Yesterday we saw that part of our Peace with God is by our acquiring a legacy through Christ. Last evening I asked the LORD, what is the benefit of becoming a Christian? What does it mean? During the night time hours He spoke to me about all of the titles revealed to the righteous ones, who knew Him as Yehovah (today shown as Jehovah) and a few others that were not found in that title. All of these titles have their origin and completion in Christ. For we should already know that in Christ dwelt the fullness of the GOD Head. Now for more of Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace and the Warnings against attempting to change Grace. With some editing on my part as is my usual practice though not stated. Then on with our look at the Promise of Peace being Bestowed through Christ. With the use of the ESV translation.
"A Warning Against Changing God's Grace"
"I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith . . . For certain men have crept in unnoticed . . . ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness." (Jude 3-4)
"From the early days of the LORD's Church, a constant threat has been posed by those who want to change GOD's Grace into something it is not. The attempted changes always relate to either licentiousness or legalism. Under the Laws of the Religious Priest's those known as Jews which consisted of scribes doctor, lawyers, sects of Pharisee's and Sadducee's and a few Hebrews thrown in for good measure. Made up of the politically elite who promoted themselves as correct and progressive of that day and time.
Jude addressed this problem in his powerful letter of Warning. He called all followers of Christ to engage in a zealous battle for the integrity of the word of GOD. "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith," Such contending is essential, because carnal religious minded people desire to alter Grace, as they quietly operate within churches. "For certain men have crept in unnoticed . . . ungodly men, who turn the Grace of our GOD into licentiousness." Their intended modifications involved turning Grace into license. Grace is GOD's means of forgiving our sins, as well as Transforming the sinner that he might sin less and less. Grace is not GOD's sanction by which we plan and excuse our personal indulgences.
This issue also appears in Romans, as some took GOD's Grace in an unwarranted direction. They started with a glorious truth. "Where sin abounded, Grace abounded much more" (Romans 5:20). What a grand actuality this is! No matter how atrocious the extent of our sins, the Grace of GOD unto forgiveness and Transformation is far greater. Yet, how heinous is the licentious thought that more indulgence in sin would be a good thing, since such would only present another opportunity for more abounding grace. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound?" (Romans 6:1). The answer is a resounding negation. "Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? " (Romans 6:2). Anticipated Grace is never an excuse for planning to sin. yet that is the situation the today's religions cults sects and denominations and the worldly churches find themselves in.
In Galatians, the converse problem of legalism is confronted. "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him Who called you in the Grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:6-7). Here, some were trying to add law (the laws added to the Law of Moses some 613 of them) requirements to the Good News of GOD's Grace. This attempt to turn Grace into a performance standard is described as a perversion, a grievous twisting, of Grace. Whether license or legalism, both change and undermine the Grace of GOD." This changing is an act of idolatry and fornication as it blends the worldliness of paganism with righteousness of GOD. The self love, self gratification in more and more perversion of fallen man. To where even those sins labeled as being sin become accepted in the priesthood as in the days of John the baptizer and Jesus' first advent.
"Dear gracious Master, I repent of those times when I have used Grace as an excuse for carnal indulgences or have treated Your Grace as a call to religious performance. Thank You for Your forgiving and Transforming Grace. Grant me discernment and courage to earnestly contend for true Grace, through Christ, my LORD, Amen."
Peace Bestowed through Christ:
Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
Gentiles hear the Good News:
Acts 10:34-43 "Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that GOD shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears (reverences and revers) HIM and does what is right is acceptable to HIM. As for the word that He sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (He is LORD of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for GOD was within Him. And we are witnesses of all that HE did both in the country of the Hebrews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but GOD raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by GOD as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after HE rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one appointed by GOD to be judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.""
Results of Justification:
Romans 5:1-5 "Therefore, since we have been Justified by faith, we have Peace with GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this Grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the Glory of GOD. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because GOD's Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us."
Ephesians 2:14-22 "For HE Himself is our Peace, Who has made us both One and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that HE might create in Himself One New Man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to GOD in One Body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the Household of GOD, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a Holy Temple in the LORD. In HIM you also are being built together into a dwelling place for GOD by the Spirit."
Colossians 1:15-20 "He is the image of the invisible GOD, the firstborn of all creation. For by HIM all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through HIM and for HIM. And HE is before all things, and in HIM all things hold together. And HE is the Head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything HE might be preeminent. For in HIM all the fullness of GOD is pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross."
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