Transforming Grace: Changed from the Inside Out
Law
“When the Bible speaks of “the law,” it refers to the detailed standard God gave to Moses, beginning in Exodus 20 with the Ten Commandments. God’s Law explained His requirements for a holy people and included three categories: civil, ceremonial, and moral laws.”
- Gotquestions.org
Grace
Favor, joy, rejoice, acceptance, thanks, gratitude, favor done without expectation of return, unearned favor, especially the favor which an inferior finds in the eyes of his superior, antithesis to work. God’s grace forgives the repentant and brings joy and thankfulness.
- Gotquestions.org -Logos
- Connection between the grace/blessing and obedience
- Genesis 1:26-28
“The blessing into which they were created was stated in terms of a command…The first words they heard from God were blessing…The command itself is a blessing.”
- Duncan
- Genesis 3:4
Eating from the tree didn’t make them more like God, but less.
Obedience is the way to experience His grace! Now that we’re on the other side of the Fall, forgiving grace is what enables us to image God once again.
- Grace comes BEFORE Obedience.
- Ex 19:4-6
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
- Titus 2:11-14
Grace trains us to renounce ungodliness!
- Unbiblical Alternatives
- Antinomians (meaning against law) believe that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey.
- Legalists believe in and demand a strict literal adherence to rules and regulations in order to be saved.
Interestingly antinomians really don’t understand grace and legalists don’t understand the law!
Galatians 5
1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
2Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity[c] for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.[d] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
Understanding grace, will lead to the fruit of the Spirit, not to selfish living. And seeking to proudly live by my own works leads to such destruction.
Bottom line: Grace leads to obedience! A misunderstanding of grace can lead to the works of the flesh.
Here are some indicators to help you think about this in your life:
- Is there a deep-seated confident gratitude that engenders my obedience or am I trying hard to obey so that God is not displeased?
- Is there a humble enjoyment of my brothers and sisters in Christ or is there a critical spirit and competing with them?
- What is my response to criticism? Am I free to learn from it because I’m already accepted by God and now I’m free to keep growing? Or is it devastating because I’m not being acknowledged for how hard I’m trying? Or does it lead to despair because I can’t get it right?
- The Biblical Solution
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Ligon Duncan, The Whole in our Holiness, T4G 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLxxC6G9g8I
