The Grace Community of the Redeemed.
At the very core of being a member of the community of the redeemed and
grace living is the truth regarding Jesus’ finished work of the cross,
His Lordship and the necessity of people not usurping His Headship of
His people.
“For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:8-9)
It did not take long after I embraced and promoted the biblical doctrine of grace before the grace plus works people opposed and charged that the “grace gospel” automatically supports a careless attitude toward conduct and morality and promotes sinning as you see fit. I realize this charge is not new and is as old as the Grace Gospel itself. But it is staggering to me how giving Jesus His rightful place, believing in His finished work on the cross and that the gaining and maintaing of our salvation is ALL God's doing and NONE of man's doing, is considered the equivalent of giving people a license to sin. The mentality of such thinking is indicative of how the deception of the devil has been accepted as truth regarding the plan of God for the community of humanity and the community of the redeemed.
This legalistic religious mindset has a difficult time embracing the implications of the biblical doctrine of “justification by faith” (Rom. 3:24, 26; 5:1). Just think about it, if salvation is a result of God’s grace working through faith, and not by any works of our own (Rom. 11:6), then it must be true that obedience to the Law or conforming to religious rules and regulations cannot save us or maintain our salvation (Gal. 3:10). Only Jesus’ fulfillment of the law, coupled with His sinless perfection and His finished work on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin can provide forgiveness and redemption (Matt. 5:17).
In Romans 6:14 Paul tells us that "we are not under the law" and wherever it talks about the believer and the law in New Testament it asserts exactly Paul's teaching that we are not under the claw of the law.
As a believer, whose trust is in Christ, we are not under the law when it comes to our salvation, sanctification, or justification, neither are we under the law regarding judgemnetation, condemnation or incarceration. It is anti Gospel for leaders to subject believers to the law as a rule of conduct and morality. Such teaching incarcerates believers. Such manipulation might help doctrinal leaders to keep a short leash on their pew-warmers in much the same way that a corral keeps horses from going astray. However, it is not the freeing message of the gospel of grace that will affect the community of humanity towards God.
Grace living believers cherish the liberty of living free, however, they do not teach that people can sin when they please because grace has you covered. The scriptures do not teach that people are free to sin at will. A grace believer is not free to sin, nor does he desire to sin. He realizes however, that it is because of God's grace and love that he has the power to overcome sin and uphold the intent of the law. God’s commandments are not grievous to those who believe (1 John 5:1-3).
“For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:8-9)
It did not take long after I embraced and promoted the biblical doctrine of grace before the grace plus works people opposed and charged that the “grace gospel” automatically supports a careless attitude toward conduct and morality and promotes sinning as you see fit. I realize this charge is not new and is as old as the Grace Gospel itself. But it is staggering to me how giving Jesus His rightful place, believing in His finished work on the cross and that the gaining and maintaing of our salvation is ALL God's doing and NONE of man's doing, is considered the equivalent of giving people a license to sin. The mentality of such thinking is indicative of how the deception of the devil has been accepted as truth regarding the plan of God for the community of humanity and the community of the redeemed.
This legalistic religious mindset has a difficult time embracing the implications of the biblical doctrine of “justification by faith” (Rom. 3:24, 26; 5:1). Just think about it, if salvation is a result of God’s grace working through faith, and not by any works of our own (Rom. 11:6), then it must be true that obedience to the Law or conforming to religious rules and regulations cannot save us or maintain our salvation (Gal. 3:10). Only Jesus’ fulfillment of the law, coupled with His sinless perfection and His finished work on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin can provide forgiveness and redemption (Matt. 5:17).
In Romans 6:14 Paul tells us that "we are not under the law" and wherever it talks about the believer and the law in New Testament it asserts exactly Paul's teaching that we are not under the claw of the law.
As a believer, whose trust is in Christ, we are not under the law when it comes to our salvation, sanctification, or justification, neither are we under the law regarding judgemnetation, condemnation or incarceration. It is anti Gospel for leaders to subject believers to the law as a rule of conduct and morality. Such teaching incarcerates believers. Such manipulation might help doctrinal leaders to keep a short leash on their pew-warmers in much the same way that a corral keeps horses from going astray. However, it is not the freeing message of the gospel of grace that will affect the community of humanity towards God.
Grace living believers cherish the liberty of living free, however, they do not teach that people can sin when they please because grace has you covered. The scriptures do not teach that people are free to sin at will. A grace believer is not free to sin, nor does he desire to sin. He realizes however, that it is because of God's grace and love that he has the power to overcome sin and uphold the intent of the law. God’s commandments are not grievous to those who believe (1 John 5:1-3).
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