Do you have Grace-A-Phobia? Many people do. The average Christian is afraid to let go of rules. Without rules the world would be in anarchy. Chaos in the church! That’s what they fear. The idea that there is a Hyper-Grace movement is based on the lack of understanding of Grace. It’s nothing new. Jesus Himself was crucified, Paul was imprisoned over and over for the same reason. All the Christian martyrs were hated because of the preaching of Grace.
The answer is in Romans 6:15-16, don’t overlook part b. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? (16) Know ye not, (b) that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience (to God) unto righteousness?” When we do what the devil tells us to do, we are sinning; obeying sin. We are then a slave to sin. Addictions are slavery to Satan. Demonic strongholds.
***When Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread … think about this… He was being tempted to do something that Satan told Him to do. Turning stones to bread is a miracle, not a “sin” by law. Yet if Jesus SUBMITTED to Satan right there… even to do a miracle..it would be sin. AND Jesus would have become a slave to him, in sin! Just like us, addicted to Satan’s voice, confused, unable to hear God clearly, in fear. He would have let Satan inside His head. For us, the remedy is actually Grace. We are not subject to Satan anymore, through Christ, if we understand Grace.
Grace is … the end of slavery to sin. Grace is maturity in Christ. Grace is the realization that sin is stupid, nothing but death, destruction, unappetizing to the spirit. Grace is the knowledge that rules are not needed nor are they part of relationship with God. Laws and rules are for unbelievers! Moral behavior is what happens when we have God in us and we become sensitive to Him, discarding our rules and becoming one with God. Thinking like Him, thinking with Him, one with God, union with God. The mind of Christ is in us when we are born spiritually (born-again). We are tuned in and in constant communion with God…in…us. When your child is 2 years old, or 5.. he or she may think it’s fun to eat cookies all day and candy, or play in the street or jump on the bed. These things are stupid because they lead to sickness, injury and death. All things that are stupid lead to death. When people don’t have God inside they do stupid things. Drug use for entertainment, drinking alcohol to drunkenness or just too often; gambling addictions and selfishness are all destructive behavior. People who don’t have God’s voice in their head will listen to the other voices. It’s all about asking God to live in you and The Holy Spirit as your guide. It’s a wise and happy person who is living a relationship with God, by Grace. Embrace Grace and live a wise and happy life. Freedom in Christ is like growing up and learning to live productive, amazing, healthy prosperous lives. Grace is living God’s plan for you, abundant life. Let go of the inferiority of religious rules and dry rituals according to the natural mind. Live by the Spirit!
Amen to that! I think I may be a Grace-a-holic!