Growing in Grace.
Believers, the sign that we are growing in Christ (Grace-personified) is not found in our ability to live right or do good things by human effort. Even unbelievers do good things and can say no to sin given the right circumstances. The sign of our growing in grace is found in the size of our revelation of how much we are loved and forgiven in Christ, how we are/can do nothing without Him, how powerless we are against sin on our own and how bogged down and entrenched in sin we would be were it not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
See Paul's own revelation as he grew in grace, the first step being from his description of himself as "the least of the apostles" in 1 Corinthians 15-
"For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
God's grace is in vain (wasted) on those who hear the message of the cross (righteousness by faith in Christ) and refuse to take advantage of His Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour,) choosing instead to rely on their human effort at obeying the law in order to get right with God, live a righteous life and inherit eternal life, an effort in futility according to Romans 3:20.
Back to growing in Grace, in a later epistle, Ephesians, Paul described himself as "less than the least of all the Lord’s people," lower than when he described himself as"the least of the apostles" in his letter to the Corinthians. See this in Ephesians 3:
"7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,"
Again in a later epistle, 1 Timothy 1, he went down further seeing himself at the bottom of the rung of all sinners- the worst of them all! -
"15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners."
As Paul increased in the knowledge of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, he saw more and more who he would be without God's grace- from the "least of the apostles" to the "less than the least of all the Lord’s people" and finally the worst of all sinners! He attributed all that he achieved to the grace of God within him; the same grace that we have today!
Believers, never ever think that you can attain sinless perfection or even have victory over ANY sin by your own power. Never attrribute your success and victories to your own smarts. The reason that we are not wallowing in sin is because God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and with every temptation Christ is the Way of escape for us. See 1 Corinthians 10:13-
"We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."
The reason why people sin is because they have been tempted beyond what they can bear. If sinners had a Shepherd to lead them on the path of righteousness and filter/screen their tests, they too would overcome. With this knowledge through Christ, it becomes difficult for us to condemn those who are yet to receive their invitation to enjoy God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness "for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romams 5:17. Instead, of pointing sinners to themselves for salvation, we point them to Christ who saves from sins.
The flesh in the pastor is the same flesh in the prostitute. Given the right circumstances, anybody can do anything; sin in the flesh is activated when we try to keep the law (see 1 Cor 15:56) or think that some sins are beneath us because we are "better than that." This is why Peter could deny Jesus when he absolutely knew that he would not. He swore that he wouldn't but ended up doing the very thing that he swore not to do...three times...and with swearing and cursing! The dynamics of the law cannot change:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.
Try to obey the law in order to be godly and sin will have dominion. This "obey the law and do good things in order to position yourself for God's blessing and escape Satan" is the doctrine in many places of worship. This is the same strategy that Satan used on Eve in the garden of Eden when he told her that she would be godly (be like God) by human effort. She and Adam tried to be godly by human effort. The result- sin had dominion and death reigned through Adam. See Romans 5:17-19.
Believer, is there any sin or addiction that you are still trying to suppress with your own power or think you can handle like Peter? Are you trying to be righteous in the sight of God by human effort at obeying the law after Christ shed His blood for you for this purpose? These have dangerous consequences:
"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." Galatians 5:4.
Also Galatians 3:10- "Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse. For the scripture says, “Whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God's curse!”"
No one can obey everything always. No one is righteous outside of the righteousness that proceeds from the obedience of Christ which is God's gift to all who believe.
Believer, stop trying and start believing Jesus by His grace. This is why He came for you: Matthew 1:21-
And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
In Christ, our paths can only shine brighter and brighter, not by our own light (righteousness from works of the law) but by our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. When we let go (of our puny efforts at saving ourselves and being righteous) and let Him, we can't but grow in grace.
Growing in grace is trusting less in ourselves and more in Christ for everything. None of me. ALL OF CHRIST. He saves from sin and death!
See Paul's own revelation as he grew in grace, the first step being from his description of himself as "the least of the apostles" in 1 Corinthians 15-
"For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
God's grace is in vain (wasted) on those who hear the message of the cross (righteousness by faith in Christ) and refuse to take advantage of His Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour,) choosing instead to rely on their human effort at obeying the law in order to get right with God, live a righteous life and inherit eternal life, an effort in futility according to Romans 3:20.
Back to growing in Grace, in a later epistle, Ephesians, Paul described himself as "less than the least of all the Lord’s people," lower than when he described himself as"the least of the apostles" in his letter to the Corinthians. See this in Ephesians 3:
"7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,"
Again in a later epistle, 1 Timothy 1, he went down further seeing himself at the bottom of the rung of all sinners- the worst of them all! -
"15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners."
As Paul increased in the knowledge of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, he saw more and more who he would be without God's grace- from the "least of the apostles" to the "less than the least of all the Lord’s people" and finally the worst of all sinners! He attributed all that he achieved to the grace of God within him; the same grace that we have today!
Believers, never ever think that you can attain sinless perfection or even have victory over ANY sin by your own power. Never attrribute your success and victories to your own smarts. The reason that we are not wallowing in sin is because God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and with every temptation Christ is the Way of escape for us. See 1 Corinthians 10:13-
"We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."
The reason why people sin is because they have been tempted beyond what they can bear. If sinners had a Shepherd to lead them on the path of righteousness and filter/screen their tests, they too would overcome. With this knowledge through Christ, it becomes difficult for us to condemn those who are yet to receive their invitation to enjoy God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness "for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romams 5:17. Instead, of pointing sinners to themselves for salvation, we point them to Christ who saves from sins.
The flesh in the pastor is the same flesh in the prostitute. Given the right circumstances, anybody can do anything; sin in the flesh is activated when we try to keep the law (see 1 Cor 15:56) or think that some sins are beneath us because we are "better than that." This is why Peter could deny Jesus when he absolutely knew that he would not. He swore that he wouldn't but ended up doing the very thing that he swore not to do...three times...and with swearing and cursing! The dynamics of the law cannot change:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.
Try to obey the law in order to be godly and sin will have dominion. This "obey the law and do good things in order to position yourself for God's blessing and escape Satan" is the doctrine in many places of worship. This is the same strategy that Satan used on Eve in the garden of Eden when he told her that she would be godly (be like God) by human effort. She and Adam tried to be godly by human effort. The result- sin had dominion and death reigned through Adam. See Romans 5:17-19.
Believer, is there any sin or addiction that you are still trying to suppress with your own power or think you can handle like Peter? Are you trying to be righteous in the sight of God by human effort at obeying the law after Christ shed His blood for you for this purpose? These have dangerous consequences:
"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." Galatians 5:4.
Also Galatians 3:10- "Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse. For the scripture says, “Whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God's curse!”"
No one can obey everything always. No one is righteous outside of the righteousness that proceeds from the obedience of Christ which is God's gift to all who believe.
Believer, stop trying and start believing Jesus by His grace. This is why He came for you: Matthew 1:21-
And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
In Christ, our paths can only shine brighter and brighter, not by our own light (righteousness from works of the law) but by our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. When we let go (of our puny efforts at saving ourselves and being righteous) and let Him, we can't but grow in grace.
Growing in grace is trusting less in ourselves and more in Christ for everything. None of me. ALL OF CHRIST. He saves from sin and death!
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