Grace
What is 'Grace!
I lived my life for twenty years (more) under the Law
I condemned myself through sin
Then I discovered Grace through Our Lord Jesus Christ
He became Grace by laying down his life
Because of my pride, I was unwilling to accept it
I would shrink back under the covering of darkness
In the Law or under it is self-condemnation
Under it is sin
He who walks in light (Grace) cannot sin
But I did sin! So sorry fellas, back you go to Stage two
I would reason like this (nothing wrong with reason, trying to work things out) I'm in the Light but I'm still sinning therefore I need the power not to sin. God's got to give me the power it's no good these great apostles or evangelists going on about not sinning all very well for them.
But I failed to realise. Sin can only operate where there is guilt. Sin can only operate where it is people living 'under the law. From sin comes bondage (sin as a way of life)
If I truly accept the gift of grace I don't have to sin. It's not that I accept grace and then somehow look around for the strength to stop sinning (and condemning myself: the law means condemning yourself not only for specific sin but in general. Remember when you condemn yourself you slip back into the darkness). Grace means you don't have to sin. It's not necessary. It's not required.
Hang on! Who said it's necessary or required? Yes, under the law, once you are condemned you sin again. It never ends. Grace means it's no longer necessary.
But I still sin! Yes don't we all. But it means you don't accept Grace because if you did you wouldn't think that you still HAVE to sin. You don't HAVE to sin. You can stop it by realising (get this) you don't need it!
But it's part of me! No it's not. Sin is not you. It's the energy of the Devil running in you. Was Christ's sacrifice on the Cross for nothing then? The Cross can set you free or it can fall on you and bury you. It was too heavy for Christ to carry He stumbled several times.
I turned my back on Grace because I was used to condemning myself under the law. I lived under an iron unflexible law for twenty years (cult worship). Even I walked into Grace I would still step back into the darkness again. Grace means you accept that Christ died for you and set you free. It doesn't mean reading books. It means accepting a simple fact, Christ died so that you could be free. If you accept that simple fact (simple but not simple at all) you can be free. Like a mantle or a cloak dropping off. So simple I couldn't see it and would shrink back into the darkness, unable to comprehend the Light Of Life.
No, no Bible verses here. Not Necessary. You can read the Bible anytime. 'And the Light shone into the darkness (I John) and the darkness comprehended it not'.
You must understand I'm talking here about me. Not you. If it applies to you, that's great. Me in sin. Me in bondage. Me that was needing help.
If I truly understand and live in Grace I can forgive people. I don't have the desire to exact vengeance or hurt them or punish them (teach them a lesson). Christ didn't teach anyone a lesson. He laid down his life like a lamb.
'But I can't become a doormat'. Christ did. Christ became the bridge from darkness to light. From Law to Grace. From bondage to liberty.
But I need to sin. I have to sin. It's part of me. Ok. so carry on sinning then. But once you realise (and I'm still getting my teeth around this, it's huge) that you don't have to sin (not required) you can free yourself and walk in liberty. If you walk in sin, you are no longer under liberty. You're going back to stage two (The Law, Condemnation). O by the way. Stage One is the stage of being dead to God, asleep in your sins, no awareness at all. Destination of soul number one: hell. Guaranteed. That's not you. You wouldn't be reading this. Stage Two: awakened to your condition (sin) and under the condemnation of the Law. Stage three: grace.
The point I'm making is 'We don't have to sin'. If we do, it's a conscious decision we make to do so. But it's not necessary if the Lord is offering us Grace. I have seen myself walk away from Grace, prefering to live in darkness under the Law and sin, unforgiving spirit,vengeful attitude, pride, cold like a stone, despising myself for the way I am, condemning myself. Then I go back to Grace again, because it's no good living that way. Like going back to a house you used to live in. Not necessary. No longer required.
Get your teeth around that. It's a big one. Sin. No longer required. Thankyou but no thankyou. I'm moving on. It doesn't mean we have no sin it means we stop justifying it and making excuses for it. And we stop thinking we have no control over it because we are the ones who can choose where we live in darkness or light. We may have sin but we choose not to do it.You can say it's not a matter of choice but once you experience Grace it is.
Why did I write about this? I was condemning myself again. I found myself angry, resentful, pride. Unable to respond, unable to forgive. Then in the morning God dropped this huge granite block of Grace on the table in front of me and said 'Here. Get your teeth around this'. I cried. Wouldn't you? I'm still coming to terms with it. it may take some time!