INTRODUCTION
Before tackling Grace, let me tell you first that it took me almost four months to finish this article. The reason is, I am stuck with its attributes. Grace is limitless. It is so vast that this whole article is not enough to enumerate all of them. And we are now in the Dispensation of Grace. Among all the dispensations, Grace is the hardest to explain.
But when the Lord started to reveal Grace to me, I can’t help but be in awe about how amazing Grace is! I can now relate to John Newton when he composed his famous song “Amazing Grace”. I can now understand the Apostle Paul why he is willing to lay down his life and to leave behind the Law of which he had mastered all his life just to proclaim the gospel of Grace. I can now relate as to why he is willing to be the first apostle to declare Grace to the Gentiles. I can now also relate why the great Charles Spurgeon can never be out of topic even if he will preach Grace every day in his congregation. And why he would make great effort and is willing to give great portion of his time just to proclaim Grace. Indeed, if Grace is reveled to a true minister of God, he can never be out of Bible topics just by preaching Grace alone! And I can’t help but smile while writing this article knowing that God has showed me His plan in a panoramic view through Grace.
As I said above, of all the Bible topics, Grace is the hardest to explain. It is also the hardest topic for our natural mind to truly comprehend. Any true minister of God who have tried to explain this topic will agree with me on this. Anyone can easily grasp and comprehend the Law. In the dispensation of Law, the rule is so simple. It tells you to “do this” and “don’t do that.” It’s so simple. You just have to obey the law and you will be blessed. In fact, you don’t need to be a Christian in order to understand what the Law is just like many “law-abiding citizen and religious people” today would often testify.
Even angels can easily grasp the law. Angels are tried and tested servants of God who live by the commandments of God to them, that’s why it’s easy for them to understand the Law. But Grace – grace is another matter. Even angels can’t comprehend it. That’s why in first 1 Peter 1:10-12 we read:
“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”
You see? Even the angels do not know Grace. In fact, according to the verses above, they are also looking forward to see it. They are also looking forward to this dispensation of ours. They are not the recipient of this dispensation, yet, they long for it and are looking forward to see it! So how much more are we, that are the recipients of Grace! We have not only seen it but are also experiencing it! Therefore, those ministers who are trying to turn us back to the Law cannot deceive us. Can you see now how blessed are we to be born in this dispensation and not in other dispensations that we are able to see and experience Grace?
It takes far more than just our own natural mind to comprehend it. Because Grace, in order to comprehend it, one must experience it. And it takes the Spirit of God in us for us to understand Grace just like what we can read in 1 Corinthians 2:12:
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
OUR WORKS AND GOD’S WORKS
Before tackling Grace, I want to clarify these two things first: US AND GOD. The key to understand Grace is to be able to separate our works (you and me) and the works of God in us. All seeds of God have two components: the Black Dog and the White Dog. The Black Dog is the serpent’s venom residing in our flesh. The Bible just called this The Flesh (Rom. 7:18-20). It is the part of us that is evil. I will call the Flesh as “you” or “us” just like what Apostle Paul did in Romamns 7:18 and Galatians 2:20. So every time I say “You/we must let God do the work for you/us” or “Your/our works has no place in Grace” or “It is not you/us who live but Christ live in you/us” or “You/we must die daily” in this article, I am only referring to the Flesh (the Black Dog).
On the other hand, we have also another part which is the Spirit of God (White Dog) in us. So every time I say in this article that we must let God/Christ do the work in us, I am referring to the part of us which is the Spirit of God. This is the key to understand Grace. Failure to separate the Black Dog from the White Dog will also mean failure to understand Grace. This is the reason why there are many people who reason out:
“Fornication is not a sin. Adultery is not a sin. Christ already lives in me. My work is not my work but it is Christ’s works. I can no longer commit sin.”
They are the decieve people. This is the product of failing to separate the works of the flesh (You/us) from the works of the Spirit of God. The One that cannot sin is the part of us that is God. But there is still a part of us that is sinful that greatly influences our soul to commit fornication, adultery, vices and give in to different kind of sins. That is our flesh. Those sins that we do is the works of the flesh and not the works of the Spirit of God. When we do not die to our flesh daily and our soul always gives in to the leading of flesh instead of the leading of the Spirit of God, then we are sinning.
With this, we are now ready to tackle Grace.
So what is Grace? And why it is so amazing?
To begin with, Grace is the opposite of Law. If Law is based on man’s own works, Grace is solely based on God’s work. Man’s work has nothing to do with it. This is why GRACE MEANS, GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE. Why? Because what has been given to us, we have done nothing in order to have it. We have no contribution on it whatsoever. Someone has done everything for us in order for us to have it. If in Law, one need to do this in order to have that, in Grace, you only have to reap the blessings because our Lord have already done everything for us. That’s why Grace, is getting what we don’t deserve.
Man deserves death because of his disobedience and sins, but by Grace, we received Salvation. We deserve judgement because of our transgressions, but by Grace, we received heavenly rewards. We deserve to be cast in the lake of fire, but by Grace, we will be raptured. In all of these, we have contributed nothing. It was all done by our Lord Jesus Christ. This iswhy the Dispensation of Grace is the Dispensation of the working of our Lord Jesus Christ in us.
The Law was given through Moses, but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The Law was written on tablets of stones, while in Grace, the Law was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:17) and that’s why it is written into our hearts (Jer. 31:33, 2 Cor. 3:3) through the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ in us that teaches us and led us to all truth (John 16:13). If the Law brings death, the Spirit brings life (John 6:63, 2 Cor. 3:6). If the Law is a ministry of death and condemnation (2 Cor. 3:7,9), the Spirit is the ministry of glory (2 Cor. 3:8-9).
The Dispensation of Grace is started from Pentecost up to the end of Great Tribulation. In the Old Testament, Israelites are guided by the Law while in Grace, the Spiritual Israel is guided by the Spirit of Christ that dwells in our hearts.
In this dispensation, our Lord has only given us one rule:
“LET OUR LORD JESUS DO THE WORKING IN US, AND WE WILL BE RAPTURED.”
It should not be us that will do the work. It should be our Lord. The best analogy to explain this rule of Grace is like driving a car. The car is your life. You want to drive it. But in this dispensation of Grace, you must let the Lord drive for you. You should give the steering wheel to Him and surely, He will lead you to victory. This is the rule. Stick to this rule and surely, you will get the crown in this race. You will win the prize.
TO SUMMARIZED, Grace is the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ given to us. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Grace of God given to us (2 Tim. 1:9, John 1:14). As it is written in Titus 2:11-12:
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
In order for this Grace of God to fully manifest in us, we must let this Grace (our Lord Jesus) work in us.
THE ATTRIBUTES OF GRACE
In order to better explain Grace, I will enumerate its attributes. But you must remember that one of the attributes of Grace is: It is limitless. Therefore, these attributes I have identified here are not the totality of Grace. Because of it limitless nature and due to the lack of space, we cannot contain all its attributes in this one article. And due to my finite mind, I cannot identify all them here. But I will do my best, according to the grace of God given upon me, to try to put all of its attributes here as revealed to me by our Lord. I advise you also that from time to time, try to visit and reread this article as I will update these attributes whenever our Lord had given me another attribute that is not originally stated here.
1. IN GRACE, NONE OF OUR WORKS ARE REQUIRED
This is the very first attribute of Grace. During this dispensation, none of our works are required. For us to be saved, no works of us are required. For us to be Born Again, no works of us are required. For our souls to be transformed, no works of us are required. For us to be Raptured, no works of us are required. All of these are workings of our Lord. As long as we are in the dispensation of Grace, all the works should be of Christ alone. This is the reason why He had given us His Spirit – in order for Him to work in us and to lead us in everything He wanted to do through us.
This is the reason why Grace Dispensation is also known as the Dispensation of the works of our Lord in us. Our Lord has already done everything for us. We have done NOTHING to be worthy to receive Grace. And because we have done nothing to receive it, we have no contribution on it. In all of it, we have contributed nothing. It is all the workings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To explain this further, we will take the two books of Joshua and Judges as example especially the two very symbolic pictures in the death of two very symbolic characters. First, we can read that the events in the book of Joshua occurred after the death of Moses. Moses is forever associated with the law of God (John 1:17). This picture is showing us that entry into the Promised Land can only begin after his death. This tells us of the utter stupidity of legalism and trying to live and approach God through the “good works” of the flesh. Moses had to die, and so we have to die to our own ability to live the Christian life if we are to proceed on in our journey with God in Grace.
Who could take the Israelites into the Promised Land and into their inheritance? It is no other than Joshua, whose name means “Yahweh is salvation” was the man who could lead them in. As Moses is a picture of the law, so Joshua is a picture of both Jesus Himself and His Grace.
2. ALL GLORIES AND HONOR BELONGS TO OUR LORD ALONE
Since it is the Lord that work in us and because we have no contribution in order to deserve the things of Grace done to us by our Lord, all honor and glory should only belong to Him alone. None of us can boast that we deserve Grace because of our works or of our own strength. No sir! The Bible is very clear. As it is written in Philippians 2:13, all of it are the workings of our Lord alone:
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
Take for example also our Salvation. According to Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God not by works lest any man should boast.”
Salvation is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ alone in the cross of Calvary. We have done nothing on it. If we can be saved by any works apart from that works of our Lord Jesus in the cross, then Christ death is in vain (Gal. 2:21). If you believe that you have attain your salvation because you have helped God attain it, then it is not Grace anymore. It is not a gift anymore because there is already an involvement of yourself. It can only be called Grace if you have no involvement on it. THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL OF GRACE. You need to know this first before going on to the third attribute.
3. FLESH HAS NO PLACE IN GRACE
This is why Grace is hated by the proud and natural man who solely depends on their works because in Grace, their works are useless. It is hated by legalistic ministers of today who imposed to the believers that they need to do this and do that in order to be raptured. In Grace, their works are completely worthless.
One example of this is Cain who offered an offering out of his own works and was wroth because God has no respect on his strength (Gen. 4:5). Cain was a farmer and he used his strength to toil the ground. Since during that time the ground was curse by God due to the transgression of Adam (Gen 3:17), it is hard for any man to grow plants on it. This is why Cain must be thinking that time that God would accept his offerings since they are the products of his sweat, strength and own works. While Abel on the other hand, was a shepherd. Shepherding during that time requires minimal to no effort at all since the Earth is still covered with grasses and they are the only family living on Earth. Abel just have to let the sheep graze during that time.
But since in the Grace of God our own works is completely worthless and the one recognized by God is His own works only, approaching Him by our own efforts, strength and works are utter foolishness. In Grace, there is no place for our works even how “wonderful” these works may seem (Matt. 7:22-23). It should be only the works of God alone. We must let our Lord do the working in us.
We the believers, however, are rejoicing for we have known that our Rapture does not depend on our works. For we know that in our flesh dwells no good thing. Once in our lives, we thought that if we were good, then God would reward us and if we are bad, we thought that we will not receive favor from our Lord. But the truth is, our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to look for goodness in us. He knows that we have none of it. He came in order for Him to become our goodness. So that we will have good in us.
The flesh has no place in grace. People who think that they are in Grace but give in to the call of the flesh, does not understand Grace. Remember that it should be the Spirit of the Lord that we should allow to control us, not the flesh. If you are still giving in to the call of flesh (vices, fornication, adultery, sins), then the one leading you is not the Lord, it is your flesh. If you saw people who claim that they are already in Grace but are still smoking, drinking and are fornicators, then those people are liars. They don’t know Grace. Do not believe them.
4. GRACE CANNOT BE EARNED
Since Grace is not of our works, we cannot earn it. No work of ours can make us have it. Since we did not work for it, we cannot demand it to our Lord. None of us can say to Him that we deserve it. This is why none of us also is deserving of Grace. Yes, you read it right, NONE OF US DESERVES OR IS WORTHY OF GRACE. You can only be worthy of something if you made an effort for that something. But since our works has nothing to do with Grace, we don’t deserve it.
So how can we have Grace? We can’t have Grace through works, instead, Grace is freely given to us by our Lord. It is a gift of God (1 Pet. 4:10). One just have to draw from it in order to receive it. This will now lead us to the 5th attribute of Grace.
5. GRACE ONCE GIVEN, CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN
Since Grace is a gift given to us with nothing to do with our works, it cannot be withdrawn from us also. Imagine if this gift was given to us because of our works. Whenever we fail to carry out those works to God, we can expect that God will withdraw that Grace from us also just like in the Dispensation of Law. But praised God! This Grace was given to us with nothing to do with our works that’s why we are also sure that it cannot be taken from us! It is not dependent on our works! This is also the reason why our Salvation, Born Again experience, Transformation of our Soul and our Rapture which are all the Grace of God, cannot be withdrawn from us! Blessed be the name of the Lord!
6. NO SINS OF OURS CAN AFFECT GRACE
Since Grace is not based on our works or our actions, no sins of ours can ever affect Grace also. IT IS FULLY INDEPENDENT FROM OUR FUTURE OR PAST ACTIONS. No works of us can ever unsaved us. Meaning, there’s nothing that you can do that can cause your salvation to be lost. This is the reason why the apostle Paul in Romans 8:38-39 is persuaded:
“…that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Because we have been justified, transformed and will be glorified by Grace, all of these are not affected by our future works (sins). That’s why we read in Romans 8:30:
“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Again, I want this to sink in us: NO WORK OF OURS CAN EVER AFFECT ALL OF THOSE GRACIOUS ACTS THAT OUR LORD HAVE DONE FOR US BECAUSE THEY ARE THE WORKS OF OUR LORD, NOT OURS.
I want you to meditate on this for a while before going the next attribute.
7. IN GRACE, OUR LORD JESUS IS OUR STANDING
In this dispensation, we are represented by Christ and not by ourselves. He is our standing! We are hidden in Him (Col. 3:3). And you know what it means to be represented by Christ right? It means, you will not fail! For Christ never failed! It means you will overcome, for Christ had also overcome. It means Christ is the One responsible for you. It means that if you are sick, because our Lord is the one controlling your life, it is also Him that gets the sickness and no sickness will prevail against Him unless He allows it, therefore, surely you will be healed. It means that if you have a problem, it is Christ that gets the problem and no problem will prevail against Him that’s why you will overcome them all. Our Lord Jesus Christ shielded us from all these things. Indeed, we are complete in Him (Col. 2:10). This is why Grace is the remedy for any kind of sickness. May it be physical or spiritual sickness. Just like what Rom. 8:31b told us:
“… If God is with us, who can be against us?”
It is like driving a car. If it is Christ that drives your car, and you are hidden in Him, it is the Driver that gets all the troubles along the way, not you. That’s why just sit in there and enjoy the journey that our Lord is leading us.
8. IN GRACE, ALL THE PERSECUTIONS GOES TO OUR LORD
When you are mocked because of the revelation He had given you, it is not you who is mocked, it is our Lord because He is the one driving your car. When we are persecuted because of His faith He had given us, it is not we who are persecuted, it is our Lord (Acts 9:4). If you are rejected because of the revelation He has given you, remember this: it is not you who is rejected, it is Him (Sam. 8:7). The same is true when we are praised because of the Spiritual Blessings He had given us, those praises should not be claimed by us. It should all be directed to Him. As it is written in Romans 4:4-5:
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
According to the verses above, those who work (use their own strength) to attain righteousness, will not be rewarded by Grace, but those works will be considered as DEBT (just like what happened to Cain who work his way to pleased God). How foolish it would be for someone to work his own righteousness when in Grace, all the works was already done by our Lord. Working your own will not be considered us the work of the Lord, it will be considered as debt. The very thing that you think will do you favor in the eyes of God, will in fact, will do you harm. This is the reason why in Matthew 7:22-23, many people will boast to our Lord their own works one day. But our Lord will answer them:
“Depart from me ye doer of inequity, I never knew you.”
Working on our ourselves will do us harm during this dispensation. You have sweat your way for working thinking that it will do you good, but in fact, what you will reap is only debt. But the opposite is true for those who work not for themselves (Rom. 4:5) and let Christ do the working for them. It will be counted as righteousness for them. They have not done any works at all, someone has done the works, but it was in them that righteousness was counted to. Brothers and sisters, behold, this is GRACE! Pretty amazing right?
If we will only realize these things and surrender ourselves completely to our Lord and let Him do the work in us, surely, nothing can prevail against us (Rom. 8:31)!
9. IN GRACE, YOU MUST NOT PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE FLESH
Since Grace is the working of the Spirit of Christ in us, one cannot comprehend Grace by flesh. Therefore, during this dispensation, my advice is not to trust in ourselves. Trusting yourself during this dispensation is equivalent to failure. If you think that you can save yourself then that’s not Grace because you are relying to yourself. You should only fully rely to our Lord Jesus alone.
Do not put your trust in any flesh. Trust in our Lord alone. If you think that you will have a good life on this Earth because your parents are rich, then you are in a great danger. If Something will happen to your parents, you have no one to trust to. If you have sickness and you put your trust to your doctors that they can heal you, then you have been misled. Doctors can’t heal you. It is only the Lord. Put your trust in Him as He is the One responsible for you. If you think you will be save because you have the best pastor or because your father is a minister of God, then you are trusting on flesh. Put your trust in the Lord. He is the Only one who can save you.
If you think you will be Raptured because you are trusting that you have bro. Branham, bro. Jackson or bro. Gan and many great ministers of the Lord in your circle, then you missed out the whole point of Grace my friend. Rallying behind these men of God will not give you the assurance of Rapture. Rallying behind our Lord Jesus Christ will.
10. IN GRACE, THE AMOUNT OF REVELATION WE WILL RECEIVE SOLELY DEPENDS ON OUR LORD
If you have given the control of your life to our Lord, then no one can blame you if you have only receive this amount of Revelation because you will be judge in Christ. Christ will determine what amount of revelation you will have. And our Lord can never blame you on that because it is His doings. The only blame that will come unto you is if He had given you a revelation and you hid it and did nothing about it just like the wicked servant in Matthew 25:26-30.
This also means that the Body of Christ (us) will not receive uniform revelation. Some may have received more revelations than you or you may have received more revelations than the others. It all depends to our Lord. This is why it does not mean that because the Apostle Paul is an apostle of God and I am only an ordinary believer, the Apostle Paul is already special to God compared to me. It does not mean that because bro. Branham is a Messenger of God, and I’m only a common believer, he will already going to sit on a special table during the Marriage Supper of the lamb along with other Messenger while me and other common believers are eating on a different table. That’s pure none sense!
In Grace, whether you are an apostle, messenger, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, king, slave or just a common believer who give your life to the Lord – all of us will sit on same table together with Lord, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the great servants of our Lord (Matt. 8:11). Because revelation is our Lord’s doing, He will treat us equally. Praised be the name of our Lord! That day is much different compared today that during fellowships, the pastors and ministers have a different table from the common believers specially during eating.
11. IN GRACE, NO MINISTER CAN BE PROUD OF HIMSELF
Even the ministers who have received great revelations like Paul, the Apostles, Bro. Branham, Martin Luther and many more that many are looking up to should not be proud of themselves, for in actuality, it is the Lord that works in them. They are also hidden behind our Lord. They have received those revelations because of the Lord’s doing and not of themselves. That’s why no one among us can be proud of ourselves. We can only be proud of what the Lord is doing in us. This is why Grace is hated by today’s Nicolaitan ministers who are lifting themselves among the believers and who are taking all the glory upon themselves instead of giving it to the Lord.
Grace is hated by Satan and all his demons who are influencing today’s Nicolaitan minister. Because when we realized what truly Grace is, no spirit of Nicoliatism can prevail against us. All that pride will go away for Grace humbles the mighty. Humility is one of the products of Grace. Realizing that it is not us who are working will make us humble. That’s why those people who have known Grace are humble people. If a minister is prideful, then he doesn’t know Grace.
12. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO WAS JUDGED FOR US
Since it is the Lord that is working in us and He is the One driving our cars, the judgement that is supposedly for us will go to Him. And He was already judge at the cross in mount Calvary. All the judgement was put upon Him already. He had already paid it all. That’s why when we die, we can no longer be judged. Those who have given their lives to Him can received no more judgements. No more judgement is waiting for us on the afterlife. What are waiting for us are only rewards! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
This is what it means to be written in the Book of Life. We know that the Book of Life is our Lord. If you have given your life to Him, that means that you are written by Him.
Your name is written in Him. Your name is in the Book of Life. Those that are in the Book of Life cannot receives judgement. Those who are not in the Book of Life are the people whose author of their books (life) are themselves and not our Lord.
13. GRACE IS SOVEREIGN
Grace solely depends on the giver and not the receiver. If you think there is something in you that made you worthy of that salvation, abandon that thinking. Grace solely depends on the giver, not the receiver. No debts to be paid nor condition to be meet. Nor obligations to fulfill. All the works are done by the Giver. The Giver asks for nothing.
That is why during this dispensation, it is foolishness to talk about the law or doing this or doing that or imposing something upon the believers. Instead, this is the dispensation where we should talk about our Lord’s love, truth, grace and mercy. The center of this dispensation should be Christ for we are hidden in Him.
One example of this is at the mount transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8), when Moses and Elijah were seen with our Lord Jesus. Peter was obviously over-awed by the thought of being in the presence of the two greatest men in Jewish history and he indirectly placed our Lord Jesus in the same level of Moses and Elijah by offering to make tabernacles for the three of them. Then our Lord God answered him by speaking from Heaven declaring “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him!” And notice the next verse – “All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, EXCEPT JESUS ALONE.” That is the way it should be! We are so quick to look to other men of God or to other things. But in Grace, our focused should only be to our Lord. In Grace, our Lord Jesus is second to none.
14. GRACE HAS NO RESPECT TO ANY MAN
Since Grace is sovereign, no minister is recognized in Grace. Only the works of our Lord Jesus is recognized in this dispensation. That’s why if someone is pointing you to a minister instead to Christ, do not be deceived by them. They don’t know what Grace is. But if you are a kind of person who rally behind a man, who are so fond with a man like the Lutherans, Branhamites, Jacksonites and the Ganites, then Grace will be of no interest to you. By this time, you will be tired reading this article. You cannot have Grace from men for Grace does not come from flesh. It came from Christ alone. If you think you are indebted to a man you are following rather than to God, then you don’t know Grace.
Grace is no respecter of person (Acts 10:34-35). Whether you are a Jew, Gentile, slave, free or whatever you are by the standard and distinctions of the world, as long as you are a seed of God and you are in the dispensation of Grace, then Grace is for you. In Grace, the divisions that separate us were broken down and abolish through the cross (Eph. 2:14-15). The Spirit of our Lord has baptized us to be a member of His ONE Body (Eph. 2:16). Our Lord has only ONE Body (Eph. 4:4-6). He has only ONE Bride. We have only one citizenship (Eph. 2:19). As written in 1 Corinthians 12:13-14:
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.“
Those people who say that Grace is only for the Gentile or Grace is only for the Jews, or those who say that a different Grace was given to the Gentile and different to the Jews, they don’t know what Grace is. WE HAVE ONLY ONE GRACE WHICH IS THE SPIRIT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ONE BODY. ONE CITIZENSHIP.
15. GRACE IS LIMITLESS
As long as we are still in the dispensation of Grace, it is limitless. Grace is not limited only to the Gentiles. It is also the same as effective among the Jews and other races of people. That’s why if you believe that Grace is limited only for the Gentiles today, abandon that thinking. If it is limited to the Gentiles only, then it is not Grace.
If you believe that no Jews can be saved today because we are still on the Gentile Age, abandon that thinking. That belief is unbiblical. What Biblical is, Grace is both for the Jews and the Gentiles.
1 Cor. 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.“
That’s why Romans 1:16 tells us to preach this Gospel of Grace to both the Jews and the Gentiles:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
It is true that most of the Jews today are blinded by the Lord so that the Gentiles can be saved. BUT WE MUST TAKE NOTE THAT NOT ALL OF THEM WERE BLINDED. Only some PART of them were blinded.
Rom. 11:25 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness IN PART is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
See? Grace is all for the Jews, not only for the Gentiles. Even to this day, there are Jews who were elected to be saved by Grace. We can read in this in Romans 11:5-7:
“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”
16. GRACE IS ONLY EFFECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO REALIZED THAT THEY NEED IT
Since Grace is the remedy for everything (sickness, sins, unrighteousness, etc.), it is only effective for those who realized that they need it. Supposed you are so generous enough and is willing to forgive all that were indebted to you, it is clear that you can only forgive those who are willing to be forgiven by you and not those who didn’t realized that they owe you and those that are not willing to be forgiven by you. One example of this is if you told your debtor that you have forgiven him from the debts he owes you but he won’t accept it for the reason that he can pay you using his strength by finding a job and that he don’t need your forgiveness. No matter how willing you are to forgive this person, your grace will not be accepted.
Grace is only applicable to those who realized that they need it. The most generous person cannot forgive those who didn’t realize that they owe him anything and those that won’t accept his forgiveness. This is why it is only the sheep who are the recipients of Grace and not the goats. For even though our Lord wanted everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), Grace is only applicable to those who realized that they need it. Among the sheep and the goats, only the sheep have SEED in them that is the receiver of Spirit of our Lord (Grace). Without this receiver, no matter how available Grace for everyone, one cannot receive it. This is why for the goats, Grace is of nonvalue.
According to the revelation of God given to John Calvin, Grace is irresistible. This is indeed true! But only for the sheep. This is not true for the goats. The goats have no receptor of Grace.
Our Lord Jesus Christ in all of His Omnipotence, His generosity and His graciousness, CANNOT GIVE GRACE TO THOSE WHO DON’T NEED IT. Pardon is only for the guilty. Forgiveness is only for the sinful. Grace is only for the ungodly, unrighteous, sick, lost and sinners (Rom. 4:5). If you think you are not one of these, just like the Pharisees and the Sadducees during the time of our Lord, and just like many of the ministers today who are self-righteous and who think that they don’t sin anymore, then you don’t need our Lord Jesus Christ. For our Lord said:
“… For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mat. 9:13b)
17. GRACE WILL COME TO US WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT
Since Grace is sovereign, its workings are not dependent on us. Take for example our Salvation. Christ died for us, whether we like it or not. He died for the sheep and not for the goats (John 10:11). He died for the sheep whether the sheep will accept Him or not. Our Salvation is not dependent on our acceptance to our Lord. Remember that “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). A sinner cannot accept Christ. Why do sinners cannot accept Christ? This was further elaborated by Ephesians 2:1:
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
While we where still dead – a dead person cannot do anything. It cannot even move, let alone accept our Lord Jesus. The verse told us that it is the Lord that quicken us because we are dead. It is not us that allowed Christ to quicken us, instead, it is Christ’s own doings. That’s why a person cannot accept Christ, it should be Christ that accepts the person. SO WHETHER WE ACCEPT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST OR NOT, He already died for us. We have been bought by His precious blood that’s why we are saved. We have been justified by His blood.
SHEEP WERE SAVED WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT. WE HAVE BEEN SAVED WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, CHRIST HAD QUICKENED US WHILE WE WERE DEAD. It is not you that allow Christ to change you. You have no ability to do that since you were dead. It is all the doings of our Lord. And because “the gifts and calling of God is without repentance” (Rom.11:29), this Grace cannot be taken away from us.
18. THOSE THAT CAN MOST APPRECIATE GRACE ARE THE UNGODLIEST OF THE UNGODLY
“God justifies the ungodly” (Rom 4:5)
If for example two people owed me money, one owed me 10 dollars and the other owed me 1 million dollars and I tell those people “I forgive you all for what you have owed me. Consider all of your debts paid. You don’t owe me anything anymore.” Who do you think of the two will appreciate my grace more? Who do you think will love me more? Well, it is very obvious. The one who will appreciate and love me more is of course the one who owed me 1 million dollars who is probably thinking that he was greatly saved from that debt because he may can’t pay it even working all his life.
Now between the two, who had received Grace more abundantly? Of course, it is the one that owed me the greatest. The ungodliest of the ungodly are the ones who possess the biggest grace-container that needs to be filled. This is why the power of Grace will rest more to those who are the ungodliest of the ungodly. They are the ones whom Grace are so powerful with. This is the reason why it was the Apostle Paul who was chosen by our Lord to be the first Messenger to preach Grace among the Gentiles. For the best person to use in order to preached Grace is the person who received much of it.
Among the Apostles of God, it was the Apostle Paul who truly knows the Law for he is a master of Law. We all know that before Paul got converted, he was Saul, a master of law and a notorious murderer. And not just an ordinary murderer but A CHRISTIAN MURDERER. Many followers of our Lord have fallen upon his feet including Stephen (Acts 7:58). He was authorized to kill Christians by the chief priests (Acts 9:14). He was being greatly feared by every Christian believer that time that even Ananias, the one commission by our Lord to baptized Paul, was hesitant to go and meet him (Acts 9:10-16).
These are the reasons why Paul considers himself as the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15-16) or the ungodliest among the ungodly. That is why, among all the apostle, he is the one who had received the greatest amount of Grace from our Lord. He is therefore the best person to teach it. Paul serves as our outstanding pattern, our example, that even the chiefest of sinners could possess eternal life! That even the most unlikely person could also be saved. That even the most notorious murderer can become an Apostle of the Lord! Indeed, what amazing grace! Praise be the name of the Lord!
If there is someone who knows what grace really is, it is no other than the chief of sinners himself, the apostle Paul. This is also the reason why in most of his letters, he always opened and closed them by mentioning grace.
The apostle Paul is our pattern that God’s amazing grace can save the worst of sinners. Do you know someone whom you thought “Naaa, this one’s really going to hell!” Think of the Apostle Paul then. If our Lord can save him who is the chief of sinners, how much more us? If you are that someone who is still hesitant to return to our Lord because of sins, this is the right time to return to Him now. A Grace without limit is reserved for you by our Lord. If there is someone who can best appreciate and preach what Grace is, it will be you. Not me.
What an amazing God we have indeed! What an amazing grace! Who could have thought that a just ruler would die for the unjust rebels? GOD JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY. He is not ashamed of doing it and neither do I of preaching it!
19. GRACE CAN ONLY FLOW THROUGH GRACE
Here in Makati Church, we are so much blessed by all kinds of spiritual blessings because we have no man made programs here. Grace can only flow through Grace. In a Church where man-made programs are followed, where man is in control, where the believers are not free, then Grace cannot flow. Revelations cannot flow. Abundance of revelations can only be given to a Church where Grace can flow. It is a Church not controlled by man, or organizations or any man-made programs but the sole authority is the Spirit of God alone.
If you want to attend a Church, make sure that the Church you are attending is free and not in a cage. Remember that the fundamental of Grace is that the Spirit of God is free to work among the believers. If the Church you are attending now is under the control of man, leave that Church. You will not grow there. Our Lord cannot work in you.
The same is true when our Lord will use you someday to minister to His people. Aim to be free like an Eagle. Do not let yourself be controlled by any man or any organizations. Remember that we are only given rare opportunity to serve our Lord on this Earth. Serve Him freely. Serve Him with courage.
Likewise, NEVER ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE BELIEVERS that Lord had entrusted you. Remember that you don’t own them. Those sheep are the Lord’s.
20. IN GRACE, ALL THAT IS DONE IN CHRIST WERE ALSO ALREADY DONE IN US
Because our Lord Jesus Christ is our standing (Eph. 2:6), all that is done in our Lord Jesus were also already done in us (Eph. 1:3, 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12). Because He is sitting now in His throne of glory, we are also seated in Him already. Because He is our Head and we are His Body, all that are experienced by Him will also be experienced by us. Because our Lord Jesus is Holy, we are also Holy. Every blessing that we receive is directly associated with what He did. And since He did give everything, all things will also be given to Him. Since He is the One Who did everything for us, all glory will also be given to Him.
Praised be the Name of the Lord!
21. FROM GRACE COMES PEACE
Those who have known Grace, have known peace. Peace is the fruit of Grace. Knowing that our Lord is the One that works in us and the one taking control of our lives, will give us lasting peace of mind. You don’t need to worry about tomorrow for the God that made the heavens and the Earth is with you.
Grace leads to Peace. You won’t experience true peace if you haven’t experience God’s grace. This why the apostle Paul always open and close his letters with the phrase “May the Grace and the Peace of the Lord be unto you all.” If you want to live a true peaceful life then you must live in Grace.
A Peaceful life is a Graceful life.
CONCLUSION
Indeed, it takes Grace to explain Grace. We cannot give what we did not received. And I thank the Lord for His Grace for me. Although I am not worthy of all of these, but just like what we can read in this article: This is all about Him, not about us.
Grace has taught us many things as it is vast and limitless. But most importantly, it teaches us about our Lord Jesus Christ. That He is the Grace of God given for us. And that all of these revolves around Him. He is God’s gift to this world. He is the One Who leads and guides those who trust Him the steering wheel of their cars. This Grace is told incredibly well in the words of this very well-known hymn. To close this, below is the original poem written by John Newton that became probably the best known hymn of all time. This is the original version written by Newton in 1772. The last three stanzas are probably different from what you used to hear. But I encourage you to meditate on the lyrics of this song. Someday, when we will reign with our Lord, we will sing this song. And all the angels will be amazed for on that day, all the recipients of Grace will together sing this song and declare God’s Amazing Grace!
AMAZING GRACE
John Newton, 1772
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I’m found,
Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.
May the Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.
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