Truth sets free!
I feel we should be a little more careful with abusive terminologies within the church - especially when many unsaved people are watching and listening.
The Grace of God is not a new "concept" recently discovered, it infact is God's unmerrited favor towards mankind in the person Jesus Christ. And when people (mostly believers) begin to say that "this grace thing is heresy and causing people to sin", one must be very careful, because what they're really [literally] saying is, "God's mercy, and abundant love and goodness towards man in the person Jesus Christ, is causing people to sin" ... semantics...?
Also, the two false doctrines, namely Legalism and Licensiousness, are commonly seen as two extremes of Grace. This is incorrect!
Legalism is not an "extreme of grace" or "Grace controlled", it's a false doctrine in the light of the New Covenant (you cannot control the Grace of God) - it's not our "object" to control, it's our privilege to receive and advance (not do dish out in controlled doses so that man is not overwhelmed - the church has done this for centuries).
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 - We are entrusted with the message of reconciliation, which is this: God's APPEAL that He does NOT hold our sins against us (regardless of what sin it is, or when it takes place - do they have consequences, sure, but that's not my dealing here...this is not a thesis, it's a brief article).
Licenciousness, too, is not an "extreme of grace". Licenciousness is, in itself, a false doctrine too, that says we have permission to disregard moral restraint (especially sexual immorality), as well as to disregard accepted rules and standards.
This is not what the Holy Spirit will bare witness to within us - so while God Himself will not hold such (or any) sins against us (2 Cor 5 18-20), if the Holy Spirit is leading me into purity by His grace, and someone tells me his "holy spirit" says such conduct is fine, well, his "holy spirit" is not the same as my Holy Spirit...
God's grace is already an extreme all on its own....He gave ALL of Himself, so that, without any effort but to rest in Him, we can access ALL OF HIS ALL...ALL!!!
thats right T. theres no such thing as excessive grace. Grace is Grace. If it "leads someone" into sin, then its not Grace, its Law. Because the Law stirs up sin.
ReplyDeleteQuite simple really.
Lets Keep feeding on the Gospel at all costs.