There is no grace...but. It's just all grace all the time. That is unless you simply want to go ahead and add a little but. BUT, don't forget if you add a little of anything to grace, mix it, or add to it with rules, laws and performance and behavior modification - it nullifies the grace!! Yes, NULLIFIES!!
I don't know how you feel about that there word nullify, but me - it's pretty darn serious. Nullified grace, I certainly don't want to make grace void in any way. I want all grace all the time, cause I know I can't ever possibly add to or take away from what Grace (the person, Jesus Christ) has accomplished once and for all.
No God's free grace is not just unmerited to bring us salvation and then we are left on our own as saved people to figure out this life we need to now be living. GRACE came as a person, fulfilling all the requirements needed to restore right and perfect relationship with God. This GRACE (JESUS) gave up His life, took our lives (think sinful natures, in Adam) and plunged them into the sea of never to remember again. He died as us, not just for us. And we rose as HIM! With His very life dwelling on the inside of us. Permanently united as one. Forever!
So when you try to tell me that yes there's grace BUT.............. I don't want to hear it. Because how can you possibly take one iota of emphasis off of what Christ has done for me or for you for that matter. He gave you His very life and His very standing before God!! HELLO!!! And how powerful do you think having the very life of Christ in you really is?? Do you think His life in you is not good enough that you need to add that little preposition - but?
You see my identity is found in Christ alone. That is where my hope in this life lies. That He has become my identity. Now I live this life carrying the Son of God and He will have His way in me. Can you imagine Christ dwelling on the inside of someone and not having an impact in their lives? I can't. It's Christ in me that is my hope of glory, He will carry out what He began in me. That means His life will affect my life and because He is living in and through me, I can live in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. It's not me trying to live a certain way, or a godly way. I can't do it. BUT - He can! Only He can. So enough of this Grace but stuff people. It's always going to be Jesus performance and not ours. It's His life that matters working out through ours. It's amazing He actually wants to be knit together with us. It's simply part of His character, to be in union/relationship with us. He knows no other way. He longs to be with us. And so God had a plan for Christ to be within every one who believes the very Good News.
So PLEASE don't tell me again, there's grace yes, BUT! You have no idea how you are nullifying grace when you do that.................Let's not look past grace ever into our what we need to be doing now. Just receive His gift of Life and let Him live it in you. Let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is indeed GRACE personified!!!!
8 comments:
Ahahahhahahha, PREACH IT, BEAUTIFUL LYDS!!!
The Joy of the Lord is MOST DEFINITELY YOUR STRENGTH!
What an incredible post. All TRUTH...ALL THE TIME!
Thanks for stirring up the Christ in me.
I loves you, Lyds Full of Joy.
I came to the conclusion yesterday after another round of arguing and battering that the issue boils down to this. Religious folks effectively think and act as if God imputes righteousness to them because they relate to him in 'sanctification' by a works righteousness that is of the(ir) law. And God imputes sin to those who say that the only ground for relating to God day in day out is an imputed righteousness apart from works. And why? Because they think law is the strength of holiness and it's in the Holy Spirit's hands..It just vamps up the problems we have apart from the finished work of the cross. And what makes it worse than anything is that it does it in the name of Christ and good news..Speaking out loud.
Interesting thoughts Phil! It all boils down to people want to 'do their part' to be like God (think in the garden when Adam and Eve took the fruit)
The thing is we never could do our part - this is a righteouness that comes from self. It's dung!!
And the thing is most Christians don't realize that they never could apart from Christ living in and through them. Most Christians think 'they' still have to work out their good works of effort, but they can't - that is why Christ died taking our sins and sin natures upon himself and when we come to Christ we in essence have appropriated our death with Him. We were baptized into His death and raised up with Him in newness of life. So now He gets to live His life (cause only He can live a life worthy enough) through us - making us earthen vessels, containers, embodying Christ!!! When we see we DIED too - not only to sin, but to the law, our old husband and now belong to Jesus, how can we think we have any part to play. God killed us on that cross - to make room for JESUS!!!!! His life WILL have it's way in us..............That is the wonderful FINISHED work
I guess you got me all fired up to preach - heehee!!
Dearest Jamie ~ I truly love you too!! Ooh let's stir together shall we..............
Thanks Lydia for your words.
A breath of fresh air! I too hate all the 'buts' of those who are too afraid to put every ounce of their faith in Jesus and his work alone. If you're too afraid to throw all your bets in with Jesus, then too bad, but leave me alone haha!
Amen! Grace has always been God's way. Ain't nothing He's ever done that hasn't involved grace!
I so know what you are talking about!!!
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