Understanding Grace 2

1) What is Grace? It can mean something as broad as describing the whole of God’s activity toward man or as narrow as describing one segment of that activity.

There are many folds to this Grace.

The Bible calls it the manifold grace of God = a word used in the 1800’s to describe a musical instrument involving a “pipe or chamber with several outlets.

You may have heard about the group of blind men that were led to an elephant. Each of the men felt a different part, and then gave his description of an elephant.

tail = like a rope

leg = like a tree

trunk = like a big water hose

side = like a wall

ear = like a big floppy leaf

tusk = like a pipe

Each was correct about his encounter, but none of them provided a comprehensive description of an elephant. They may even argued over who was right, and in reality none were incorrect: however , each was incomplete.

This is true of understanding Grace.

Deep sin and bondage = grace as delivering power

Saved at a early age = grace a s keeping power

See God move strong in ministry = grace as enabling power

Touched by God comfort and strength during trails = sustaining power

A diamond has many facets. As you turn the diamond, each facet will reflect light differently and express a unique view of the gemstone.

It’s God Love in manifestation thats based on the merits Jesus. So it is merited favor but not based on our merits but the merits of Christ. Any act of God’s grace or mercy is based on God’s goodness and not our own. God moving in our life in any way is God’s grace.

The phrase “Grace and Peace to you” is in the Bible 17 times and it puts grace first indicating that Grace is the root of what God did for us through Jesus, while peace follows as the fruit of His gracious work.

It the New Covenant That we are in with God.

Lets look at the Law vs Grace to help us define grace:

2 ) I believe as a Christian we all have a run in with works of law. It’s ingrained into our old nature. The old man. All of those in 1st Adam are still in the covenant of works. And those who are Christians that yet to know the new covenant of Grace.

THE STORY is told of a bear that lived in a 12 × 12 foot cage. It lived there for some twelve years and so it got to know that cage extremely intimately.

The bear was so proficient at moving around his small world that it could close its eyes, walk to the end of the cage, and before it hit the end of the cage, it would stop, turn around, and go to the other end. Before it hit the other end, it would spin around and do it over and over again, never ever bumping into the cage.

As it got larger, the bear’s handlers decided to enlarge its world, and built the animal a 36 × 36 foot cage to give it a lot more room to experience life inside of this cage. The problem was that when they put the bear, which had lived in the 12 × 12 foot cage, into the 36 × 36 foot cage, it would still only walk twelve feet and then turn around and go the other way.

The bear’s problem was that even though it moved to a new cage, it brought the old cage with it. The problem with the bear was that it was still hostage to the limitations of its old life.

Even though it had been promoted to a whole new environment, it had not shed the habits that had been learned in the old place. This is like the effect of the law on the lives of Christians.

Many of us have been used to living under law so long and under the limitations and restrictions of a performance-based approach to Christian living, that we don’t know how to handle the new freedom called grace. We keep living, limited by law, even though we’ve been set free to a lot more room under grace.

We all go through a process of learning to live by Grace.

When I first started living for God I was hearing the Word. This brought a gulf between where I was and were I should be. I would look into the mirror of the Word of God and see all that needed to change.

I began to notice all the things that needed to change that I hadn’t seen before. Notice in others peoples lives as well.

So I tried to change myself and didn’t realize I had a right motive but went about it in wrong way.

I began to try and change those around me.

I tried to change my circumstances.

The problem is that I was in control. I didn’t know how to allow the Holy Spirit to come into my life and cause the things to happen that needed to happen as I believed Him and exercised my faith. I thought I had to do it all.

I didn’t know how to submit myself to the Lord and wait on Him.

So I would live in frustration. Over myself, circumstances, and other people.

2) What I was doing was operating under law:

Galatians 3:10 AMP

10 And all who depend on the Law [who are seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law of rituals] are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction, for it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed (accursed, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment) be everyone who does not continue to abide (live and remain) by all the precepts and commands written in the Book of the Law and to practice them.

Frustration = is to disappoint, to prevent from obtaining a goal or fulfilling a desire.

Anytime we put ourselves under the Law we are setting ourselves up for frustration, disappointment, and misery. Why? Because the law has the ability to do one of two things:

1) If we follow it perfectly, it can make us holy. But since no human being can do that, 2)the second thing the Law can do is to actually increase sin, which leads to destruction.

Romans 2 and 3 teach us that God gave the old testament law so man would try to keep it, find out he could not, and realize his desperate need for a savior.

I was unconsciously putting myself under the curse of the Law. The result was frustration.

It was something I had to accomplish rather than promises God would fulfill in me as I trusted Him and waited for His victory.

There is a principle of the Sabbath rest physically speaking but there is also a mental and spiritual rest that the Bible talks about entering into through faith.

We can strive to the point that we physically get worn out. We tax our Adrenalin glands. Legalism has a weight that will crush us.

3)

The phrase “Grace and Peace to you” is in the Bible 17 times and it puts grace first indicating that Grace is the root of what God did for us through Jesus, while peace follows as the fruit of His gracious work.