Grace & Works
What Is Their Proper Relationship?
By Arthur J. Licursi
(Two related articles appearing as “Other Writers” on the website: www.angelfire.com/al4/artlicursi “The Glory of Grace” and “A Few Words About Grace” by William R Newell)
As a Christian, what is the basis of our having a right standing and proper ongoing relationship with God our Father?
Most genuine God-birthed Christians agree that our salvation is by grace alone, but beyond initial salvation, many seem to say, or at least imply, “Now you need to produce good works to be a real Christian”. This is a huge error that serves to emasculate the power of Christ as the life of the believer. It shifts the believer from grace to a futile, works-based, relationship, wherein there is no rest for his soul. They fail to realize that a sinner saved by grace is just that. The convert has yet to have gained a “renewed” mindset (Philip2:5), and soul, as Paul would tell us goes on “day by day” (2Cor 4:16). It is God the Father’s work by the Spirit to push, prod and pull the child of God onward by the circumstances that He permits to touch our lives. For certain, all things are of God and working for the eternal good of the believer.
There has long been a struggle between the proponents of pure, or 100%, grace and those who mingle at least “some degree of works” with grace, in order for one to maintain God’s favor. This conflict has existed from the time the grace of God appeared unto all men in the person of Christ, unto this day. It was works based law-religion that crucified Christ. That struggle still exists within many Christian churches organizations, groups, and sects that preach new birth experience of regeneration.
Herein is the primary point of conflict:
100% grace by faith, without works, vs. grace by faith that is proven by doing works.
Below we see the contrasts of these views by just a few key verses.
PAUL WRITES the following concerning grace, apart from works for righteousness
“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works” Romans 4:6
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Romans 11:6
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephes. 2:8-9
“for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14b
JAMES WRITES:
“faith without works is dead” James 2:20, 26
Jesus - The Door In & Out
Grace, through a Jew’s faith, expressed in the offerings and ordinances ordained by God through Moses, existed even under the law. A Jew had to believe and trust that obeying God would cleanse him of his sin. These offerings were God’s means to extend grace in that day, but it was not “pure grace”, it was grace apart from law and works, as we have today in the “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2).
In John 10:1 and 10:9 Jesus said that He, as God, was the “door into” the “fold” of the God-ordained religion of Israel under law. Israel’s relationship functioned by the works of law mixed with believing, for righteousness. Jesus also said that He is the Great Shepherd that is also the “door out” (v.9) of that legal relationship into the relationship of pure grace, by faith alone, for righteousness and our eternal right standing called the flock life. The 2nd word “fold” in 10:16 is a different word incorrectly transliterated as fold; in Greek it is “poimne”, meaning, “flock”. Jesus came to lead the Jews out, and even we also who may be religion’s law keepers. Jesus leads us from the “fold” to the “flock life”, a relationship of dependency and intimacy with Him, as we hear and obey His still, small, inner voice. (See “The Fold or The Flock” by the writer at www.angelfire.com/al4/artlicursi)
God Has Always Been Gracious
The truth is that God has always saved by grace, but grace was not always 100% pure grace, as it is in the “dispensation of the grace of God” that was revealed to the Apostle Paul for us today (Eph 3:2). We know that it was by faith that Abraham was counted righteous. Thus we see grace at work through faith with Abraham. It was later that law and works were added to the children of Israel. Still grace was available, but it was mixed with works of faith. Jesus came to be the door out of that relationship of grace though works of faith for righteousness. Jesus brings every regenerated child of God the Father to a pure grace relationship, as revealed first to the Apostle Paul.
It is interesting to note that the word grace appears in the (4) Gospels and Acts only 27 times, but 107 times in Paul’s writings. Paul is our Apostle of the grace of God (to the Gentiles) in this “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2, Rom 16:25, See all Eph 3) From this frequency of mentioning “grace” we can see the degree of grace in these two differing times.
A New Way of Living - By 100% Grace
Within the folds of religion, law and tradition are what bind us. But outside the fold, we have no bounds but the leading of our Great Shepherd Himself, the living indwelling Word of God. This Shepherd now indwells the spirit of every believing, regenerated, child of God. Our motive to follow and walk with Him now is that of a heart of love that automatically responds to the love and grace of God that literally came to us by the indwelling Jesus Christ.
From the Fold to the Flock
It is interesting to note that the John 10 account of the sheep and the Shepherd follows the John 9 account of the man born blind, then being healed by Christ, only to be “cast out” (Jn 9:34) of the fold of religion by legalistic religion’s (Judaism in this case) hierarchical authorities, for the sin of seeing Truth (Jesus). John 10’s words then follow, concerning the sheepfold. Some Jewish sheep will “hear” the Shepherds voice to follow Him OUT of the sheepfold, to become a “flock” with Gentiles who had not been in the fold of Judaism, both now to be under the One Shepherd. This is what we see in the Pauline truth of Ephesians, whereby the middle wall of partition is broken down that these two, Jew and Gentile, are now one (Eph 2:13-16), being in the true Church, which is His body (Eph 1:21-22). In this relationship, Paul tells us, there is no more Jew, Gentile, bond, or free, all are one in Christ, the sheep of His flock.
Life & Grace In Christ Is Vs. Religion’s Requirement Of Works
Christ and life in Christ is diametrically opposed to the practice and operation we see in religion through the ages up to this very day. The “genuine Christian experience”, found only in an intimate union with Christ who indwells the believer’s spirit, and that of “religion”, are two incongruous modes of living. The practice of religion is almost entirely an outer work that may be seen and measured, and almost always becomes falsely motivated, mostly to be seen of men. Some religious Christians measure their time in prayer and study, counting it as righteousness. Their faith then is in their efforts. Pride’s concern for outward doing, and outward appearance, that can be measured is the root of the hypocrisy we see in religion. Conversely, they by doing this devalue the sufficiency of Christ and the Fatherhood of God in the life of each believing child of God.
Our efforts that are prompted by self-concern for outward appearances make God’s grace of no effect (Gal 5:4). Similarly, Paul called Peter a hypocrite (Gal 2:11-14) for separating Himself from the Gentile Christians at Antioch, only so as not to be seen as mingling with Gentiles, by the legalistic Christian inspectors sent from James at Jerusalem.
Some Bait With Grace …Then Switch To Works
Secular businesses often use the practice of “bait and switch”. They attract customers, to buy cars, appliances, etc., by advertising one message or product, and then dishonestly switch the customer to another, for the gain of the business. Sadly, we often see from the preaching, teaching, and Christian books to which we’ve been exposed, that they seem to say, “Yes, its wonderful that you’re now a rebirthed Christian, that you’re saved by grace through faith, … but now that you’re saved, if you really want to please the Lord, you should do this and don’t do that”.
Religious teachers usually go to Scripture that is directed to the Jews for another dispensation – The Law; such as found in James 2:20, 26, saying, “faith without works is dead” to bolster and justify their preaching of works. This is not written to the church, which is His body in this day of grace.
If we carefully read James 1:1 we will see to whom his letter is directed.
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” James 1:1
James’ letter concerns works of the law, mixed with faith, in order to make grace work effectually, just as in the dispensation of the law. It however is written to the Jews in the age yet to come, called the Millennium. It operates then still under the basis of the “fold” relationship of “law and works, mixed with believing for righteousness”. This was the means of a Jews salvation and that of a converted Gentile to Judaism. They believed God and did these things, such as making offerings, etc. to receive God’s grace “through works according to law, mixed with believeing”.
James’ letter is written to the Jews. We know by this statement of James 1:1, that it is not written to the Christian in the dispensation of the pure grace of God (Rom 11:6). Paul tells us that Christians, in Christ, are no more Jews or Gentiles (Gal 3:28) – only members of Christ’s body, the church, consisting of all believers. Christ broke down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, there being no more Jew or Gentile, in Christ.
Paul further absolutely contradicts James writing here below. Many preachers try to dance around this contradiction, but the matter is simply cleared up dispensationally. These are not contradictions, but they are related to two differing economies relative to two peoples of God, expressed in two differing dispensations – grace vs. law.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5
“the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works”, Romans 4:6
Religion’s Approach
I use the term “religion” for any organization or group where any degree of law is promoted as the way to go on in the Christian experience, as opposed to pure grace; this is seen when they say, you need to do this or that, pray, have quiet time, go to the meetings, etc. to continue in a righteous standing with God. If your group, church or organization tells you that you must do thus and so to maintain your right standing before God, then it is a religion. They then have added caveats to the grace of God, making it void.
Religious organizations often attempt to instruct us to be a good Christian, or to maintain our Christian standing “by doing works”. This religious approach ignores the fact that we as Christians need only to be one thing, we are already “as He is in the world”. Christ is indwelling the believer, and as we yield to His indwelling, He is expressed as He wills. We must not lose sight of the fact that Christ, the embodiment of the grace of God, is incarnate today, in us, in the members of His body, desiring to live out through us as He is in this very day.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh (body) I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
100% Grace
One must come to see the absolute totality of Christ as the grace of God, by revelation of Paul’s grace gospel in this day of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2) toward mankind. Upon seeing this truth some swing to the other extreme saying things such as “We don’t do, or aren’t to do, any works for God. God has to do it all”. This is a great misunderstanding and this matter is what I want to address here in this paper. Yes, we don’t do anything to be counted righteous, but we will likely do things for God as we simply walk with God, motivated out of a reflexive heart of love.
Grace does away with any sort of works for righteousness, blessings, healings, gifts, or any thing from God. According to Paul there seems only to be one legitimate prayer of petition, that is to seek light and revelation of all that Christ is to us, and others. In Christ, God our Father has become the overseer of our lives and has ordered that, “all things work together for the good” (Rom 8:28-29).
Grace & Works – Their Relationship
There is a proper relationship between grace and works. Consider the following Scripture.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephes. 2:8-10
In Eph 2:8-10 we see the relationship between grace and works. “For by grace are ye saved through faith” … “Not of works” … “unto good works” … “which God hath before ordained” … “we should walk in them”
There it is, we see here a clear statement of fact that we are saved by grace through faith. (See the author’s paper Grace through Faith at
www.livingtemples.net). Faith is what makes grace work. Faith is for the receiving of grace. This is the great key to good or acceptable works before God. There can be no activity until there is receptivity of God’s grace, in the person of the indwelling Christ. We not only need to have received Christ as savior but also as our life, as the indwelling Lord to be Lord over our doing.Grace For Righteousness
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans 10:4
We, as the regenerated children of God, members of the church, which is His body, are those who have no part in works for righteousness for as our standing and relationship with God, either at salvation or thereafter. Our righteous standing before God is 100% a matter of the work of God in Christ, reconciling mankind to Himself.
Christ As the Grace of God
“The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” 2 Tim. 4:22
Paul here tells us that as we received Christ we should also have our walk (our daily living) in Him – we received Him by grace and not by works of righteousness that we have done. Therefore so is our walk. Christ Himself is the embodiment of the grace of God given not only for man, but also given to every believer, to indwell every regenerated person. In this verse we see not a salutation or prayer but also a statement of fact; that Christ Himself is with our spirit and, since Christ is the sum of the grace of God then Christ as grace is dwelling with our spirit (1Cor 6:17).
“works, which God hath before ordained” (Eph 2:10)
Works will likely follow the receipt of grace by the believer in their walk, much as the tail follows the dog. Works are not required to have right standing or to maintain right standing with God our Father. The works do not lead or prove grace, or it would no longer be grace. In Rom. 11:6 Paul tells us “if of works, then it is no longer grace”. Having received Him first, and then His inward leading as “He worketh in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philip 2:13), with a proper motive of heart we may be called upon to “do” something, being led of the Lord; but not before we have received His inward “okay” that we might do this or that. Frankly, more often than not, the indwelling Lord prevents me from doing something that I may want to, even seemingly “good” things. So much of our doing actually is to look good. He knows the purity of our motives.
There is a new kind of sense, a sixth sense, which we have by Him indwelling our human spirit. It is the sense of His life that is indwelling our spirit, in the midst of our being (Dan 7:15). Genuine “good works” are those we simply have a sense to do, with no church program orchestrating it, just a sense perhaps to do something for somebody else, without an expectation to be seen, or that our light is shining, or that we will be rewarded, or that others will know what we have done. Rather, it often will be in the hidden place, without fanfare. Good works are those done out of a pure motive of the heart of love.
Doing Good Things?
We should not think that because we may consider it good, or others may think it good, that we should do this or that. No! He must be our Lord (kurious, controller). “Good” works done apart from His leading or permitting are as filthy rags. Our self-directed efforts to be righteous, or to maintain our righteousness, or to serve Him in our own strength is what we may call “evil good works”. Thus, there are two kinds of evil before God, “gross evil”, and “good evil”.
Bad Teaching & Preaching
Paul says, “How shall they know except it is preached”. However, As Christians, we’ve no doubt have all heard much preaching from the pulpit, but frankly, it is rare to hear the preaching of “Christ as all”, as the Apostle Paul reveals Christ. From the pulpits we’ve likely heard the cute stories, programs, book reviews, doctrines, precepts, Biblical principals, and the supposed “how to” instruction for Christian living. Often we hear how we need to imitate Jesus of Nazareth and all that He did and spoke of.
If Christians were grounded in the most basic of understanding of their relationship with the living and indwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus as their life, then all would be answered “In Him”. He Himself, indwelling the Christian, is the true life and way for Christian living. Seeing Paul’s mystery gospel of “Christ in you” (Col 1:26-28, Rom 16:25) will bring the Christian to see the sufficiency of God’s provision of Christ for the Christian to live the Christian life, as God wills.
The Apostle Paul says we should be preaching “Christ in the believer”.
“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery (Gk. musterion, secret) among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect (complete) in Christ Jesus:” Col. 1:26-28
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: Galatians 2:20a
From these Scriptures we could expect that the Apostle Paul’s automobile bumper sticker would not say “CHRIST IS THE ANSWER”, rather it would likely say, …“CHRIST IN YOU (Col 1:27), AS YOU (Gal 2:20), IS THE ANSWER”.
Christians are not to do the works of Jesus of Nazareth as He “was” in the world; rather, we are to be as Christ is now in us as we live in this world. Paul, in Philip 2:5, that we should let Christ Jesus’ mindset be in us as our mindset. We are only to imitate Jesus of Nazareth’s mindset, follow the example of how He trusted and obeyed the life of the Father within Him, even unto death of the cross. Jesus did no t live by His own self-will except to submit His will to that of the Father, to follow what he heard and saw the Father do. We likewise are to believe in, that is trust in, the life of the Father, which we have by His Seed, Christ (Gal 3:16), who now in our spirit as our Christian life (Gal 2:20). The Christian needs to be aware of and concentrate upon simply “being” who he is in Christ from moment to moment, not being concerned with appearances or “doing”. In the course of “being” we no doubt will be brought to “do” things that the Lord desires for us to do. Thus, the Christian is a fundamentally “be’er” not a “doer”.
Our New Life Is In The Seed
Churches often lose sight of the fact that the Father has birthed these children of His own by His Seed (Gk. sperma, Gal 3:16), thus placing His life that is in Christ, into their human spirit (1Jn 4:13, 1Cor 6:17). God our Father is the most competent and capable Father. He is able to cause us grow up in Christ. Many churches do not acknowledge that Christ’s indwelling life is the all-sufficient key to Christian living for every Christian. Thus, they preach “What You Must Do”. They neglect encouraging of the Christian to come to know and follow the sense of the indwelling life of Christ as their primary guide. Christ’s indwelling guidance and will are made known to the Christian by the indwelling sense of peace and rest or lack thereof. Thus they may “learn Christ” (Eph 4:20).
Since Jesus of Nazareth is now the Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36), and now in the form of the Spirit of Christ (2Cor3:17, 1Cor15:45b); we may have Him in us (1John 4:13), as being one with our human spirit (1Cor 6:17). He is so available, closer than our breath. This is the Christ we may learn. Thus Paul encourages the Ephesians saying, “But ye have not so learned Christ;” Ephes. 4:20 Have you considered this verse? As I consider it I realize that the only Christ I can properly learn and understand is the one who is the Spirit of Life living within my spirit. All else would be learning about Jesus of Nazareth, who was outside of me, long ago.
Usurped By The Religious System
In so many words, Christians are often beckoned by religious teaching to leave their grace-based, God-birthed grace relationship with their new found Father, under which they were saved, to go on to serve the religious churches programs. The false assumption is “If the local church sanctions it – then it must be God’s will for you”. This is utterly wrong. Much of Christendom seems to push the believing child of God to turn away from the moment by moment guidance that they have by the indwelling life of Christ, only to follow religion’s precepts and it’s “works based” system. Thus many are pushed toward “doing” rather than simply “being” that they are, and were created to be, “in Christ”.
Paul said we ought not to be corrupted from the simplicity that is Christ.
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:3
Are We Servants Or Sons?
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; Galatians 4:7a
A Christian’s first relationship with God is as a child of the Father. This verse speaks of the status and relationship the regenerated child of God has with God as Father, not whether that child of God may or will do works or not. The matter of works is a separate issue. Our status is fixed and sure – we are children of God (Rom 8:16), but we are destined to grow up to be sons of God, as we learn to obey Him (Rom 8:14). There can be no child or son unless he is born of a father - we are born of God. Our relationship is not one of a servant but a son, bearing the life of the everlasting Father in us (Isa 9:6).
I once heard a friend share a story to explain the difference between relationships built on doing vs. being, in this way. Referring to the American TV series “Bonanza”, he asked, “Would you rather be living in the Ranch house as one of the hired hands, or would you rather be in the big house, in Ben Cartwright’s family?” Meaning, would you rather be a son or a servant. Ben Cartwright’s sons served him as sons, out of a heart of love. Ours is a family relationship with God our Father, not based upon our performance. We cannot break it. Once a son is born of a father, he cannot become unbirthed. Yes, he may be an unrighteous son; nevertheless, he is a son forever, of that father.
The Father’s unconditional love and grace are the basis of our stand or position that we have, unconditionally, “in Christ”. Some legalistic Christians even say or imply that we have to be good enough to prove and keep our salvation. This is a lie from the pit of hell. We did nothing to receive Christ, that’s grace; and therefore we can do nothing to lose Him. Yes, we may neglect Him and not then enjoy the fruit of our union, and we may suffer consequences of not abiding in His leading or restraint of us, but He will never leave or forsake us. Once, born, we cannot become unborn!
Jesus’ Message Was What? Spoken and Directed To Whom?
Though grace came to us by the offering of Jesus’ life for us, and also grace came into us in the person of Christ to be our indwelling life, a major misunderstanding comes about when Christians assume that we need to do and be as Jesus of Nazareth did and said. No, WWJD is not the way of the Christian life. No imitation of Jesus and His mission are required or expected of us. How can I say this? First, not knowing the context of Scripture, many Christians miss the fact that Jesus of Nazareth came to the Jews preaching the law of the Messianic Kingdom (Luk 5:14, Matt 10:5-6), and they received Him not. Their refusing of Him did not negate His mission of declaring the Jewish Messianic “Kingdom” …was … “at hand” (Matt 4:17). His signs and wonders done on earth evidenced the kingdom being imminently at hand. This proclamation of the Kingdom was carried on after, Pentecost, by Peter and the twelve, then as the bonafide offer of the Kingdom to Israel, but it was finally rejected in Acts 28:28.
Most Christians believe that we ought to try to do everything Jesus of Nazareth said during His three-year ministry on earth. But, we are today of a different dispensation – “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2) that was preached by the Apostle Paul, to the Gentiles, for our time in which we live today (Romans 15:16; Ephes. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:7).
They fail to see that Jesus came raising the bar of righteousness … so high that nobody could do it. Actually, Jesus came and intensified the law. The law then defined sin as simply looking at a woman in a certain way, etc. Thus Paul says the purpose of the coming of law was to make sin exceedingly sinful, to stir up the sinful passions of the flesh (Rom5:20), that in recognizing our failing, we would turn to Him and find grace.
“Moreover the law entered, that (so that) the offence (sin) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” Romans 5:20
In fact, later Paul tells us that the law is what empowers sin in our lives. “…the strength (dunamis, power) of sin is the law. 1 Cor. 15:56b We’ve all seen this law in action as we observe our children when we place law upon them. (Nevertheless, law for our children is needed for a time, it will often keep them out of harms way.) And we, as God’s reborn children, do grow to be His sons if we obey Him, by His inner speaking (Rom 8:14). Obeying Him is to obey the sense of His indwelling life, not what Jesus of Nazareth said or by doing what He did.
Intensified Law
God’s law is of another dispensation called the dispensation of the “Law”, that continued from Mt Sinai to the time of Jesus, saying, “Obey and God will bless you, disobey, and God will curse you”. (Paraphrased from Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15-16). The Sermon on the Mount is an intensification of law that no man can keep, nor should seeking to keep it be our objective. Rather, our objective is to live by Christ’s life in us, we then likely will accomplish that which comes spontaneously out of Christ’s indwelling life and nature.
We must admit that apples suddenly appearing on an orange tree do not make an orange tree into apple tree. No, apples only spontaneously appear on apple trees, and then only in due season, according to the life and nature of the apple tree. If the cloud moves we move, if not we stay put.
Many Bible preachers today are not preaching the gospel of grace, rather they teach law as a condition of blessing. They say things like, “Give your tithes, and God will bless you”. “Be obedient and God will bless you.” This is Wrong! The essence of the law is “Obey and be blessed, disobey and be cursed”. But Paul says, in this dispensation of the grace of God, we have already been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3). There is nothing more to gain; we are complete in Christ (Col 2:10). We only need to have revelation of our inheritance, so Paul thus prays in Eph 1:16-20.
Our fixed and unchanging “standing”, as the rebirthed children of God, is not on the basis of our works, not our obedience, not our tithes ... it is entirely on the basis of His everlasting love and grace, extended to us every moment of every day! Our standing is sure because Christ’s offering of Himself in our stead was accepted on our behalf.
The Law Is NOT Of Faith
Paul says, “The law is not of faith” (Eph 3:12), thus, no grace may be received by works of the law. Grace comes by faith to receive alone, faith to receive, plus NOTHING.
The reason for Jesus preaching and pointing to Moses law was so mankind would try and fail, and then give up trying to use law and works to meet or establish their selves before God. Rather, God our Father would have us to simply receive Christ whom He has provided to be our new and righteous life (John 1:12) within (Col 1:27b), and to permit Him (Rom 6:19b) to live out through us, however He desires to live and be expressed through us.
Works for achieving and maintaining righteousness is a vicious trap. Once we leave pure grace, we can’t really be sure if we’ve done enough good works, or that we’ve pleased God, or if we are going to heaven; because we don’t know whether we have quite done enough, or are quite good enough, or if we’ll continue to keep it up, “enduring to the end”. This is the basis of turmoil and uncertainty. Jesus’ promised peace and rest can come from a works based system of belief, only from pure 100% grace. Paul says a mind set upon the spirit (where Christ dwells) is rest and peace.
Blessed Living In Grace
The dispensation of the grace of God, as taught by Paul, is the open door to the real blessed Christian life. Not only are we “saved” from judgment by grace, but also our “standing” before God, everyday, is forever in His grace! We are delivered from a merit system of works.
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.’ Romans 5:2
The basis of our standing never changes.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:” Col. 2:6
We each began this new life in Christ, seated in heavenly places, thus seated eternally in a resting position – implying “no works”. We also stand and have our walk in this world in Christ by grace through faith, as He leads or restrains us. In all this, there is “now no condemnation” (Rom 8:1a) to those in Christ Jesus. We live in the rarefied atmosphere of pure grace for living
The “law”, that is God’s outer law of commandments, does not belong to the God-birthed child of God.
“…for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Col. 2:14.
Unearned Grace “In Christ”
Just as we each were born physically, having nothing to do with it, and we forever remain our parent’s children; so it is with our relationship to God our Father. We are already blessed Christ, as the incarnate grace of God, who lives within us, forever, irrevocably. He will never leave us, or forsake us.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephes. 1:3.
Service Out Of A Heart Of Love
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“For the love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5:14a
Receiving such love and grace, we cannot help but respond with love, and then service, out of a pure motive of love for Him. We serve not to gain reward, or to be seen as Christians, but because He first loved us. Thus, I must make clear at this point that I do believe that we as His children no doubt have work that we will do that is of the Lord. But, our service must be prompted and/or permitted by the indwelling Lord. He is capable of communicating with us exactly what He would have us to do (See article “Innermost Knowing at
www.angelfire.com/al4/artlicursi).He is the operator within us and we, as His vessels, are His cooperators, just as He might be the hand and we the glove. Gloves never tell hands what to do. Gloves never do something and then ask the hand to bless their works. Many churches today often get it wrong; they promote a program or work to be done and … then they pray that God would bless the work of their hands.
His Inward Prompting Or Restraining
The pure inward desire and interest to serve comes from Christ in our spirit, and we should recognize that it likely is Him. Importantly, there is a test of whether it is of Him or us. It is of Him if we do not we have an inner sense of Him restraining us, saying, “No!” When we sense an inner restraint, then we should cease our works. When there is no inward restraint, then we are to do what we know to do. Oswald Chambers said repeatedly, “Trust God and do the next thing”. To trust God is to yield to Him as the mover, doer. He may also be or restrainer within us, apart from His restraint, we just follow on in what is in front of us, trusting it is Him (Example: See Act 16:7). We are to obey the indwelling Christ as our life. Do NOT assume that if it is a good thing that God must ordain it for you to do that work. That would be the lawless “dead works” of iniquity (Matt 7:23, Heb 6:1).
Our Standing In Him
It is true that our current “state of being” or performance as Christians may be quite poor at any given time, but this is different and apart from our “standing” with God as our Father. We “stand”, as His children, in the 100% grace and love of God our Father. Our “state of living” may, however, be dreadful and full of consequences to our foolish sinful actions. But Paul the Apostle says we’re not under any outer law at all, saying “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (any thing).” 1 Cor. 6:12 Rather, we’re under grace; we’re standing in His grace. See how Paul describes the working of God’s grace. “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” Rom. 11:6 NAS
Our life is now to be regulated by His life within our spirit – by the law of the Spirit of life (law in Greek is “nomos”, meaning “the normal operation”) in Christ Jesus who is now and forever abiding in our sprit.
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ Romans 8:2
We are thus constrained by the bands of His love.
“For the love of Christ constraineth us”; 2 Cor. 5:14a
Everything that we do today for the Lord is to be motivated by love not by fear.
“ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”. Rom. 8:15,
We Live In A Mindset of Gratitude.
“whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Col. 3:17
Of this we may be confident.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philip. 1:6
This is the wonderful dispensation of the gospel of grace in which we were chosen to live.
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Gal. 2:21
We can say this in thanksgiving.
Thank you Lord that you have already blessed me with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3), that you saved me by your grace in which I am now standing (Eph 2:8-9), that you have begun your good work in me and will carry it on to completion (Philip 1:6).
<END> 2/19/04
