Max Lucado - Grace is just Christ in us!

[Vine Abider]

Channel surfing last night I found perhaps the best thing I'd ever heard on the TV. Max Lucado was giving a talk to a small group of people, and what he said was so fresh and profound. I will do my best to recount and paraphrase what he said:

In Christendom we have generally missed the mark.  We've known that God is for us; that He will help us; He will fight battles for us; and will do all kinds of things in looking out for us  and on our behalf.  But we've missed this main thing:  Christ lives in us!!  All the grace of God is really just this - CHRIST IN US!  He lives right inside of us, and this is the main message of the bible, that He comes to be right inside us.  This is His incredible love for us, that He would live in us to supply our need and transform us!

We've long tried to live up to various Christian ideals, but haven't realized that grace is simply Christ living in us.  So when I need to love someone and fall short, Christ is love in me!  If I'm angry, Christ in me is my patience for that person.  If I'm suffering, Christ right inside me is my Comforter!   Christ in us is everything we need!

This is real grace - Christ in us - and we've been missing this main point of scripture for far too long!

WOW & AMEN!  OH WHAT A SALVATION THIS - THAT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!!! 

I haven't read his recent book on this topic called, Grace," but will be soon!   Has anybody else read this book or heard any of these messages?

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

Channel surfing last night I found perhaps the best thing I'd ever heard on the TV. Max Lucado was giving a talk to a small group of people, and what he said was so fresh and profound. I will do my best to recount and paraphrase what he said:

In Christendom we have generally missed the mark.  We've known that God is for us; that He will help us; He will fight battles for us; and will do all kinds of things in looking out for us  and on our behalf.  But we've missed this main thing:  Christ lives in us!!  All the grace of God is really just this - CHRIST IN US!  He lives right inside of us, and this is the main message of the bible, that He comes to be right inside us.  This is His incredible love for us, that He would live in us to supply our need and transform us!

We've long tried to live up to various Christian ideals, but haven't realized that grace is simply Christ living in us.  So when I need to love someone and fall short, Christ is love in me!  If I'm angry, Christ in me is my patience for that person.  If I'm suffering, Christ right inside me is my Comforter!   Christ in us is everything we need!

This is real grace - Christ in us - and we've been missing this main point of scripture for far too long!

WOW & AMEN!  OH WHAT A SALVATION THIS - THAT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!!! 

I haven't read his recent book on this topic called, Grace," but will be soon!   Has anybody else read this book or heard any of these messages?

I have seen some things from Max Lucado that I have liked.

[Vine Abider]

33 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

I have seen some things from Max Lucado that I have liked.

Some are saying this may be his best book . . .

Here are some excerpts from pages 7-9:

We talk as though we understand the term (grace). The bank gives us a grace period.  The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note.  We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful.  We use the word for hospitals, kings, and premeal prayers.  We talk as though we know what grace means.  Especially at church.

But do we really understand it?

Here’s my hunch: we’ve settled for a wimpy grace.

When grace happens, we receive not a nice compliment from God but a new heart.  Give your heart to Christ, and He returns the favor.  “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:26).

You might call it a spiritual heart transplant.

As Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).  The apostle sensed within himself not just the philosophy, ideas, or influence of Christ but the person of Jesus.  Christ moved in.  He still does.  When grace happens, Christ enters.  “Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

For many years I missed this truth.  I believed all the other prepositions:  Christ for me, with me, ahead of me.  And I knew I was working beside Christ, under Christ, with Christ.  But I never imagined that Christ was IN me.

I can’t blame my deficiency on scripture.  Paul refers to this union 216 times.  John mentions it 26.  They describe a Christ who not only woos us to himself but “ones” us to Himself.  “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and He in God”  (1 John 4:15).

[Your closest friendnt]

I am not sure that I can agree with that by studying the scriptures all around and not on something that can be taken out of context.  

This is not what Jesus and his disciples said. Definitely not this way. Not as you have put it forwards. In some way but not in this way. 

[Marathoner]

The grace of God is defined as follows:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14 NASB)

The grace of God, then, is His promise to instruct and teach us. It's not impossible to walk in what the Lord bids us to do. 

[Your closest friendnt]

I didn't say that it's not possible but not the way you describe it.

Jesus will never do that in the way you are describe it because he has given us the Holy Spirit which who have failed to mention. 

It's not what the New Testament is teaching and not what Paul is teaching. 

When we believe we received from the Spirit of Jesus Christ and we are in him by faith alone. 

And they asked the believers; have you received the Holy Spirit after you believed?

And they said, no we do not know what it is. 

And they prayed together with them and they layed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 

In Peter's mission to Cornelius family Peter said that the Lord pour the Holy Spirit upon them in the same way as he did to us as this happened after the day of Pentecost. 

Edited October 23, 2024 by Your closest friendnt

[AdHoc]

3 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Some are saying this may be his best book . . .

Here are some excerpts from pages 7-9:

We talk as though we understand the term (grace). The bank gives us a grace period.  The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note.  We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful.  We use the word for hospitals, kings, and premeal prayers.  We talk as though we know what grace means.  Especially at church.

But do we really understand it?

Here’s my hunch: we’ve settled for a wimpy grace.

When grace happens, we receive not a nice compliment from God but a new heart.  Give your heart to Christ, and He returns the favor.  “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:26).

You might call it a spiritual heart transplant.

As Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).  The apostle sensed within himself not just the philosophy, ideas, or influence of Christ but the person of Jesus.  Christ moved in.  He still does.  When grace happens, Christ enters.  “Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

For many years I missed this truth.  I believed all the other prepositions:  Christ for me, with me, ahead of me.  And I knew I was working beside Christ, under Christ, with Christ.  But I never imagined that Christ was IN me.

I can’t blame my deficiency on scripture.  Paul refers to this union 216 times.  John mentions it 26.  They describe a Christ who not only woos us to himself but “ones” us to Himself.  “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and He in God”  (1 John 4:15).

I agree with his main thrust. Not only do we realize our position as "earthen vessel with treasure IN it" but God gets to achieve His plan. It is clear from any plane of interpretation that if Adam had eaten of the Tree of Life, Christ would have been IN us.

But I propose a small but crucial correction to an important subject. Ezekiel 36 does not address Christians. There is an essential difference between what happens to a Christian at rebirth, and what happens to a Jew at the inauguration of the New Covenant.

The superiority of rebirth is evident in that the Triune God comes to dwell in the human spirit by faith (Jn.3:6, 4:24, 7:39, 14:16-20).

The Jew is privileged mightily, but is not made partaker of the divine life. He receives a New Covenant of Law (Jer.31:31-33). The Covenant is called by Hebrews 8:6, "a better covenant" for specific reasons.
1. The Covenant is subject to the Laws being written IN him. No longer are they written on tables of stone. The Jew will intrinsically keep the Law and avoid being ejected from his Land again (Jer.33)
2. The Mediator is superior - Jesus as opposed to angels (Act.7:53)
3. The ratification is in Jesus' blood
4. The Jew receives a new spirit and a new heart

The Christian goes another way. He experiences a second and additional birth in his human spirit which imparts the Person of God and His divine nature (2nd Pet.1:4). The soul undergoes a transformation by the Holy Spirit (2nd Cor.3:18) and he is raised from the dead with "celestial glory". The Christian is made heir to the Covenant of Promise with Abraham (Rom.4:13, Gal.3:29), but is never subject to the Law.

[Marilyn C]

6 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Channel surfing last night I found perhaps the best thing I'd ever heard on the TV. Max Lucado was giving a talk to a small group of people, and what he said was so fresh and profound. I will do my best to recount and paraphrase what he said:

In Christendom we have generally missed the mark.  We've known that God is for us; that He will help us; He will fight battles for us; and will do all kinds of things in looking out for us  and on our behalf.  But we've missed this main thing:  Christ lives in us!!  All the grace of God is really just this - CHRIST IN US!  He lives right inside of us, and this is the main message of the bible, that He comes to be right inside us.  This is His incredible love for us, that He would live in us to supply our need and transform us!

We've long tried to live up to various Christian ideals, but haven't realized that grace is simply Christ living in us.  So when I need to love someone and fall short, Christ is love in me!  If I'm angry, Christ in me is my patience for that person.  If I'm suffering, Christ right inside me is my Comforter!   Christ in us is everything we need!

This is real grace - Christ in us - and we've been missing this main point of scripture for far too long!

WOW & AMEN!  OH WHAT A SALVATION THIS - THAT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!!! 

I haven't read his recent book on this topic called, Grace," but will be soon!   Has anybody else read this book or heard any of these messages?

Good discussion VA,

Now I`m just clarifying a bit. I know that the ascended Lord in His glorified body is at the right hand of the Father. (Heb. 1:3) I also know that we are receiving the divine nature. (2 Peter 1: 4)

Thus, when I hear it said that `Jesus lives in me` I understand that to be His Holy Spirit imparting Christ`s divine nature into my spirit. As I die to my carnal desires then the life of Christ Jesus comes forth to touch others. Like the alabaster box that needs to be broken for the precious ointment and perfume to pour out, so our outward husk of selfish desires needs to die to let the precious life/nature of Christ come forth.

A daily process, I think.

[AdHoc]

40 minutes ago, Your closest friendnt said:

I didn't say that it's not possible but not the way you describe it.

Jesus will never do that in the way you are describe it because he has given us the Holy Spirit which who have failed to mention. 

It's not what the New Testament is teaching and not what Paul is teaching. 

When we believe we received from the Spirit of Jesus Christ and we are in him by faith alone. 

And they asked the believers; have you received the Holy Spirit after you believed?

And they said, no we do not know what it is. 

And they prayed together with them and they layed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 

In Peter's mission to Cornelius family Peter said that the Lord pour the Holy Spirit upon them in the same way as he did to us as this happened after the day of Pentecost. 

There are two givings of the Holy Spirit. The first is based on faith and was realized on resurrection day (Jn.20:22). This was the indwelling Spirit for LIFE spoken of in John 7:39. The second is based on water Baptism (Act.2:38) and is for POWER to minister (Lk.24:49, Act.1:8). It was given on Pentecost to fulfill Joel. The One for LIFE is INSIDE a man (pleroo - Gk.) and the Spirit for POWER is UPON the christian like a policeman's uniform. the Greek for this is "pletho" and mean "furnished" or equipped".

There are four areas that will enjoy the ministry of the gospel - Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. But false teachers would abound and so the Lord wanted to establish a precedent. He would connect the giving of the Holy Spirit FOR POWER with Jerusalem and the Apostles. Pentecost was attached to the Apostles, but not Samaria. So before the Holy Spirit was given for POWER, even though they had been Baptized in Jesus' Name, the Lord wanted the Apostles identified with its giving. Then a second problem arose. At Cornelius' House the sequence was reversed because Peter was resisting relations with the Gentiles. The dispute was hot and heavy in Chapter 10, but the giving of the Holy Spirit sealed God's purpose. But a precedent had been set that contradicted Acts 2:38 - that is, Baptism FIRST and then receiving the Holy Spirit.

So God allows Apollos to bring the wrong Baptism. The result ... no Holy Spirit. Then Paul arrives and corrects this by Baptism in the name of Jesus. The number 12 is given to show the total number of God's people. That is, the events at Cornelius were, and remain, an exception for ever. The rule was re-established. Baptism in the name of Jesus FIRST and then the "furnishing" of the Holy Spirit would come - and all this by an Apostle.

In this way the giving of the Holy Spirit for POWER was forever attached to Jerusalem and the Apostles and the events at Jerusalem forever. No Tibetian Guru, or South American voodoo priest could ever claim that he had started things. Not even Rome can claim that.

[AdHoc]

18 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Good discussion VA,

Now I`m just clarifying a bit. I know that the ascended Lord in His glorified body is at the right hand of the Father. (Heb. 1:3) I also know that we are receiving the divine nature. (2 Peter 1: 4)

Thus, when I hear it said that `Jesus lives in me` I understand that to be His Holy Spirit imparting Christ`s divine nature into my spirit. As I die to my carnal desires then the life of Christ Jesus comes forth to touch others. Like the alabaster box that needs to be broken for the precious ointment and perfume to pour out, so our outward husk of selfish desires needs to die to let the precious life/nature of Christ come forth.

A daily process, I think.

Yes. John 7:39.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)