A discussion of God's grace has come center-stage in Christianity recently, especially in the last year. In my ministry experience, I've seen how life-changing and transforming the biblical and Spirit-revealed understanding of grace is. It frees a person from years of condemnation and bondage to sin and sinful habits and leads them to joyfully and easily share that goodness and kindness of God with others in various ways, both natural and supernatural. For most, they experience God as a loving Father for the first time. This grace has certainly brought me out from under much bondage.
Sometimes one's experience of this freedom through grace may take a while to blossom, but if they can take their eyes off themselves long enough and instead consider Jesus and His life in them, they'll get it. Testimonies to this abound, and I've given websites in previous blogs as evidence. For those whose faith was in Christ, but previously in Moses, even Paul didn't hesitate to remind them again and again not be performance-minded (flesh-minded). But as much joy as this administration of grace has brought me, I've also learned the painful lesson (several times!) that this freedom only comes to those actually able to unconditionally and freely receive grace by faith. I believe that, at best, most people don't naturally trust God and would rather trust in something other than Him, including friends, religious systems, authority figures, and ultimately themselves.
Sometimes one's experience of this freedom through grace may take a while to blossom, but if they can take their eyes off themselves long enough and instead consider Jesus and His life in them, they'll get it. Testimonies to this abound, and I've given websites in previous blogs as evidence. For those whose faith was in Christ, but previously in Moses, even Paul didn't hesitate to remind them again and again not be performance-minded (flesh-minded). But as much joy as this administration of grace has brought me, I've also learned the painful lesson (several times!) that this freedom only comes to those actually able to unconditionally and freely receive grace by faith. I believe that, at best, most people don't naturally trust God and would rather trust in something other than Him, including friends, religious systems, authority figures, and ultimately themselves.
Despite what they may say outwardly, I see that most, if not all, are looking for the string that, in their mind, must be attached to news that is as good as grace is. They've become so accustomed to the combined teaching of grace/identity and law/performance that it is very difficult to believe God isn't angry at them, or that He doesn't value them more if they do more work or less if they do less, or that Christian maturity is reflected in how well they live or how committed they are to ministry and bringing souls into the Kingdom. Those are big issues, especially that spiritual maturity is revealed in how successful one is in ministry...or if one even actively reaches out to others in Christ's name at all. By default, we define spiritual maturity by how much one does for God. That is not how the Bible defines spiritual maturity. You want to be spiritually mature? Trust like a child: you are loved, highly favored, and in right-standing with your Father. How much work can a child do without the parent before he becomes weary and worn-out?
The confusion which results from the combination of grace/identity and law/performance is entirely understandable...and I used to teach that way. But after I have consumed the message that Christ is All for almost six years now, for my part, I must admit I've been very frustrated at times, not believing how such a message, which is both magnificent and simple, can so easily be ignored...and even resisted by well-meaning believers. I've encountered much resistance and rejection because of God's grace; it took me a while to see that this was the persecution that Jesus was really talking about and that grace must be preached graciously. Honestly, I'm more wary of believers who want to engage in theological/philosophical debate or who question with suspicion God's kindness, than I am of someone who is "living in the world" and totally away from Christ. In truth, many believers might better be called "unbelieving believers". Again, no condemnation--we've all been there. But, it's really as if the combination of grace/identity and law/performance is The Matrix, from which they must be unplugged in order to truly experience freedom--a freedom in which anything is possible.
Paul thought at first that a simple lecture might convince people to trust Jesus. Afterward, he saw that the preaching of the Gospel includes signs, miracles, and wonders. I would add that the Gospel is also best received through relationship, not debate, and certainly not a philosophical argument. The true work of convincing someone is Holy Spirit's realm of responsibility and expertise; I find myself a seed planter or dropper of gold nuggets at best, who sometimes even gets to see people begin to unwrap the gift of grace. Like Paul, I have to press forward, even if it is only I who knows the true source of my comfort, because I know this message is the message Paul preached. With it he brought so many into understanding of sonship and rest, a state in which it is God Who produces fruit (a.k.a, "works") in the life of the believer, not the believer himself. (For another blog all together would be the truth that the "work" is actually belief. God's grace produces the fruit of faith...and faith is the work to which we are really called.)
Moreover, I've also seen what happens when people criticize this revelation of biblical grace and call it "New Grace" (their real meaning: Perverted Grace) or "Hyper-Grace" (their real meaning: "Christians Gone Wild"). What I find so tragic is how these misunderstandings and arguments rob people from experiencing the freedom for which Christ died. They just don't get that this is the same grace which forgave them, saved them, sustains them, and has made them blameless (more on that awesome word later) and is the true source of Christian "work" in the Kingdom. (It is, in fact, Christ living through them. So, when people criticize this message of grace, what they're really saying is that they don't believe Christ is the life of a believer without the believer first learning and adhering to the "rules".) And yes, this same grace teaches them to say no to ungodliness. But what is ungodliness? It is godlessness: believing you have no need of God and are your own God. Does Titus 2:12 (grace) teach us to behave? No! It calls on us to focus on the love and grace of God--that we shouldn't try to do things in our own strength, but rather rest in the love of God for us. Grace forgave, saved, sustains, calls blameless, and reveals itself, not us, as the Source.
Romans 5:15 - But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Romans 5:17 - For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
We truly need to understand the biblical definitions those words I've highlighted. These definitions are taken from the AMG Complete Word Study Dictionary:
That being said, I want you to know that the critics of "Hyper-Grace" didn't go far enough in their criticism. It's true!
If "Hyper-Grace" is a name penned to speak derogatorily of this grace revolution and lead people away from those who teach "Hyper-Grace", then its creators failed to fully tackle the enormity of what has really happened. They've revealed their short-sighted view of the true Gospel of the Grace of Jesus Christ. I mean no condemnation in that, of course, because we all have yet to fully grasp even the grace God has revealed, much less all that is the person of Jesus.
Allow me to take you on a short journey. I'd like to show you a few simple verses. I'm also going to highlight a few words and define them for you:
Romans 5:15 - But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Romans 5:17 - For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:20 - ...where sin increased, grace abounded* all the more. (*The Greek word here is different than the "abound" we see in verse 15; note the difference.)
We truly need to understand the biblical definitions those words I've highlighted. These definitions are taken from the AMG Complete Word Study Dictionary:
abound - perisseia - over and above; to abound richly; a superabundance; an overflowing; something above the ordinary; more than enough; to exceed fullness.
receive - lambano - to accept or receive; to take upon oneself; to take, seize, or lay hold of with force or violence.
abundance - perisseuma - abundance; that which remains over; surplus.
abounded (from verse 20) - huperperisseuo - to be over and above, exceed; to superabound; to abound exceedingly; to "hyper hyper-abound".
So, do you see my point?
Paul literally says here that grace is not just "hyper" (perisseia), but he reveals that it's actually hyper hyper-grace (huperperisseuo).
Paul uses the word perisseia, which already means to super-abound or to be hyper, and then he says that grace actually even goes way more than that. It super super-abounds! It's extremely extreme. It super-exceeds fullness. It's superly-abounding super-rich!
This amazing word, huperperisseuo, only occurs twice in the Bible. The other instance is 2 Corinthians 7:4 - ...I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
I hope that was a blessing to you. In my next post for you, I'm chewing on something which I believe addresses why some aren't able to freely receive the super-abounding grace of God, but are unwittingly accepting just enough grace to get by in life. I'll give you a hint: an example is found in the context of 2 Cor. 7:4, which I showed you just above.
Grace=Peace,
Jeremy
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