God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Believers, because we are in Christ (having the Lord as our Righteousness and not that which is from our own obedience to the Law,) we are automatically God's beloved children in whom He is well pleased. Nothing to do with what we do or do not do; all to do with the perfect work of Christ for us. He loves us so! In Christ, we are no longer under the Old Covenant of the Law but under a New Covenant of Grace and Truth in Christ, where our sins and lawless deeds are no longer remembered by our Abba Father (Hebrews 8 and 10)
But does this mean that we now have license to wallow in sin as many say of Grace? Certainly not! Believers, by God's grace, let's take our blessed brains to church🤗 Romans 6:14 says:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
But somehow, many in the church have it backwards thinking Grace is what will make one go on sinning sprees and forget about Jesus, Grace personified! Not so!
If one is trying to keep the law and is doing "good things" in order to get right with God, that one has the old (sin) nature that was inherited from Adam by all mankind and this is the result according to Romans 7:5-
"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
Also, 1 Corinthians 15:56 says "...the strength of sin is the law."
The more one tries to keep the law and be good in order to gain favour from God, the more sin strengthens its grip over that one's life. Christ died to make us right with God so thinking that our own good deeds is what makes us right with God is denying the finished work of Christ and its efficacy! This is unbelief.
But when you believe that you are made righteous by the obedience of Christ (Romans 5:19) and not your own obedience, you no longer have the old nature. You are dead to the law. Old things have passed away. No more curse. You are a New Creation in Christ Jesus. And this is the result according to Romans 7:4-
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God."
Grace is undeserved, unmerited favour. If one iota of our strength is in it, it is no longer Grace (Romans 11:6,) and only by grace through faith are we saved, so we have nothing to boast of in ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9,) not our own fasts, self-discipline, giving, morality, evangelism, dedication or right-living prowess. With the Lord as our righteousness, "all these things shall be added unto you." We get to be transformed to the image of His glory, from glory to glory, through no effort of ours. We get to love proclaiming Jesus. This is walking int the Spirit.
But many in the church are still eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (a picture of the Law.) Whatever part of the tree that one eats of, whether good or evil, the result is still death. But the Spirit gives life.
Believers, don't be deceived by anti-Christ pastors who downplay the perfect, finished work of Christ in saving you and highlight your own giving and performance of the Ten Commandments as the measure of your right-standing with God and your ability to receive from Him. Romans 3:20 says-
"For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Going by human wisdom, it seems un-commonsensical to believe that one can be 100% acceptable to God, pleasing to Him and also get to live right and reign in life (including reign over sins and addictions) by simply believing Jesus (believing His finished work of our salvation,) all without human effort. See 1 Corinthians 1:18-20-
18"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."
Mixing law and grace (thinking "I've done my best; Jesus will understand and do the rest) is to be "neither cold nor hot" and is an abomination to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Under Law, you have to keep ALL of the law in order to enjoy God's blessings and escape the curse. See Deut. 28. Under Grace, the law is fulfilled in us but not by us. Christ did it all. We get to enjoy our Abba Father's blessings and favour that we do not deserve and live right too. This is Grace- undeserved, unmerited favour. It angers the self-righteous Pharisee-types who think that they are strong, disciplined and "not that bad" and lifts up the lost, the last and the least!
The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.
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