How does one fall short of the grace of God?

Believers, how does a Christian become defiled? Hebrews 12:14-17 tells us this and so much more:

14 "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."

Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. But in order to be holy, we need to look carefully "lest anyone fall short of the grace of God" according to verse 15 above. If one falls short of the grace of God, roots of bitterness spring up and cause trouble (so one cannot pursue peace with all people) and many become defiled.

According to verse 16:

If one falls short of the grace of God, fornication and profanity thrive (so one cannot live a holy life.)

From these, we see that the worst thing that can happen to a believer in Christ is to fall short of God's grace.

But how does one fall short of God's grace?

Many of us think that sinning is what causes a believer to fall short of God's grace but this is not so! According to Galatians 5:4, keeping the Law (including the Ten Commandments) in order to get right with God is how to fall short of God's grace!

"4 For 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."

You see, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Christ died to make us righteous. All of our own righteousnesses are like filthy rags according to Isaiah. God loves us so much and doesn't want us to perish so He gave His Son for us; our sins for His righteousness. This righteousness is a gift and cannot be sullied or removed by whatever we do or don't do. With it comes the gift of no condemnation by which we go and sin no more. It's not by works or self effort!

For a believer in Christ to still depend on the Ten Commandments for his righteousness is to say that Jesus didn't do a good enough work on the cross in making him righteous, so he has to do some of his own to 'complete' Christ's finished work. It is to be neither hot nor cold. It is to reject his birthright as a born-again Christian (God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness in Christ) in order to satisfy his own pride and pat himself on the back for doing works that Isaiah calls filthy rags.

One has sold his birthright (God's grace) like Esau did. There is no way to inherit the blessing outside grace. No place for repentance, no matter how diligently one seeks it. There is no holiness here. Only rejection!

Believers, why clean yourself with filthy rags (works of the Law) when Christ has already washed you clean with His blood? Determination and self-will cannot help you pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. People have been trying and failing to keep the Law since the Law was given at Mt. Sinai! Even the holiest person in the world sins and according to James 2:10, breaking one law makes one guilty of all. Remember, when one is under the law, he is cut off from Christ. Law and grace don't mix. Only in the Beloved are we accepted; only the righteousness that comes by "One Man’s obedience" is acceptable to God.

You cannot stop watching porn, losing your temper, being impatient, cussing at other drivers on the road, lying, fornicating, stealing and stop sinning in general by making up your mind to stop. Just ask Peter who denied our Saviour 3 times after boasting that he would not! You might see temporary results, an Ishmael born but not of God's will, a glory that is fading away; but when temptation comes and the devil asks to sift you like wheat like he did with Peter, the arm of flesh will fail.

We often think that all sinners enjoy sinning and want to wallow in sin but many are actively looking for a way out but continue to fail because some pastor, who is secretly battling the same sins that hold these beloved of God captive, keeps telling them to "keep the Law, or else." But lawkeeping cannot make anyone righteous. This is why many of our young people don't like going to church. They hear only condemnation and no salvation.

But God's grace stops sin! Sin is nothing compared to His grace!

God hates sin but loves the sinner, much like (but waaaaaaaay better than) how a dad who is also an expert oncologist hates the cancer in his beloved child. So what does He do? He fills us with the only effective sin "chemo" that He made available to believers - the Holy Spirit. His eyes burn at and destroy sin but radiate perfect love for the sinner. His Spirit transforms us to the image of His glory, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18.) We get get to be free from the clutches of sin and live right and not by our efforts but Christ in us!

Accept the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness and reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ! You will not continue to sin.

Believe Right and you will Live Right!