
There's a fear in church today which is the fear of sin abundance or revival. Preachers are afraid Grace teachings may lead to more sin. To us, Grace sounds too loose and weak to produce a morally disciplined life and make a "sound" doctrine or "powerful" sermon. But how differently the Bible teaches:
1. that sin revival is a result of the law
*[[Rom 7:9]] KJV* For I was alive without the law once: but WHEN THE COMMANDMENT CAME, sin REVIVED, and I died.
2. that the abundance of sin is a result of the law (thou shall not, thou shall...) and that grace came to undo the trend much more
.
*[[Rom 5:20]] KJV* Moreover THE LAW ENTERED, that the offence might ABOUND. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
3. that sin's strength is the law
*[[1Co 15:56]] KJV* The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
4. that the law CANNOT make its hearers and DOERS perfect even though perfection is the desire of every law preacher.
*[[Heb 10:1]] KJV* For the law... can NEVER with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto PERFECT.
But what does grace teach and do?
1. it builds. It blesses.
*[[Act 20:32]] KJV* And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his GRACE, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
*[[1Co 15:10]] KJV* 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.
2. It SAVES
*[[Eph 2:8]] KJV* For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
It means as "weak" or loose it may seem, an exposure to Grace teaching is an exposure to SALVATION.
It's not "strong teaching", yet it's the only one that can save, whereas the wise one cannot save.
*[[1Co 1:21]] KJV* For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Therefore if this is what the Bible says, and if the Bible is objectively true, then the mind that tells us Grace teachings won't work must be fallacious. Shut out grace, open the door for more sins. Then it will be upon you like Job: *[[Job 3:25]] KJV* For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Twice in Proverbs the Spirit sounded this:
*[[Pro 14:12]] KJV* There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
*[[Pro 16:25]] KJV* There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Should you not then cease from your own wisdom? After all, it is written:
*[[1Co 1:25]] KJV* Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
If God seem foolish to have told us to preach what seemed to us as freedom to sin, we will be a false messenger if we deliver a different message. But it is good for you my brother if you remain "faithful" to the message
*[[1Co 4:2]] KJV* Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
And what is faithfulness? Doing as instructed; staying where you are placed.
*[[Luk 19:13]] KJV* And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Stay in the word! Contend for the faith!
That settled, let's see how your refusal to preach grace as grace has been the fertilizer of iniquity within your flock.
*[[Gal 2:18]] KJV* For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a TRANSGRESSOR.
What did we destroyed that we must never build again? The Law.
He is saying if after verse 16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ [thus destroying the law], that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." we BUILD again our justification by the works of the law, we make ourselves a TRANSGRESSOR.
See this! It's God's plan that it's by LIBERTY and rest you'll learn of Christ.
*[[Isa 30:15]] KJV* For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and REST shall ye be SAVED; in quietness and in confidence (as typical of faith) shall be your STRENGTH (recall that the strength of sin is the works of the law) and ye would not...
To God, your liberty precedes service. So He first worked out the freedom of the Israelites from Egypt in order to avail for free service of God.
*[[Exo 7:16]] KJV* And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may SERVE me...
He doesnt like service under yoke. So Jesus gave this:
*[[Mat 11:28]] KJV* Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Today, you'll be shortchanging your "service" of God if you trim down the liberty of the Spirit in anyway, because He prefers you doing service in liberty so much He had to leave His throne to come and die: and if you as His witness preach an abridged liberty, you will be doing Him a displeasure.
Knowing this, Paul orders:
*[[Gal 5:1]] KJV* Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
And Jesus came as the liberty Giver
*[[Luk 4:18]] KJV* The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor... to set at LIBERTY them that are bruised,
And he that the Lord has set at liberty, let no man bring to bondage again!
Let's reset the system if needs be, and make no more room for hypocrisy. It is only in this liberty atmosphere we can have TRUE holiness. (Eph4:24). A grace liberty atmosphere CANNOT be an atmosphere of sin, rather, an atmosphere of true righteousness. Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under the atmosphere of grace? No. Because Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. *[[1Jn 3:9]] KJV*
Don't resist the liberty of the Spirit, that's when genuine service can be evident. In it, the children of God and that of the devil are manifest (1 John 3:10). We'll excel more in our ministry if we run the Master's work the way He made it and stop being wise in our own understanding.
I leave you with the verse again:
*[[Pro 14:12]] KJV* There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
*[[Pro 16:25]] KJV* There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Listen to God!