the New Covenant was
"built on better promises. "
Well, what
exactly were the promises of the New Covenant?
Jeremiah
31:33- "But this is the covenant that I will make with the House
of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their
minds, and write it on their hearts: and I will be their God, and they
shall be My people. " (see also Hebrews 10:16-17)
This is the New Covenant.... that God promises to write His laws
in our hearts and minds! This 'condition of placement' identifies who the
people of God really are. But how is this made possible?........ It is only
made possible by grace- the manifestation of His Spirit working within us.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17- "Now may our
Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and
given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts
and establish you in every good word and work. " It is not possible
for us to fulfill the law on our own; it can only be accomplished through
the grace of God.
Titus
2:11-14- "For the srace of God that brings salvation
has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present
age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem
us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people,
zealous for good works. " Grace is followed by zeal for good works.
The works of the law can only be achieved through God's grace working
within us- a manifestation of the Spirit of God.
We are admonished to live righteously; to pursue godliness in our lives. Psalms
119:172- "My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your
commandments are righteousness." God's commandments are righteousness.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14- "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all.
For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing,
whether good or evil." (Revelation 20:11-15)
There is a corresponding scripture in the New Testament to this passage in
the Old Testament: Revelation 14:12- "Here
is the patience of the saints: here are those who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus. "
So if we want
to be considered a saint by God, we need to:
1) Keep faith in Jesus Christ, and.....
2) Keep the commandments of God.
Kind of puts
it in a nutshell, doesn't it? I don't think it can be presented any simpler
than that. You see, God provides us, through His Word, the correct
sequence so that we can truly understand the grace that He freely gives to
us.
11
John 5-6- "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote
a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning:
that we love one another. This is love,
that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that
as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. " Pretty
clear, isn't it? Ultimate love is accomplished by walking in His laws.
The beauty of
God's grace towards us is this: all transgressions that are sincerely repented
of, after our acceptance and conversion in accordance with the Scriptures,
are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. According to God Almighty, it
is as if those transgressions never existed. 1 John
1:8-9- "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "
We must acknowledge our sins as they have occurred. God then promises to forgive
and cleanse us. This is an ongoing process that continues throughout our Christian
walk.... and not a one-time event that allows us to do whatever we want. Just
because we are forgiven our sins doesn't mean that we are to continue in them.
This is the fundamental fact that Paul was declaring in Romans
3:31, Romans 6:1-2, Romans 6:15 and Ephesians
2:10. God expects us to learn and grow in the grace and knowledge He
has given us; not making the same mistakes over and over again. King David
is the best example of this in the Bible. He committed serious transgressions
against God and His laws- yet was considered to be a man after God's own heart.
Why? Because he was humble and contrite before the Lord..... he was world
class when it came to repentance. When confronted with his transgressions
He never attempted to lie about them, justify his actions, or divert the blame;
he admitted them in sincerity and humility. Once David repented of something
the Bible never mentions him making the same mistake again. James
4:6 tells us that "God resists the proud, but gives grace
to the humble. " We cannot willfully continue to break God's laws
and expect them to be covered.
So in summary,
Grace is not simply "unforfeitable and unmerited pardon for sin."
The grace of God is much more substantial than has been acknowledged and taught.
We must therefore alter the simple, narrow definition that has been accepted
by evangelical Christianity; and embrace the true understanding of God's love
and forgiveness towards us.
Concerning
grace, the Bible tells us that:
1) We are to grow in it. 2 Peter 3:17-18
2) We can fall short of it. Hebrews 12:14-15
3)
We can fall from it. Galatians 5:4
4)
We can receive it in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1
5) We can lose it forever. Hebrews 6:4-6
6)
We can be punished for willfully sinning. Hebrews
10:26-29
7) Grace is not just a gift; but is also an entity. Hebrews
10:29
8)
Grace is given as differing gifts to God's people. Romans
12:6
9) Grace is also identified as the manifestation of the Spirit.
1 Cor. 12:7
10)
Grace labors within us to produce good works. 1 Corinthians
15:10
11)
Grace is given by the effective working of God's power. Eph.
3:7-8
12)
Grace is given in varying amounts. Ephesians
4:7
13)
By grace, we are created in Jesus Christ to do good works. Eph.
2:10
14)
In order to receive it, we must also offer it. Matthew
6:14-15
In conclusion,
the grace of God is indeed a gift that is freely given, and nothing we do
can earn us that gift; but it is nonetheless a gift that is given for a purpose.
It provides us with the power we need to fulfill God's will in our lives,
and in the lives of others. Grace should never be used as an excuse or justification
for sin. On the contrary, grace produces a zeal within us; a desire to produce
good works. Colossians 1:5-6- "...because
of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before
in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also
in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since
the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. " The word of the
truth... was bringing forth fruit... since the day the Colossians heard and
knew the grace of God.
That's why in
Galatians 5:22-25 the end-result is called fruit.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control.... these are the good works that are produced as a
result of willing obedience to God's laws; made possible by the grace of God
working within us. After all, aren't these attributes the sum and substance
of Jesus Christ... of who He was, and what He did? We should therefore
make it our fervent desire to become so as well. We must prove all things
for ourselves, using God's word as the ultimate source for verification. It
is our responsibility and obligation to do so as true followers of
Jesus Christ. There are many doctrines held by the religious elite of this
day that are not in keeping with the truth of God's word. We should therefore
become as the Bereans were when presented with Paul's message: Acts
17:11- "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures
daily to find out whether these things were so. " With knowledge
comes understanding.... and with understanding comes the responsibility to
act.
Remember Philippians
2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not
as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you
both to will and to do for His good pleasure. " So let us use what God
has so graciously given us to His glory and honor, and never
take it for granted.
