The other day I stumbled across some notes that I had written in January about grace. I never shared my written pondering, because I wasn't sure if it was good enough. However, the day before I found these notes, my husband and I were listening to Bill Johnson teaching about the same exact thing. I was so surprised!
The reason that I started delving into the subject of grace was because I felt like some ministers I heard were taking it a bit out of context. I truly enjoy some of the things these people carry, but I needed to hear for myself what the Lord was saying about it. Yes, we are under grace and not the law, but that doesn't mean that we no longer have to "do" things. (Fast, pray, etc.) It just means that instead of our "doing" leading to righteousness, our "doing" comes out of our righteousness; it comes from a heart posture.
Where the law said, "You shall not murder, not commit adultery, etc.," (Exodus 20:13-14) Jesus said, "Don't even be angry without a cause."(Math 5:22) He also said that if you look at a woman and lust, you have committed adultery in your heart. (Math 5:28)
Jesus actually took the law one step further and didn't address the outward actions of the law, but the heart intentions! All throughout Matthew 5, He explains it is your heart, your motives that must be pure and led by love.
Galatians chapter 5 talks about things like not becoming entangled with yokes of bondage and how we have been called to liberty. But it goes on to say that if we live according to our flesh we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The remedy is to walk in the Spirit so we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. He is talking about the fact that we are now free to go beyond the law by being led by His Spirit within us! We are led by love instead of law.
Before Christ the law was our teacher and master, keeping us in action - doing the right things, striving for righteousness. But now the Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Master, keeping us focused on the righteousness we have received by grace through Jesus. Our heart keeps us doing the right things out of our relationship with Him.
Before - led by the law - accessed by our actions.
Now - walking in the Spirit - led by our heart - accessed by grace.
Grace goes beyond the law and deals straight with our heart.
We don't obey God now only in action; that is the law (religion). But this doesn't mean there aren't actions! We obey God now because of love (grace). It is the love of Christ that compels us! (2 Cor 5:14)
We still make it our aim to be well-pleasing to Him. We will still be judged by things we do - good or bad. (2 Cor 5:9-10) The difference is we are motivated by love! The message of grace goes deeper, it isn't an excuse to stop "doing", it just examines our motivation behind it.
This is the message of grace!
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