The true purpose of Grace

[Adullam]

Hi all,

I believe that this issue is so very important.

Grace is given to us as a power to achieve something. Many will see the grace only for the fact that is saves them from this world. But this is a myopic view.

If one is given a shovel and uses it to lean on but never dig as he is meant to...eventually that shovel will be taken away from him and given to someone who is more willing to use it. Grace is meant to be used. Love is meant to be given away. If we are loved but never reflect that love to others....we become as a black hole, as it were. We take without giving to our own peril. Grace likewise is meant to be shared with others. We must become profitable servants even while seeing our own inefficiencies.

Grace is like a divine muscle that atrophies with continued non-use. Grace is power from heaven. It is like money that is given in order to buy something. Remember the wicked servant who buried his talent? How many are guilty of that?

We are called to maintain that first love we have been given from above. If we do not love others with it, we lose it. If salt loses it's saltiness it is only good for the dungheap. Let us run the race set before us with the means that has been given us...His grace. Let us be doers of the word and not just hearers...deceiving ourselves. Let us awake to righteousness and seek and pray for His strength and guidance.

Some see only the belief in historical facts as necessary for salvation. These are wrong. The devil also believes in historical facts. Neither is God is not looking for spectators....but athletes and warriors. The grace of God empowers us to be participants in the advance of the kingdom. To whom much has been given much is also required. We have been given the means to overcome, but our lack of faith keeps us from attaining a single thing. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation. Let us then work out our own salvation with fear and trembling in order to make both our calling and election sure!

Grace has the word race in it. Run to win!

 

[GodspromisesRyes]

Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

1Cr 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

2Cr 6:1 ¶ We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

 

[Joe67]

Rom 5:20-21

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV


2 Tim 1:8-10
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: KJV

Joe

 

[Adullam]

Rom 5:20-21

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV


2 Tim 1:8-10
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: KJV

Joe

Nobody earns grace. It's what we do after with it that we will judged by.

 

[MMarc]

Rom 5:20-21

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV


2 Tim 1:8-10
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: KJV

Joe

Good point Joe, we can dig holes till the cows come home, but if we don't do what God tells us to do,
"according to HIS OWN PURPOSE", you just end up with a bunch of worn out shovels and a lot of holes.
But if God asks one to dig holes, He will ask another to fix the attic door for example.

We all have our own idea to how Christianity should be played out based on our view of scriptures.

2000 years ago if Jesus would have spent His time listening and doing to what the religious people of the day taught instead of following the Father, the world would not be saved.

 

[Joe67]

MM,

Truly, our Lord Jesus Christ does give each on of us our particular ministry in service to His Body, the church on earth in the Father's work of grace to bring the family of heaven and earth together in One. This being the Purpose of the grace of the Father from the Beginning.

This service cannot give up peace with God and reveal the Father to us. Though as a member of the family of God in Jesus Christ we are given a ministry at the time of maturity. Until the time appointed of the Father we serve the Lord our God under the supervision of another member of the Body.

When we are brought into the maturity, then we are given the gifts that we need to fulfill the appointed ministry. This ministry is accomplished through our being partakers of the image of the afflictions of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Head.

Thus the testimony of the Spirit of Jesus through the apostle Paul.
2 Tim 1:8
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; KJV

Col 1:24
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: KJV

These testimonies of the Spirit of Jesus were historically written to Timothy and to the group of believers at Collasi (? spelling). Now God is speaking the testimony of Jesus unto our hearts and minds through the blood of Jesus from the new Jerusalem that is above, through these same words; thus giving us not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus and his appointed apostles and working in us by his grace that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake, the visible church on earth.

We are justified with God and have peace with God through the Body of Christ which is in heaven and the blood of Jesus, that speaks better things than the blood of Abel ( our afflictions ). That is where our name's are recorded in the Lamb's book of life. We are not given to suffer for those who are in heavenly places. Heaven is our resting place, in Jesus.

As we are brought into the maturity, then we are given the armor of righteousness. We are not given to rest on earth as priests serving under Jesus, our high Priest. On earth grace works in us to will and to do of the Father's good pleasure in the fellowship of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, for the Body's sake. As priests, we profane the time based Sabbath and work all the more to minister to the weaker members of the Body of Jesus on earth, at all times and in all places.

Little children must continue to observe a day of worship or their consciences would be defiled and they would be taught self-indulgence. But when they are called up to a higher seat of service, we should not prevent them and keep them under bondage to our tutelage to them. Like Eli, the high priest, we must tell them, as he did Samuel, that it is the voice of the Lord, and instruct them what is the proper response to God's call; then release them from our supervision.

We need to rightly divide between the application of the blood that justifies us, and the application of the blood that sanctifies us in ministry.

Joe

 

[Adullam]

Is obedience to God optional as faith alone adherents teach?

Is seeing the light enough...or do we need to feel the heat as well?