Graduate From God’s Grace?

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 10:09 am by Andrew Farley

Graduate From God’s Grace? 2015-01-19T10:09:49-06:00 Andrew Farley

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The erroneous idea that God’s grace is only “cookies and candy” and that there’s a deeper message of “stop your sinning” is the very core of the problem in church today.

What the Bible actually says is that God’s Grace is the core of the Gospel and that God’s Grace is the only thing that strengthens us and enables us to say no to sin.
Those who think “stop sinning” is a deeper message can easily find that anywhere, in the message of John the Baptist, or in many world religions.

Of course, Christians know that sin is bad and should be avoided. We just don’t know *how* to be strengthened and to avoid sin. God’s Grace is the answer, and there is no deeper message than “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

What is unique and awesome about Christianity is that it is God’s Grace that strengthens us: “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be **strengthened by grace.**” (Hebrews 13:9)
What is unique and awesome about Christianity is that it is God’s Grace that gives us victory over sin: “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but **under grace**.” (Romans 6:14)
What is unique and awesome about Christianity is that it is God’s Grace that teaches us to say “No” to temptation: “[the grace of God] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:12)
What is unique and awesome about Christianity is that it is God’s Grace that is the very core of the whole message: “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of **the gospel of the grace of God**.” (Acts 20:24)

The fact that many in the church today think a message about “Grace” and a message about “Avoiding Sin” are supposedly different messages- that right there is the core of the problem.
People are getting a lightweight understanding of God’s grace. They think Grace is merely about forgiveness and heaven; they cannot see that by God’s grace Christ lives in us and by grace He equips us for every good deed.

We never graduate from God’s grace and there is no deeper message. The Gospel is “the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24).

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