Grace is a Person. His name is Jesus!

Our precious Lord desires to have a deep and intimate relationship with us. To touch grace is to touch Jesus. To touch Jesus is to touch grace. Grace is all that we need. In Christ every need is met. Be confident and expectant because His grace is sufficient for you today!

The below page is from Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince. I hope you get a chance to read it!

Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince

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Man’s Aversion to Grace

Dr. Charlie Bing, GraceLife Ministries 

Man’s Aversion to Grace
To those who have been profoundly changed by a clear understanding of God’s grace it is often puzzling why more people, unsaved or saved, do not accept that message. After all, if grace gives us salvation and all its benefits absolutely free, why do so many unbelievers reject it and why do so many believers try to compromise it with conditions? It will help to see the biblical and historical pattern of this aversion to grace and then offer an explanation. 

A Pattern of Rejecting Grace
The biblical history of God’s chosen nation, the Jews, shows that they consistently rejected His provision for their spiritual needs. In Acts Stephen told how the Jews rejected Moses and the Promised Land and wanted to return to captivity in Egypt and worship a golden calf instead. About the calf idol Stephen said they “rejoiced in the works of their own hands” (Acts 7:39-41). Later, the Apostle Paul explained why the Jews rejected the gospel of grace: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). The common denominator in Stephen and Paul’s assessments is that the Jews rejected God’s grace in favor of their own merits.

The New Testament amplifies the same pattern of rejecting grace. Jesus was bitterly opposed and persecuted by the self-righteous Pharisees who insisted on stringent law-keeping for righteousness. Paul was opposed by legalists wherever he preached the grace message. Sometimes the Christians strayed shortly after Paul departed from them, as in Galatia (Gal. 1:6). Paul warned that enemies of the gospel would corrupt the believers from without and within (Acts 20:29-31), that is why he commended them “to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). Countering legalism (defined here as the keeping of laws and rules to exalt self) was a common theme in Paul’s epistles to the churches.

Church history since the New Testament shows that the free grace of God was corrupted before the church got out of its first century. Many early church fathers taught the necessity of baptism and a holy life in order to be or stay saved. For many centuries after the early fathers the dominate Orthodox and Catholic religions both taught the necessity of baptism, penance, and other sacraments for salvation. It was not until the Reformation in the early 1500’s that Christianity reclaimed the free grace of God—though those Christians who did so were violently persecuted.

Even Calvin, a leader of the Reformation who taught that grace was free and faith in God’s promise assures us of salvation, was shortly afterward reinterpreted to make works indispensible to one’s assurance and salvation. By the time of the Westminster Confession (1647) works were solidly embedded into faith and the gospel, not on the front end (in order to be saved), but on the back side (to prove you were saved). Today a resurgence of this brand of Calvinism has swept through the Christian world with the same intrusion of works and merit into assurance and salvation.

A Natural Response to Grace
Why hasn’t the wonderfully liberating grace message swept the world? We can only suggest why so
many people reject or pervert the free grace of God.

Conditioning. We live in a world of un-grace that has always taught us we must earn our own way. We are promised rewards for potty training, good grades for studying hard, and a paycheck for working. Apart from biblical Christianity, every world religion offers salvation only through performance. Grace, which promises us salvation free and secure, sounds too good to be true. When Jesus told some curious Jews that eternal life was a gift, their natural response was “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God.” Jesus did not concede to their inclination to work for salvation, but in a play of words responded “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:27-29). Ask an average person today how one can have eternal life and the prevailing answer will include something that must be done. Salvation that is truly free is difficult to comprehend or accept.

Pride
Doing something to contribute to or prove our salvation appeals to the natural impulse of our pride. The gospel of free grace separates works entirely from the offer of salvation. We are saved by grace through faith “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Pride appeals to our sinful flesh. The flesh likes to exalt self and boast of what has been done, but the gospel of grace points only to the cross as the means of obtaining and keeping salvation. Paul said, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 5:14). Grace humbles our pride.

Insecurity.
Doubtless there are some who are not comfortable with the freedom grace brings. The controversy in Acts 15 was caused by Jews who demanded observable performance-based criteria from the Gentiles who had been saved by grace. This reflects a desire to depend on a system of black and white laws or behavioral measurements that would make these legalists feel secure in their spirituality and reserves them the right to declare certain others unsaved. The insecurity of uncertainty about others can lead to a fear of ambiguity, which in turn can breed a desire to control. Control leads to the assertion of laws or measurements that make some feel comfortable. On the other hand, grace looks to faith in the Word of God, submission to the control of the Holy Spirit, and the compulsion to love God and others as that which determines one’s spirituality. Grace is risky because freedom is always risky.



Conclusion
Man has a natural aversion to grace. A persistent turning away from grace is demonstrated biblically and historically. Even so, God has always preserved a remnant that fully embraces grace. The unconditional free grace of God that brings us to the cross of Christ for all and any merit before God keeps us humble, which allows us to experience more grace: “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, butgives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). The slave woman of legalism and her son will always persecute the free woman of grace and her son (Gal. 4:29). The two cannot co-exist or mix. Paul’s advice is to throw out the slave woman and her son (Gal. 4:30). Watch carefully for the natural drift away from grace. Don’t try to compromise with legalism or anything that threatens the absolute free nature of grace. Rather, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).

This GraceNotes may be copied and distributed freely. For a full set of GraceNotes or for more resources about growing in grace contact GraceLife at GraceLife.org or write to P.O. Box 302, Burleson, TX 76097.

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Victory is a gift!

As surely as Christ was raised from the dead, so also we have been set free from Sin and alive in Him.

As true and real as Christ's death and resurrection was, so also IS our freedom from sin and life in Him.

Now the only problem is whether we believe it or not... satan (the father of lies) would love for us to not believe this truth..hence he will try his level best to deceive us by attempting to make us focus on our actions/perfomance and let that influence our belief....

The truth is what should influence us.

Romans 6:11 (English Standard Version)

¹¹So you also must consider yourselves^(A) dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.


Notice the word 'consider': in other words we need to see ourselves this way. We are to purposely focus on the truth even despite our failures . Why? Because truth will always be truth. It will never change. It is always constant. The only thing that is not constant is our actions. Our actions change once we change our what we believe.


Romans 12:2 (AMP) (italics - my addition)
"....but be transformed (changed on the outside) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]..."


Lets be open to what Jesus has to say! Christ has changed us and freed us from sin. On the cross two things happened: Christ set us free from the penalty of sin. Guess what? We don't do anything, but we just accept this by faith, and immediately the burden of guilt is lifted off. Why? Because we realize that Jesus death was the eternal payment .


But not only did Christ set us free from the penalty of sin, he also set us free from the power/dominion/control of sin. When we accept this truth by faith... we see change on the outside. Immediately the control is broken on the outside. Remember the battle is in the head! Its all about what you and I believe!


Freedom on the outside happens when we understand and believe that we have already been set free. and now the only control sin can have over our lives is the control we give to it! 


Let me reiterate: if you believe that Christ's death and resurrection was real, then freedom from sin IS a reality. We are free!! Victory/Freedom is thus a gift received by faith. Its not something we earn or work hard to attain. So lets stop struggling for something we already have!


Know this truth and it will set u free!


Hope this blesses you.

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Escaping the Performance Trap by Charles Stanley

A treadmill is one of the most effective tools for burning calories, despite the fact that the person exercising stays in the same place. Similarly, many workers worry and grope through each day, without actually making headway. Isn’t it ironic that in both pursuits, people must give great effort without really going anywhere?

So it is with people who try to work their way to righteousness. Many Christians grow stagnant in their faith because they expend tremendous energy trying to attain some lofty ideal of the “Christian experience.” They usually understand that grace is what saved them but believe they must pay God back with good works in order to remain saved.

Have you become a modern-day Pharisee? Do you maintain a mental or psychological checklist to ensure that you do what you should and resist what you should not? Are you closer to living under the law than under God’s grace?

When you act outside of God’s will, your life runs on finite “fumes”: your own strength. The result can be exhaustion, withdrawal, and bitterness. The real Christian experience requires only that we have faith in Jesus Christ and abide in Him, the true Vine (John 15:5).

You can’t do anything to make God love you more. Nor can you do anything to make Him love you less. This is a liberating truth! Your heavenly Father isn’t keeping score—we can’t pay Him back for His grace. In fact, no amount of good works can pay the debt of love we owe. The apostle Paul wrote, “The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal. 3:24-25). He explained that there is no way we can keep God’s moral code perfectly. We need a Savior.

Even after we become Christians, God doesn’t want us to add law to His grace. He wants obedience, of course. But obedience is the overflow of a heart full of love, not legalism.

When Jesus tells us to keep His commandments, He emphasizes that obedience shows others we love Him (John 14:31). The moral law shows us our need of a Savior. But we cannot obey the Lord Jesus without His help. We are children wanting to please the Father because we love Him. This delivers us from legalism and keeps us grounded in grace, not only for salvation, but also for living the Christian life.

Living by Grace
The Scriptures compare our relationship with God to a race. Paul calls us to run so that we may win (1 Cor. 9:24)—and the author of Hebrews adds that we are to do so with endurance (Heb. 12:1).

Only by running on the wings of grace can believers triumphantly finish the course God has assigned for each one of His children. The legs of performance eventually grow weak. The muscles of legalism and religion weigh us down and become rigid hindrances. Our main problem is that we can understand the need for grace in salvation, but we tend to rely on other means for process of sanctification.

How can you cease striving, get off the performance treadmill, and learn to walk in grace? Here is the key: the more you humble yourself before God, the more you will receive the fullness of His grace.

God “gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Not to the strong, but to the weak. Not to the self-sufficient, but to the dependent. Grace belongs to the poor in spirit—in other words, those who humble themselves by recognizing God’s majesty and worshipping Him. The more you adore and praise the Savior, the more highly you’ll think of Him.

Humbling yourself won’t reduce your self-esteem or diminish your worth to God. Rather, it positions you to receive your sustenance from the source of all good things, Jesus Christ. As a humble believer, cast yourself on the grace of God, leaning on Him with your full weight. Draw all your strength, peace, joy, and security from the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit living within you.

Be strong in grace. Throw off the chains of works and “religion,” and receive the remarkable power of God’s merciful lovingkindness.

Adapted from Charles F. Stanley’s “Into His Presence” (2000), “Seeking His Face” (2002), and “Handbook for Christian Living” (1996)

http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5307575/k.46BC/Escaping_the_Performance_Trap.htm

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It is always ALL of Grace -- by Mike Quarles

When we learn about grace we learn what life is all about. We learn about who we are. But more importantly we learn about who God is, what the gospel is and our relationship with Him. We enter into a dimension of life we never dreamed possible. Nothing is changed and yet everything is changed. Grace is not just getting what you don’t deserve. Grace is getting the opposite of what you deserve. Grace is not just another doctrine. Grace is the way God relates to us. Grace is the gospel as the bible says (Acts 20:24). What is grace?

Grace is knowing that…

1.      there is no more guilt, condemnation and punishment (Rom 8:2)

2.      God loves me and accepts me just the way I am not because of what I do, because of the cross (Roma 5:5-8)

3.      Satan was defeated at the cross and has no power over me and the only weapon he has is the lie (Col 2:15)

4.      because I died to the law and have been released from it (Rom 7:4,6), I don’t have to live up to anyone’s standards.

5.      I am not under law but under grace (Rom 6:14) and that Christ is the end of the law (Rom 10:14), it is not up to me to live the Christian life, but to trust Christ in me to do it (Gal 2:20)

6.      there is nothing I can do to make God love me more and nothing I could do to make him love me less (Rom 8:39)

7.      Jesus said that all who come to Him will find that the Christian life is easy and heir burden is light (Mt 11:28-30)

8.      it is not up to me to do or die or strive and strain, but to believe that He will do it all for me (1 Thess. 5:24)

9.      my sin and failure cannot overcome grace of God (contrary to the popular belief)
(Rom 5:20,21)

10.  no matter what I do or how I mess up, God is going to love m through all eternity
(Rom 11:6; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:6)

11.  I have all I need because Christ is in me and I am in Him and He is in the Father
(John 14:20)

12.   freedom is my birthright as a child and not something that I have to attain
(Gal 5:1; John 8:32,36)

13.  I am dead to sin and alive to God because of what God has done and nothing that I do
(Rom 6:4-7)

14.  I am righteous because God has place me in Christ and not because of anything that I do
(1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21)

15.  I have died to the world, its customs, ways, values and people’s demands and expectations of me. (Gal 6:13)

16.  the important thing is not what I do or don’t do, but faith in what God has done and who I am in Christ ( Gal 6:5,14)

17.  I am secure in Christ, that I donot have to fear any person and that He will never leave me nor forsake me (Heb 13:5,6)

18.  Christ is my life; that my life is hidden in Him and I have everything I need for life and godliness (Col 3:3,4; 2 Pet 1:3)

19.  victory is not something we work for, but it has already been given to me.
(1 Cor 15:56; Eph 2:6; Eph 1:19-21)

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Strive for perfection/Christ-likeness?

After having a serious debate with a pastor friend of mine I have been thinking about an issue I was having trouble with. Its about striving for Christlikeness. I have listened to so much of the "holiness preaching" and did not find any results in my personal life. All I ended up is living in so much condemnation. The day I started to understand grace, I can say that condemnation started to leave me and immediately I sensed a new-found freedom in my walk with the Lord. I won't elaborate much on that for now but it is important to really really understand the unconditional love and favor of God. It is important to understand that when Jesus said that it was finished He really meant it! Once i became more solid in the knowledge of grace and I understood my position of perfection in Christ , I wasn't quite sure on how to address this question: As a Christian, should I or should I not strive for perfection. I mean should i live out of my position of perfection or should or should I strive for to live the perfect life? The answer is both!


What every Christian needs to understand is that he or she is on earth as Christ is in heaven (read 1 john 4:17) . Therefore all of us in Christ are holy. We are in Him perfect. Honestly, a clear understanding of this itself would automatically impact our actions/practice. We strive to do His will not because we have to but because we want to, as a response to His unconditional love and mercy for us! We love Him because He first loved us. However, sometimes people don't quite understand grace and having understood a part of grace they might think in that case i don't have to do anything since i am already perfect in Him. Many critics of the grace message also think grace causes a person to be inactive! Honestly, a clear understanding of grace actually "produces"  good actions/works automatically. 


But for those that feel that whatever they do is okay since their position in Christ is perfect, they are actually in error (or we need to pray for your salvation!). After all possessing a little knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge at all. The fact is sin hardens the heart. (disclaimer: this is not for those who maybe in some type of addiction and you are crying out to God to set you free. what u need to understand is Christ doesn't condemn u no matter how many times u fail) You see grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness. Why?  Because God has already forgiven us and defeated sin on the cross. Why would somebody want to go back into that which they were delivered from?


After reading Philippians 3, I am convinced that while our position is perfect in Christ we also have to strive for perfection/Christ-likeness in our actions.  For example in Ephesians Paul talks about "let there not be a hint of sexual immorality among you". Obviously in God's standard this is not just keeping your zippers up! And yet God wouldn't have mentioned this especially in the New testament if we weren't able to do it. We must strive for personal holiness because in Him we are holy and He who is in us is also holy. The bible clearly says "be holy for I am holy). And the best part is we are not striving without Him. "Christ in us"  helps us and gives us a desire to do His will and obey His standards in our lives (read Philippians 2). And when we strive for Christ-likeness we may mess up as humans. That is when we can rest in the fact that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). We fail outside because we haven't renewed our minds to the fact that we are the righteousness of God in Christ and we are no more the old creation but a new creation.


So yes we are perfect in Him and therefore in our works we must strive to be perfect. But we do the striving because of 'Christ in us' and His resurrection power working through us leads us to strive while we rest in Him and stay yielded to His grace and its workings in and through us. We don't strive to be perfect so that once we get to a point God would be so pleased with us but rather we strive for perfection because He is already pleased and not angry with us since Christ paid it all for us.   We don't do the striving for perfection in and of ourselves (which by the way this type of thinking is a disastrous result of the holiness preachings). And when we do stumble (due to lack of renewing the mind) and its during those moments we rest in the fact that God has forgiven all our sins and we boldly approach the throne of God for mercy and grace! We don't need to feel guilty and condemned because the cross was outside time and all our sins (past, present and future) were forgiven. So we run to Him because He doesn't condemn us!

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