GRACE - More than just a word . . .

[BlindSeeker]

William,

Do you have an answer to this or are you searching this one out also?

Of course, I have my convictions . . . I am just searching out others/yours . . . or rather, compelling others/you to searth theirs/yours out further biblically . .. .

Peace,

William

[JohnS]

How about this one?

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor - Ptochos

1. reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms

2. destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour

1. lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches

2. helpless, powerless to accomplish an end

3. poor, needy

3. lacking in anything

1. as respects their spirit

1. destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture which the schools afford (men of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ's teaching and proved them selves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure)

Merry Christmas, William

[Guest Eyes on Jesus]

Sorry this post is so long, but if it wasn't a good one I wouldn't be posting it, found this somewhere awhile back. Enjoy and May the Holy Spirit teach you as you read it!!

IS GOD'S GRACE UNMERITED FAVOR?

Do you understand the true Grace of Jesus Christ, and is it God's unmerited favor? Do you have God's Grace, and are you growing in His Grace? If you don't understand what is Grace, how do know if you have it? If someone asked you to explain about the Grace of Christ could you give them a good answer? Would you answer with the widely taught and accepted meaning of grace that is given, that it is God's unmerited or undeserved favor? Christ's desire for all of His brethren is to grow in His Grace. How does one grow in God's undeserved favor? How could a believer ever come to do anything pleasing to our Father knowing we will always be in His undeserved favor? Are you living your life based on its true meaning and its many spiritual benefits through faith, or by what today's Christianity teaches and believes grace to be as God's unmerited favor?

Why is it that the word GRACE is hardly mentioned in today's church fellowship and communication or in its teaching, even though the apostle Paul used the word 100 times and more in his letters alone to the Churches of God? Is it because people professing to be of Christ have accepted today's false, Christian teaching of the meaning of Grace, and are not growing in it due to the fact that they do not know what is God's Grace? Paul in Col. 4:6 says, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer every man."

There are two main reasons why the true meaning of the Grace of Christ is not preached and understood, and is not freely spoken in fellowship. First: Church people don't understand God's true grace because they are so rich in "spiritual" knowledge and have no need of truth about the true grace of God, as it pertains to true spiritual conversion and salvation. Church people are content with what they think they have because it has come to them from their God's (self-appointed) "spiritual" leader and not Christ Himself, and therefore do not need or desire to grow in grace to achieve true spiritual maturity, in order to become spiritually born again, and to become perfect in Christ. Christ said "be you perfect", Mat. 5:48, and in Luke 6:40 it says "every one that is perfect shall be as his Master" (Christ), and Paul said in II Tim. 3:16-17 that "all scriptural doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction is given so the man of God may be perfect." To become perfect is an attainable, possible goal that Christ commands us to become, and knowing what is God's Grace and growing in His Grace, helps one attain that perfection.

Secondly: Church people of the Churches of God have accepted the false, Christian world's meaning and teaching of an undeserved, unmerited grace, and by them accepting this to be God's Grace, a stop growth has been placed on the grace and spiritual growth in their life, and they have become bankrupt spiritually. Many church people do not know they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked--spiritually bankrupt. They are not aware they are not growing spiritually, and are not growing in grace, and are contented to stay that way. They are too wrapped up in the flesh and all the goings on of the flesh to be made aware of the need to take time to think soberly about whether they are maturing in the spirit, or are they aborting spiritually as it pertains to God's grace.

To many of them any understanding and teaching of the truth about grace and growing in God's grace and His Spirit, as it pertains to conversion and perfection, is looked upon as another way of salvation, and even deception to them because they already confess to know all about salvation and grace. However, if believers are not growing in His grace and the oil of His Spirit, Christ calls these people foolish virgins or luke warm Christians and says, He is not living in them nor does He really know them, and will reject them. Rev. 3:17-21, Mat. 25:11-12. To be rejected by Jesus Christ is a very, very, serious judgment by Him and coming very soon.

The meaning of grace that is taught by today's false Christianity and the Churches of God is this: Grace is the unmerited, or un-deserved favor of God. Is this the truth and is this the meaning of God's Grace from God's Word? This meaning of grace is accepted by today's Christianity, and even the churches of God around the world. Webster's Dictionary, college edition, also gives this as the meaning of grace, as God's unmerited love and favor. Webster's Dictionary does not give the inspired meaning of Words from God, but from man, and his traditions of professed, false, Christianity. Christ warns all believers to beware of the traditions of men and their commandments, Mat. 15:9. Teaching Grace to be God's undeserved favor is a tradition of error and heresy of Christianity, and the Churches of God.

Based on this meaning of grace, no one could ever be deserving of receiving God's favor. First, every sinner must come to understand there is nothing of his past, sinning, life that is deserving of God's Grace. God will never give His Grace, based on our past life, but only on one's repentance of his past life, of living contrary to God's commandments and living by the flesh. So, in accepting this teaching and meaning of grace to mean the unmerited or undeserved favor of God, would mean that no one in his life, even if he deeply repented and changed his walk, to walk uprightly, could ever be deserving of receiving God's Grace. Why, because many do not know what constitutes God's Grace. Does God say what He requires in His Word for a person to receive his Grace, Ps. 84:11, Pro 3:33-34, James 4:6, along with the understanding of many other Scriptures such as Acts 2:38-39, 3:19-20? Christianity's accepted, false, teaching about God's Grace enters into deception about God's mercy, salvation and the Gospel of Christ. God's elect need to be aware and be-forewarned of this watered down, grace of professed Christianity.

God's Grace to His elect means to them His pleasing approval-His merited favor, God's acceptance with His mercy--His pleasing favor and love, with all of its represented blessings and benefits of forgiveness, justification, gifts of His Spirit and salvation, if they as sinners have repented of their sins, and in faith, believe and accept Christ's sacrifice and promise of salvation. The Father's and Christ's will is to "make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever," Heb. 13:21. God says when "children obey their parents in all things, this is well pleasing unto God", Col 3:20. Would it not be equally true when a believer repents and obeys His spiritual Father that this would merit His Favor, be well pleasing to Him? Study I John 3:22 for additional proof. God says even the angels rejoice when one sinner comes to repentance, Luke 15:10. It is pleasing to God and reaps His merited favor when one repents and desires to obey His Gospel.

For a believer to accept Grace to mean God's unmerited favor, would result in a false conversion by the fact there would be nothing a man could ever do in his present life before God to be pleasing to God, to be deserving of receiving His mercy and promises of the gifts of His grace, His Holy Spirit and salvation. This would mean that one's repentance and faith in Christ would have no value or no worth, and no meaning, as they pertain to salvation and God's mercy in being saved from one's sins, which all constitutes God's Grace. Is this the true grace of God? This is what false Christianity and the Churches of God have accepted in their teaching, and is a case of the blind leading the blind. Is this one of the basic truths of God's Word that has been restored or needs to be restored?

Many will reply with the statement, "But doesn't the Word of God say that Grace is a free gift of God and if it is free, is there anything that we would have to do to deserve to receive it or pay for it?" And by this understanding, many non-thinking people make God's Grace to mean His unmerited and undeserved favor. This is a case of not applying all Scripture that lead to this statement. The Scripture they mostly refer to is in Eph. 2:8-9 which says, "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." These verses and this letter was written to the saints at Ephesus, who had already done what Christ requires of them to become saints, in order to receive His Grace and salvation.

Do saints have to do anything to become saints? Read our article "FROM SINNER TO SAINT?" Yes, they have to repent of their sins, and in faith believe that Jesus Christ will forgive them, and after this has taken place and they are baptized, Christ promises to give them His Holy Spirit and Salvation as gifts. It is these gifts of His Spirit and salvation that saves a saint, not one's repentance and faith. However, God requires a sinner's humble repentance, and trusting faith in order for him to be accepted and approved by God, before God gives these gifts to a repentant sinner. A sinner realizes that there is nothing of his past life worthy of God's favor and mercy, and he repents of that fleshly, wretched, miserable, sinful life, confesses his sins, and asks for God's forgiveness. Based on this repentance, contriteness of mind and heart, and change of his life's direction, God grants him His loving favor and mercy, along with his gifts of His Spirit and salvation.

This is what Paul was referring to in these verses in reminding these saints of Ephesus of these facts of truth, and that nothing else had to be added to their receiving salvation. God's mercy, forgiveness and justification, the foundational side of His grace, had already taken place in the lives of these saints at Ephesus. Paul addresses them as saints, Eph. 1:1. This foundational part of God's grace requires this of every sinner. God requires repentance with the fruit of obedience and faith in Christ by accepting Him as one's Savior, which is accepting His sacrifice to justify one's sins. By this, one is pleasingly, lovingly and deservingly accepted by Christ to receive more of God's Grace. The part of God's Grace that saves us is the gift of His Spirit, and the gift of salvation, not one's repentance and faith, which is the requirement for being accepted for God's Grace, Rom. 2:13. If one is saved by repentance and faith, what is the need of God's gifts of His Spirit and salvation? God's Grace is manifold, having many benefits and blessings, I Pet.4:10, and every believer must understand His awesome Grace is such a great blessing, and a miracle that our Loving Father gives to His chosen ones and it pleases Him to do so.

The foundation for receiving God's deserved favor, His grace, begins with a sinner's repentance of breaking God's law, then having faith in Christ, that he will be forgiven and set free from the law's curses and its penalty, and then he will be given salvation. Based on this action and change of heart and faith in Jesus Christ as savior, everyone is deserving, by the promises of God, of receiving His Grace.

These are the benefits when one receives of God's Grace, and what God's grace represents:

God's Grace is His mercy in forgiveness and justification of sins (Heb.4:16, Titus 3:7, Rom. 3:24).

God's Grace is God's gift of salvation (Acts 15:11, Titus 2:11, Eph.2:8).

God's Grace is His gift of His Spirit, that provides: help, comfort, hope, joy, peace and His inspiration, that inspires one to work out his own salvation, by making that gift of salvation sure and secure, rather than trust in some man to work it out for him (Acts 2:38, Acts 4:33, II Thes.2:16, I John 4:13).

God's Grace is His working power of His spirit, that will enable one to obey God's law-His Ten Commandments, to help one to grow in His LOVE and all the fruit of the spirit that His commandments represents (Eph. 3:7, I John 5:2-5, Gal.5:22-23).

God's Grace is Christ living in us, through His working power to bring about perfection in us, by helping every saint to overcome their sins and establish greater faith, by believing God's promises, to help all of His saints overcome all temptations of sin and endure to the end (Acts 4:19-20, Acts 20:24).

God's Grace is Christ in us, helping us to develop and mature in His spirit-to be born again of the Spirit now, not at the resurrection, I John 4:13, I John 4:7, I John 5:1.

God's Grace is the fruit of Christ's Gospel working in a believer's life --the drawing of God's chosen sons to repent, to believe, to accept and obey Christ's Gospel (Acts 20:24).

God's Grace is God's manifold giving and bestowing His many gifts and blessings, I Pet. 4:10, and given to any humble and repentant man, who trembles at God's Word. This is the man to whom God looks, Isa. 66:2, and who can by this GRACE become a member of His glorious Kingdom.

This is the true, deserving, grace of God that is promised to any sinner who repents of his sins, and in faith, believes and accepts Christ and all of Christ's promises. This is God's Grace, and it is not given to just any believer that is not deserving of receiving it.

What are the dangers and pitfalls that "professed Christianity's" fruit and works have produced by believing in an unmerited, or undeserved Grace or favor of God? This false teaching of an unmerited and un-deserved grace of Christ, teaches a sinner can be accepted by God, and can still continue in his sins, Jude 3,4. After all, if God's grace is undeserved, there is nothing one would have to do to deserve, to receive God's favor. This false, undeserved, grace, creates a Christianity of deception about repenting and overcoming sin, because one accepts the fallacy that he receives God's grace, based on nothing he has to do or change in his life, and that overcoming his sins and the temptations to sin, is not required by God. All of this has created the false Christianity of today, a great salvational danger and pitfall for all of the professed to be members of the Churches of God, who have been seduced to follow this false teaching.

Gal. 2:17.---"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

This grace that is taught and accepted, to mean the undeserved or unmerited favor of God, is a traditional, heretical teaching and in reality, teaches God to be a respecter of persons in His choosing of His sons. If God chooses His sons that is not based on anything a carnal sinner must do in order to receive His favor, approval, acceptance and mercy, why would there be a need for a Gospel message? Why would there be a need for Jesus Christ and His coming to the earth, to suffer an agonizing death for man's sins, in order that Christ could be accepted as man's Lord and Savior?

Anyone who desires God's truth and can still think for himself, will understand that this false teaching about Grace is in error, a heresy and a traditional, teaching inspired by Satan and his churches. God demands of all that He calls and chooses, through the teaching of His Word, and the preaching of His Gospel, that in order to be accepted by Him and Jesus Christ and to receive their Grace, which is their pleasing favor with all of its benefits, that all must repent of their sins, the breaking of God's Ten Commandments, and in faith, accept Jesus Christ as their Sacrifice and Savior. These are the changes and decisions of life that a sinner must do and make to receive God's Grace. This is what God demands all fleshly, carnal, sinners must do to be deserving of receiving God's Grace.

The saints of old, such as Noah, Abraham, Lot and others as God's Word says,"found God's Grace." What does that mean? This means, that they as carnal-fleshly men, found what they must do to be deserving of receiving God's Grace and to receive God's Spirit. These men and women came to understand true repentance, obedience and came to have a believing and saving faith, to be accepted by God in order to find and receive His grace. They acted, believed and accepted the Gospel, the good news message of Christ, the God of the Old Testament, that they could inherit and be accepted into God's Kingdom. There are not two Gospels and two Graces of Jesus Christ. As it says in Hebrews 11:13, all these saints of old died in faith, assured they will be in God's Kingdom. Peter spoke of the prophets of old, that they prophesied of the Grace that would come unto us, as it was revealed unto them, I Peter 1:10-14.

God says in Ps. 84:11, "Grace is a good thing of God and will not be withheld from he that walks (lives) uprightly." Upright means, walking in obedience to God-His commandments, living without sin, a life unblemished, perfect by the power of His grace. God promises His grace to those deserving to receive it, to those that are willing to and are abasing themselves, and have submitted their heart to have God's law written in it. These are people that know and are growing in God's Grace.

Paul, speaking of his life in Acts 20:24, that it was "To testify the Gospel of the Grace of God." Paul spoke of the Grace of God as good news, as the blessing and fruit of Christ's Gospel. Grace was the good news about Christ's mercy, and His granting of salvation, through the working power of the gift of His Holy Spirit. Paul would not have received God's Grace if he had not deserved to receive it, by his total change of heart in repentance and in humbleness to God, and the accepting of Christ as Savior.

What kind of heart does God demand of a sinner to receive His Grace-His merited and deserving favor? It is not a heart that is unwilling to change his life, who will not repent and humble himself before God, and by such deception believes that God will still accept him in his sins. This deceived individual thinks he is special, above God's law, and that God called him without any special reason except to preach a gospel, his own gospel, and believes God's Grace is His unmerited favor upon him and will save him. The heart of this man is in total deception. Christ's inspired Word says in Hebrews 13:9, "Be not carried about with different and strange doctrines, ( such as a false teaching about grace). It is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace (God's Grace) not with meats (poisoned spiritual food) which have not profited them that have been occupied there in."

The heart of any pastor or member of God's church is to be established by the truth of God's Word. The feeding of God's sheep is not to be done with teaching that is not founded and based on His word, as in following a false grace as the unmerited favor of God. God demands a heart that is humble, because He says in James 4:6, "God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." Every sinner coming to Christ, must humble himself, as a small child, Mat. 18:3-4, to receive God's Grace and His kingdom, and he must remain humble to grow in God's Grace, or God is going to resist you and eventually reject you. God will resist the proud.

God will resist any one proudly wrapped up in himself, and all that he has done, as he thinks he is everybody's spiritual leader, instead of Jesus Christ. Any member, professed believer or minster, who thinks he is special, the spiritual leader over the rest of God's anointed, and so dominates them to make them "his church," is a proud man and God will resist. Church people are God's sheep, who God has chosen to be His people through His GRACE, His SPIRIT, His POWER and His SACRIFICE. Any proud person, or minister, who loves to have the pre-eminence among God's people is usurping Christ's authority and leadership over His people. God will resist and humble this person, that he might know and learn about God's true Grace through His great trial coming upon all the earth.

[tsth]

Yes EOJ,

That is an exceptionally good article. I copied it too, when it was posted on WB's a long time ago. I'm assuming you posted it the first time too? Anyway, I also believe it is noteworthy!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest shiloh357]

Grace is not merely unmerited favor. Grace is favor given to someone who merits absolute disfavor. Is not giving what you do not deserve. In this context it amounts to God withholding from you, the punishment you do deserve!

[BlindSeeker]

I am always amazed how so few have anything at all to say in regards to God's grace in which they boast so much confidence.

Every time this thread is reposted it is always short lived . . . wonder why? I would think there should be many with rivers of flowing living water to speak here . . .

[Fewarechosen7F]

I am always amazed how so few have anything at all to say in regards to God's grace in which they boast so much confidence.

Every time this thread is reposted it is always short lived . . . wonder why? I would think there should be many with rivers of flowing living water to speak here . . .

God's grace is the amount of influence God has over me.

It's God's advice to man, and can not be fully understood by the man until the man begins to take the advice that God graced him with.

[BlindSeeker]

I would agree . . . but there is much more to the subject to be reasoned.

Peace,

William

[tsth]

Anne,

I read your response this morning before going to church this morning. We then studied the beginning chapters of Proverbs.......I was reminded of your post.

Proverbs 1:7 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Job 33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

33:27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak. 32 If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee. 33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[BlindSeeker]

Anne,

I read your response this morning before going to church this morning.  We then studied the beginning chapters of Proverbs.......I was reminded of your post.

Proverbs 1:7 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Job 33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

33:27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak. 32 If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee. 33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Amen Sweet Sister Suzanne,

Grace is the divine influence of God convicting the heart of man that he (man) may become aware and thus acknowledge his sins and errors. Only then will he truly petition God for forgiveness and mercy so that that "divine influence" may then indwell man so as to enable him to do and walk in a continuing revealed will of God.

Grace is as a helping sister to wisdom, both spring forth from a true fear of God. Man only fails to fear God because he fails to perceive the holiness of God which demands righteous judgement. Grace will not help when men have no such fear . . .

William