Friday, December 24, 2010

Sheep and Goats

Hey friends, I trust you are all still enjoying HIs huge love for you. His love goes beyond understanding and crosses over to this tangible realm. The Gospel is the power of God in and through a believers life and the more we drink down and embraced the compleated work of Jesus, the more we will expereince the revelation of His great love for us!!
Guys, there is nothing else worth anything, outside of knowing and believing His love to you!

Look out for our new web site to be released soon: cornerstonekeg.com
We will be placeing loads of free Gospel resources on a weekly basis. More about that soon:)

For now, here is another article by Cornel Marais from Charisma Ministries. Enjoy!!



"Has anyone ever used Matt 25 and Matt 7 about Jesus separating sheep and goats to condemn you into doing more things for God? Have they used it to make you question your salvation? If they have, please read this article.

Mat 25:31-33 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.


Ok so sheep go to the right, goats to the left. Seems pretty easy, right? Then why is there so much confusion about this? Let me make it as simple as I possibly can.

Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

But ok, in Matthew 25 the sheep did all those good things and the goats didn’t do them, so that is not so hard to understand. But in Matthew 7 above, both the sheep and goats did all the good things, but there was still a separation. How does that work? Sheep prophesied in Jesus’ Name, cast out devils, healed the sick and did many other wonders. Goats also prophesied, delivered, healed and performed wonders. They both did the same things.


In the natural, you can clearly see the difference betwen a sheep and a goat. They are naturally different, or they have different natures. The separation of sheep and goats, believer and unbeliever does not happen based on works and deeds, it happens based on nature. You can easily see the sheep is a sheep and the goat is a goat because they have two very distinct natures. But what if the sheep acts like a goat? Doesn’t matter, it is still a sheep (Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more). What if the goat acts like a sheep? Also doesn’t matter (You are saved by grace and not works).

The same thing is explained by Jesus using trees. All trees bear fruit. Good trees bear good fruit, bad trees bear bad fruit. You would think a bad tree wouldn’t be able to bear fruit, but apparently it does bear fruit. Imagine the best unsaved philanthropist you now. They build orphanages, they fund children’s hospitals, they feed the hungry and give to the poor. They do all these very ‘good’ things but they are still unsaved. They are still bad trees. Even our best efforts are as filthy rags. If you are bad by nature, your fruit is bad. If you are a goat by nature, it doesn’t matter how much you act like a sheep, you are still a goat. If the goat or bad tree places their faith in Christ, they receive a new nature. The goat dies with Christ and is reborn as a sheep. Likewise the bad tree dies and is reborn as a good tree.

Another thing to note in Matthew 7 is where the sheep’s identity was secured and where the goats identity was secured. The sheep identity was in knowing the Sheppard. The goats only knew they acted like sheep. One had their identity in Christ, the other had their identity in their works. The free gift of Righteousness vs. Self-righteousness. The moment they were separated the goats immediately pointed to their works as the basis for their relationship with the Sheppard. You can do all the good you want but it is worth nothing if you don’t have Christ. Sadly, there are many well-meaning goats out there, some in our very own churches who think they are saved sheep but who still live bound to the old nature and oppressed by the law of works.

But why then does Matthew 7:21 say those who DO the will of the Father are sheep and why is Matthew 25′s separation based on doing things? Firstly, what is God’s will? What are the works you are to do to be in His will?

Jhn 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

What do you have to do to work the works of God? Believe in Jesus. If you do that, you are in God’s perfect will. If you act on this faith, you are outworking His will. If you are a sheep, you will naturally act like a sheep. The sheep in Matthew 25 didn’t even know they were doing good, they just did what came naturally. The goats in Matthew 25 didn’t do any good things. But in the end it doesn’t matter if you are a goat doing nothing or a goat doing everything right, what matters is your nature. If you are not a sheep you are not a sheep. Easy, isn’t it? For more on this also read 2 Cor 6:14-17.

Grace to you all!

Cornel"



May His love captivate you always!!
Andrew

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Unforgiving Servant

Hi guys. This next article, I read at:
http://www.charismaministries.org/the-unforgiving-servant/comment-page-1/#comment-1083
Its by Cornel Marais

Enjoy:


"Matt 18:23-35 is one of those passages that has been used for years to beat believers over the head to get them back under performance based legalism. I have been asked about this passage quite a lot, as many people have used it when they try to argue that you can lose your salvation and be thrown out of the kingdom if you don’t do certain things. Lets look at the passage and then just ask 3 simple questions…

Matthew 18:23-35 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (ESV)

Whenever this story is read, people identify God as the king and themselves as the servant. God forgave you your sins just like the king cleared the servant’s debt. Then they say that if we don’t forgive, God won’t forgive us and deliver us to the ‘jailers’ or tormentors in another translation. Whenever we study a piece of scripture, it should always be looked at through what happened on the cross. The cross changed everything. It especially changed the way God relates to us, which is important in understanding this parable. I said I would ask 3 simple questions, so here goes:

1. Are you saved by mercy or grace?
There is a difference between mercy and grace. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8), not mercy. The king in the parable showed mercy by forgiving the servant’s debt out of pity. God didn’t save you out of pity, He saved you out of love. Big difference. If the king had shown the servant grace, he would have not only cleared the debt, he would have given the servant enough money to never be in debt again.

2. Are you a servant or a king?
Surprisingly enough many believers would rather identify with being a servant instead of being a king. The scripture is clear that Jesus no longer considers us servants; we are friends, brothers, kings and priests. As He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). So in this story it would be more accurate if you identified yourself with the king. You are in a position to be merciful, to see the debts people have and to clear it.

3. Does God relate to you based on your works or His Son’s works?
Since we are now the righteousness of God in Christ by faith, God relates to us based on Jesus’ righteousness, or the degree to which Jesus can do right. He no longer looks at our unworthiness, because through the atoning blood of Jesus, we have been made forever worthy. Whenever we think God would ignore the blood of His Son and again look at our own righteous efforts, we are saying Jesus’ blood was not enough.

So please don’t buy into this legalistic manipulation trap that God is going to hand you over to tormentors if you don’t forgive others because if He did, He would be guilty of murdering Jesus. “But Cornel, this Jesus talking about the Kingdom?” Yes, I know. And he told this story before He went to the cross. God’s kingdom didn’t start at the cross. His kingdom has always been there. Before the cross the relationship we had to the kingdom was based on the old covenant performance based laws. Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad. After the cross the relationship we have to the kingdom is based on the finished works of Christ. If you relate to God based on the law, then you are on your own, you have no mediator and He would have to keep His word and punish sin. But if you are saved, you relate to God through Christ, your Mediator, and God again would keep His word that He would not treat you according to your sins because He has punished His Son in your stead.

So the choice is yours: Do you want God to relate to you based on your righteous ability (Old Covenant), or Christ’s righteous ability (New Covenant)? You can’t have both because old and new don’t mix.

Grace to you all!

Cornel"


Loads of Love
Andrew

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Cross is the Grand Finale!

Friends. "We need real meat and no longer just the simple Cross", must be the single most ridiculous thing anyone could ever say. Many believers have been hoodwinked by an unhealthy overflow of the "teachers movement" that has for years been dominating "Christian Television". The misunderstanding that "The Word of God" is the Bible and we need to be "firmly grounded in the Word" , meaning having a deep theology, instead of realizing that the "Word" is NOT THE BIBLE, but JESUS.
To get caught up with any theme other than Jesus and His finished work will lead you to eventually loose your Joy. And slowly but surely the Power of God that is attached to the Good News will dwindle in your life until you reach conclusions like: "Oh, those miracles we saw were just a move of God, and then He stopped." Friends!!!, if we are believing silly statements like that, its because we have drifted away from the feasting table of the Lamb.

One can argue all they like to defend a powerless "Gospel", but it wont change the fact that what they are believing is really "no Gospel at all".
If the cross doesn't make you happy, you have come to the wrong cross. We certainly need to continue to boast about what Jesus has done. There is nothing more convincing to the world than believers enjoying Him publicly.

Just how far has mainline orthodoxy and reformed theology led His church astray. So much so that in many "church services" it is unacceptable to be overcome with the revelation of His intoxicating love!!
God invites us to be "drunk on His love" (Song 5:1). Seriously, lets sober up and fast from bad theology by drinking down the truth of the simple Gospel!!







God bless you all and remember that its better to have communion with the Author of the Book instead of the book itself.


Love
Andrew

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Joshua and the Jordan - the removal of sin Part 2

In the Previous post we saw that it was at the baptism of Jesus that mankind's sin was placed in Jesus... that He became sin.... our sin (Noun: people, place or thing). It was at the cross that that sin was fully paid for through that once for all sacrifice!!
Now, since Jesus became our sin, we must then, even in our often religiously conditioned thinking, release our "humble" claim that we are merely "sinners... saved by grace". This is "non-sense"!! Believer, you are a Saint, not a sinner any more!


The flood of the curse and sins power over mankind was uprooted at its source - Adams unbelief, at Jesus' baptism, and punished in full at His crucifixion:

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy redeemer." (Isa 54:7-8)
This was fulfilled on the Cross:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mat 27:46)


Jesus was condemned representing man so that there would NO LONGER be Condemnation for man In Christ:
"He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds. We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the LORD has laid all our sins on him." (Isa 53:4-6)
"The LORD says, "It was my will that he should suffer; his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness. And so he will see his descendants; he will live a long life, and through him my purpose will succeed. After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them. And so I will give him a place of honor, a place among the great and powerful. He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men. He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven."
(Isa 53:10-12)
That's the Gospel right there friends! Dont be deceived by "doctrines of demons" that would have you still feel the weight of your sin! It is for freedoms sake, that you have been set free. Jesus was delighted at the result of stopping that Adamic flow through the human race.


Joshua chapter 3 shares with us the account of Gods people entering into the Promised Land. This was a Promise given to Abraham hundreds of years before. It is (as all of the Old Testament) a type and shadow of the New Covenant realities that are available NOW for all who would simply believe it as a child.

Here is the account:

Joshua got up early the next morning. He and all the Israelites left Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. Three days later the officers went through the camp. They told the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the promise of the LORD your God and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them. However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don't come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before." Joshua told the people, "Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow the LORD will do miracles among you." Joshua also told the priests, "Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people." They did as they were told. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, 'When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.'" So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here, and listen to the words of the LORD your God." Joshua continued, "This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way. Watch the ark of the promise of the Lord of the whole earth as it goes ahead of you into the Jordan River. Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam." So they broke camp to cross the Jordan River. The priests who carried the ark of the promise went ahead of the people.(The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the LORD'S promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. (Joshua 3:1-17)


This account is full of outrageously glorious pictures!!
here are some:

Joshua was now the new head/leader of Israel now that Moses had died. His name is the Hebrew version of the Greek name, "Jesus". Under the leadership of Moses (Law), the Israelites wondered around in the dessert for 40 years and "their corpses were scattered across the desert and they did not enter the Promise because of their unbelief" (Heb 3) That's because the Law is NOT of faith... it can't produce faith! Only hearing the gospel can (Rom 10:7) . Under the headship of Joshua (Jesus/Grace) it took the nation only a few days to set foot on the Promised Land!!

The river they crossed was the river Jordan.
Jordan means "Descender/ symbolising death"!! The Jordan ended its course by flowing into the Dead Sea. Did you get that?...The Jordan river (A picture of death by literal definition...The consequence of Adams sin/unbelief), empties into the Dead sea.

Now, we know that the Bible says that the wages of sin - Adams sin - is death: For by Adams trespass, death reigned through that one man, and Adams trespass led to condemnation for all men, and through that one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, (Rom 5)
Scripture says that death reigned from the time of Adam... Because of his unbelief, we were all made sinners - by nature (noun) - and sin and death had its way in all of mankind as a result of Adams disobedience.

The only conclusion of that inherited Adamic Nature, if left to run its course, is to end in Death. Eternal separation from an infinitely Good God. This account (before the Ark enters) is a picture of the one track flow of humanity in our fallen state we are in, in Adam.


But the Good News, revealed in this "Shadow" is that Abba intervened and stopped the Natural consequence of sin by sending His Son Jesus.
The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant as a unit, represent Jesus.... being 100% man and 100% God at the same time. When they enter the water, sin and death is reversed... all the way back to Adam! Death (Jordan river) is reversed all the way back to its origin - Adam!!! The text says that they walked through on "dry ground". That means that there was not even a trace of the curse left for us to contend with!
WHO WILL BELIEVE THIS? They are the ones who will live it!


The place where John came baptizing for the remission/forgiveness (divorce)/removal of sin, is in the same area where the Israelites walked over on dry land, unhindered by the flooding Jordan river. The Ark and priests here, are a prophetic picture of what Jesus would do hundreds of years later. When He entered the River to be baptised, sin was removed, so that righteousness could be fulfilled by the finished work of the cross!


How spectacular is this Gospel of Jesus. Every little detail all points towards the highlight of humanity.... Gods Unceasing flow of love towards YOU!!



Jesus loves you all so much, no matter what anybody tells you!!

Love
Andrew

Monday, November 8, 2010

Jesus in the Jordan - the removal of sin. Part 1

The world's sin was place in Jesus at His baptism, and paid for at the cross.


Have you ever wondered when exactly our sin was placed on Jesus body?
Perhaps you haven't, and have just assumed that it was at the cross....
Well, yes, our sin was paid for at the cross. The punishment of the sin of the world was paid for in full at the cross, but Jesus "became our sin" (2 Cor 5) at His baptism.


Now, we all know very well that the Old Testament was a shadow of the reality of Jesus.... Check these few things:


"And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness." (Lev 16:22)


He was the spotless Lamb of God (a sheep), being offered as a goat... a scape goat.
Remember the separating of the sheep and goats:
"Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Mat 25:32-34)
But here Jesus the Lamb of God is identified with sinners... with goats!!
He was "was numbered with the transgressors;" (Isa 53:12)
And is baptised a "baptism of repentance for the removal of sin" (Mark 1:4) - not His sin, but ours!!
Scripture says (2 Cor 5) that he BECAME Sin, but not in and of himself.... it was our sin that He became. Now, if He became our sin, then we no longer had it.... He took it upon himself! Thats Good News!



This act by Jesus caused His Father to be heard saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Mat 3:17)
Why was Father well pleased? Because without Jesus having been baptised for Him to become our sin, the cross would have been meaningless. We could never be made righteous without Him being baptised for us..... even if He went to the cross.
But the Father said that what Jesus had just done was "pleasing" to Him.
So, now that He had been baptised, Gods intended righteousness for man could now be made completely, freely available:
"But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (Mat 3:15)
This was done to fulfill all righteousness.... Again, unless He was baptised, righteousness could not be fulfilled. If He went to the cross without having being baptised for OUR sins - as He had none of his own..., then there would have been no sin in Him to be paid for!

No baptism = No Righteousness/Right-standing before God because we would all still be in our sins!


So, as per the Leviticus shadow, All sin is placed onto the goat via the laying on of hands and, "And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness."

What's the next thing that happens to Jesus after John the Baptist has laid hands on him and baptised him?
He is then led into the wilderness by Holy Spirit!! (Mat 4:1)



The eternal difference between this act and the yearly shadow revealed in the Old Covenant is that Hebrews tells us that Jesus' sacrifice was a once off, for ALL time sacrifice, and needed NOT to be offered yearly because having once been cleansed, the believers now no longer need to have a sin-consciousness!! (Hebrews 10:1-22)




**side note: "But Andrew, we must confess our sins??.... how does that fit with this??"
Simple... It doesn't! Confession of sin to regain favour with Abba is a "doctrine of Devils" preached by man, designed to keep you in bondage to a different "gospel".
Whilst the hermeneutics principle of "plane meaning" is an important one, the principle of "historic context" is probably more important. 1 John 1:9 is the only place in the New Testament where any of the apostles mention confession of sins to God in order to be forgiven. John wrote this into that specific context. If you miss 1 John 1:7 (and the Good News of the New Covenant for that matter!), you will be conned by preachers taking that verse out of its "Historic context".
More on this at:
http://thesoundofreign.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesus-blood-keeps-on-cleansing-you.html



Back to sin being removed from the world at His baptism:
This is further evidenced during the ministry of Jesus. It's the reason why he could say things like.... "your sins ARE forgiven (removed/separated/divorced from you)" (Mat 9:2), before the cross!!
Its why He did not condemn the guilty woman caught in adultery - as He only did and said what the Father did and said, He said, "neither do I condemn you..." (John 8:11)
Or at Simon the Pharisees house with the weeping woman, saying, "Your sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:48)







We will look at this further in part 2. For now, just let Him convince you that He is NOT counting you sin against you, and He is NOT reminding you of your sin! Man!! that's the Gospel!!

"He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." (Psa 103:10-12)

With one sacrifice he accomplished the work of setting them apart for God forever. The Holy Spirit tells us the same thing: "This is the promise that I will make to them after those days, says the Lord: 'I will put my teachings in their hearts and write them in their minds." Then he adds, "I will no longer hold their sins and their disobedience against them." When sins are forgiven, there is no longer any need to sacrifice for sins. (Heb 10:14-18)


Jesus Loves you so much and will NEVER leave or Forsake you!!
Love
Andrew

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wisdom Herself invites you to be drunk with Joy!!

The common phrase, "to crack a smile" says lots about the existing condition of ones face! That the depressed and "angry as sin" look on ones face has been there so long that their facial flesh has hardened in that position, and it takes the painful experience of a joyful smile to crack open such an "inviting demeanor".
Its this self same "inviting demeanor" that - for centuries, in general - has warmly welcomed the lost multitudes into the loving arms of our Father who they represent.......
Confused?.... Exactly!!

Friends, Gospel is Good News! Good news makes us Happy, otherwise its not Good News, but rather, Bad News....
It is NOT "a show of holiness" to be miserable as a Christian..... Abba Father does not take pleasure in seeing your suffering, sadness and poverty and it most certainly is NOT the devil prowling around like a roaring lion, looking to see who he can make happy and laugh "in church"!
How obvious this is to some, but sadly it's "heresy" to others!!

I have heard many warnings about Christians being happy or laughing in intimate communion with Jesus!! "Those happy Christians are deceived", they say... "Stay away from them.. it might rub-off on you and cause you to become like them!!.... don't they know that holiness looks morbid and lonely!" - of course these warnings are based on fear and a lack of understanding the Good News. (If this describes your current view or description of "fullness of Joy", no need to despair!! Father loves you deeply and delights to bring fresh revelation - even this very day :)

In this preach by Rob Rufus from City Church International in Hong Kong, he explains that we have available to us, The indwelling Reason to live in constant intoxicating Love in every single day of your life. Enjoy!!


10 Oct 2010, Rob Rufus 'It is wise to be drunk with joy in the Spirit' from City Church on Vimeo.



(If you cannot hear any audio on this video, then click the link below to have a listen.)
Drunk with Joy!!


Lets thank God for faithful men and woman like John Crowder, Rob Rufus, Joseph Prince, Ben Dunn, Gorgean and Winnie Banov, Bill Johnson, Bertie Brits, Paul White and the like, who have stood their ground for many different aspects of the Gospel revelation, so that soon, as momentum is built, these "fringe truths" and "heresies" (as some would currently yell) will once again take their place in the everyday thinking of believers!
Roll on the Gospel Revolution lord!!


Love to you all!!
As scripture invites us.... "stay drunk with Love" (Songs 5:1)
Andrew

Thursday, October 7, 2010

There is a way that seems right....

The Revelation of the Gospel we are currently seeing and experiencing is certainly not new to humanity, but the fullness of which has certainly been lost for many many decades, if not hundreds or even thousands of years! (I do believe that we will see a greater kingdom manifestation than that of the early church because His is an economy of ever increasing Glory!)

Throughout recent history there have been voices that have risen up with Gospel truth, but have quickly been silenced by main-stream "reformers", and have had rocks heaped on these precious seeds of truth that have within them, the power to gloriously transform the face of planet Earth as we know it!


One of the "rocks" hurled at the Gospel is that people say: Well...you know that - "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." - Pro 14:12
I've had people say that to me as I have been talking about the Glorious finished work of Jesus that bring us into a Promise of freedom through the New Covenant. Especially when we share the Good News that we are no longer under the rules and regulations of "the Old Covenant", and we have been DIVORCED from the Law when we died, in our co-crucifixion with Jesus...2000 years ago!


"But Andrew, the Bible even says that the Law is HOLY and GOOD!..... why are you trying to get people out from living under it!!.... God gave it to us after all!!"

Well, lets look at some things....
Holy: Set aside for a purpose.
Good: Perfect, Absolute, undiluted.

Rom 7:5-6 For while we were living in the flesh (IE... the part that was co-crucified with Christ, and CIRCUMSCRIBED, cut off, removed... GONE, by the hands of Jesus.) , our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive (Through the death of JESUS..... being co-crucified with Him....that was when you carried your cross!), so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

also....

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

So we can clearly see that the ONLY, Undiluted, Absolute, Single-minded purpose that the Law was "set aside" to accomplish was to stir up sin in man.
There IS NO OTHER FUNCTION for it to serve! It was NOT given to make you Holy or Righteous by your obedience to it, and it is COMPLETELY powerless to do that in you!

Rom 7:9-11 At one time I was alive without any laws. But when this commandment came, sin became alive and I died. I found that the commandment which was intended to bring me life actually brought me death. Sin, taking the opportunity provided by the commandment, deceived me and then killed me.


I have found that people are terrified to embrace the real Gospel because its so different from the substandard mixture of Old and New Covenant that currently holds the tittle of mainline "Reformed Theology". One can certainly understand though,.... having to agree that we were sincerely wrong for so long, that now we actually embrace what we once vehemently opposed!! What will everyone think?... Will they class us as some "Grace sect or cult"? Will we loose most of our friends who feel they have too much to loose to embrace the truth, so they would rather loose us?
Sounds a bit like what Paul must have gone through, considering his pedigree as a pharisee. But one encounter with the person of Grace caused him to consider all else as utterly worthless in the light of the Gospel:
Act 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

So, some may choose to embrace the completed work of Jesus without having a matching theology for now. These are the ones like Paul to whom Jesus said... "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Goards here refers to a "cattle prodded" (strongs has it as.. "divine impulse) In other words Holy Spirit was already leading him towards Grace, but he was resisting the inevitable because his Old Covenant theology didn't fit!
Some may want to first systematically sift through the Gospel details to see if they will believe all of it..... or just the forgiveness of sins - (Some believe only enough to be forgiven, but not enough to walk in the fullness of the kingdom).
These are the ones to whom I encourage, in your unbelief.... just believe. Jesus will bring things to light as you go, and grow in grace. But embrace the Good News like a child.



Friends, the Gospel as its being revealed today IS NOT the "way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death!!!" The way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death is THE LAW!:
Rom 7:10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.


If you are still a skeptic and are not sure about "this whole grace thing", I encourage you - as some already have - to ask questions! Holy Spirit delights to bring revelation and to lead us into all truth.



Grace to you all.... let enjoy the journey into the Gospel
Love
Andrew

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Are you living under Witchcraft?

Witchcraft is not confined to Medieval times, Fairytale books or some far off 3rd world nation, but may be sitting next to you at any given church gathering!!


An enemy of the Gospel in Galatia was this self same Witchcraft spirit. Paul even asks the beloved Galatians, "Who has bewitched you?" The purpose of this Spirit is to get you to move away from the Gospel and to move towards yourself. Either to prove yourself to your accusers or to make yourself "more worthy" or righteous in Gods eyes by performing according to the Law.
Either way, it wants you to deny the completed work of Jesus on the cross on your behalf.

In these two short clips Jason Westerfield reveals some of the common character habits of Witchcraft spirit - either working through someone towards you or straight to you in the form of thoughts.








1. Intimidation, fear, domination.
God gave us dominion, but Not over each other. This Spirit (working through people, or through thoughts) will try to dominate, intimidate you and suppress you to make you feel little in your own eyes. Do not fear - God has not given you a spirit of Fear, but LOVE, POWER and a SOUND MIND.
Manipulation, deception and lying will be used against you to stop you from seeing who you are... how ANOINTED you are. Your Anointing is Gods empowering inside you to live Naturally Supernatural. This Spirit does NOT WANT YOU to believe that SIGNS, WONDERS and MIRACLES are for you and every other believer on earth. It will convince you that they are evil or "unbiblical" in order to cause FEAR against them to rise up in you.
WHY?..... because its the anointing of God that breaks the yolk of the enemy! And he doesn't want that to happen.

2. If you overcome the Fear of its intimidation, the next thing it will try to do is to ACCUSE YOU to get you to defend/justify yourself (again, this is to take your eyes of the fact that you are already Justified by the only One who counts!). It wants you to labour under condemnation by pointing out areas in your life where you may be insecure or where you feel you may be inadequate or 'don't measure up'. He wants to make you self conscious so that you stop being Jesus conscious.
The reason for this is to try and make you feel guilty.

3. The worst card of all. Now, knowing that your intentions are good towards people, and that you don't care about the wrong opinions of man, but only Gods opinion. It will turn to Self pity!! It will draw on your good heart to feel pity towards it, to help it out - but Beware!! Manipulation is the essence of Witchcraft - to get you to act in a way that is against the way God has led you act!
It will now draw, not on your past actions, but on your present emotions. The point, again, to get you to detour from a direction of walking in a Greater Glory, love and Revelation of the Good News.


If these clips have helped you to recognise a spirit of Witchcraft over you and you would like to hear more. Here are a few preaches by Rob Rufus that you will find extremely helpful in getting back on track to be who ABBA has called you to be.

Copy this link into your address bar:
http://ccihk.com/media/online-audio?lang=en
listen to Part 7 (25th Feb 2008) and Part8 (2nd March 2008) of this series



Jesus loves you all so much
Keep keeping it real
Andrew

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

You're a Gem!!

We've all heard the saying, "chew the meat, spit the bones", but over the last couple months as we have been feasting on a "strict diet" of the finished work of the Cross, we have found that in amongst the free feast of Honey basted Lamb with milk and New Wine, with a side order of Bread and Living water, its not the proverbial "bones" that we are finding in our mouthes, but rather perfect gems and solid gold nuggets!!

Its is so refreshingly libberating to begin to see the written word through New Covenant lenses, and see things that religion has for so long led us to believe be shown up for what they are: That being, up till now, a highly effective plan to leave the zealous believer with a strong desire to please ABBA via personal obediance at all costs.
Unfortunately this zealous inspiring by Religion and the traditions of man always leaves Jesus on the cross, saying "It isn't finished!"




Mat 13:44-46 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."


Current mainline Theology, still viewing the whole bible through its spectacles with Old Covenant shaded lenses, asks: "Have you given up EVERYTHING since you have found Jesus?....
And, have you done it with a SMILE on your face!?..... Remember....You MUST be Happy! Otherwise you'll be like the rich young ruler who couldn't give up everything - and he sadly walked away from Jesus"

Well.... have you given up everything for Jesus? Everything means ... everything!
Have you prioritised Jesus over your family... your wife, your kids?
Have you maybe considered that the best way to practically out work this text is to move into a monestery? After all, Jesus is the Pearl of Great price!
Therefore, even though Jesus said that the very reason He came was to set us Free (Gal 5:1) and to give us life and life abundantly (John 10:10), I will forsake any form of blessing and embrace any form of lack..... because then I really feel like I'm paying a price for my precious Jesus..... Right?

WRONG!! (and gloriously so!! In fact, being wrong has never been this good!!)



Lets consider a few things here.
The single biggest deception used by the demons called "Religious Spirits" is to take texts in the Bible out of their Contexts. If you take a "text" out of "Context", you are left with a "Con".... and thats what Satan has vastly done to the New Covenant Church.


This is NOT a parable about you and me finding Jesus. This is about Jesus finding you and me! We are the treasure, we are the pearl of great price!!

Six verses earlier in Mat 13:38 (in the same sitting of teaching) Jesus tells us that the "Field" is "the world".
We were in the world and Jesus found us! Jesus saw such great value in us that He gave up everything in order to buy us back - (properly; to "redeem" us.)
The very creator and King of Glory saw the beauty and value in mankind and gave up everything to take on flesh to redeem ALL of mankind - the ENTIRE field (world) has been paid for:

(He paid the highest price)
Php 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(the entire field been paid for)
2Co 5:14-21 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(He did it Joyfully!!)
Hebrews 12:2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.

Jesus saw what great Joy the price He was to pay would bring, that He counted the cross worth it!!



Another Major point to consider is that the man sells everything TO BUY the field and the pearl of Great price.
Friends, Jesus gave up everything so that SALVATION WOULD COME AS A FREE GIFT TO ALL WHO BELIEVE.
Salvation is FREE!, If we needed to buy it, it would NOT be a gift - simple!

(about the New Covenant, God announces..)
Isa 55:1-3 "The LORD says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty--- here is water! Come, you that have no money--- buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk--- it will cost you nothing! Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all. "Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David."
ABBA calls us to delight ourselves in Jesus. It is His honor to be faithful to His promises to us because He loves us so much. Only He can satisfy, and here He calls us to avoid having to pay to feel satisfied, because the price we pay can never buy true satisfaction.

(its free!!)
Rom 3:20-24 For no one is put right in God's sight by doing what the Law requires; what the Law does is to make us know that we have sinned. But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all:
everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.
But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.


Rom 5:16 "And there is a difference between God's gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin, came the judgment of "Guilty"; but after so many sins, comes the undeserved gift of "Not guilty!"

If we feel the need to have to pay with our lives, and say things like "Salvation free, but it will cost you everything!", then we have NOT YET UNDERSTOOD the Good News of the New Covenant and the finished work of redemption.


With regard to a wrong interpretation of this parable and accepting lack and loss (as opposed to life abundantly) as being from God as a means for us to "pay the price" for such a great treasure,
Isa 54:15 "If anyone attacks you, it will not be my doing..."
Isa 54:9 "So now I swear an oath not to be angry with you or punish you."



Now that we belong to Him, we can be sure that He will guard over us.
1Sa 25:29 If anyone should attack you and try to kill you, the LORD your God will keep you safe, as someone guards a precious treasure.


What an amazing parable, as time and time again Jesus reveals Fathers plan - the mystery/secret that WAS hidden for ages past but is now REVEALED. Its the Gospel my friends - nothing more, nothing less!!


Jesus loves you all soooooo much!!!!
Keep keeping it real

Andrew

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

First love

Rev 2:2-4 I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and that you cannot bear evil ones; and you tried those pretending to be apostles and are not, and found them to be liars.
And you bore up and have patience and on account of My name you have labored and have not wearied.
But I have against you that you left your first love.

Here we see Jesus speaking to the Ephesian Church, and at the end of vs4 He tells them that they have left their first love.

So often this phrase is used with an incorrect understanding of what Jesus was actually saying.
Preachers and teachers (including myself!) have used this passage in the past to urge people to get back to loving God, to not become distracted with other things - even good things.
But was this what Jesus was telling them here?

Had they drifted away from their love for God?
Well, not according to the text. In fact, Jesus actually commends them for making a stand for what they truly believed. He commends them for patiently laboring in the truth of the Gospel and proving wrong those false apostles who would try lead any astray. They have endured persecution and held up under it because of Jesus' Name!
Friends, we must believe that these are people who love God.

Nobody in their right mind would endure persecution and ridicule for something they didn't believe in - surely?
So, we can see very clearly that it was not their love for God that they were lacking in. They had not left "their love for God", but they had left their "first love".


We can see in the next verse, just how important it is to God, they we stay in our first love.
He says:

Rev 2:5 Then remember from where you have fallen, and repent (change your thinking to something better), and do the first works (which were fueled by your first love). And if not, I am coming to you quickly, and will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent (simply change your mind to something better).
brackets mine.

God was willing to remove His attractive manifest presence - that which attracts the lost - so that no new people would be drawn in and added to their number, to a congregation that was operating void of their first love.
Clearly, many were being drawn to be a part of this congregation because they were doing wonderful things because of their love for God - but this is not Gods way to draw all men to himself.....



lets look at another text:
1Jn 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Friends, our first love is NOT our love for God. Our first love is Gods love for us!!
Even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us BECAUSE God loved us so much -that He sent His only begotten son to save us.
Gods way to draw all men to himself was not that they would see mans love for God, but that they would see His love for man. Thats why the Cross is the greatest display of love that the universe has ever seen. It reveals to a lost world, the manifest Goodness of God that ultimately draws us to repentance and believe the Good News.




"But Andrew, if we can only love once we know that God loved us (the first Love), well.... isn't that what was happening in Revelation 2, with the Ephesus Church?
How could they have been showing love for God without knowing His love for them?"


There are many unsaved people who do many good and wonderful things but know not the Love of God for them. In fact, the entire Old Covenant was based on this exact principle according to Jesus: (the principle of loving God to please him)

Mat 22:35 and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question.
Mat 22:36 "Teacher," he asked, "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Mat 22:37 Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
Mat 22:38 This is the greatest and the most important commandment.
Mat 22:39 The second most important commandment is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'
Mat 22:40 The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments."
(This, Jesus quoted from Deut 6:5 - straight out of the LAW.)


Many New Covenant Believers have been convinced that they have to prove their love to God, or somehow feel obligated to serve Him. Friends, IF SALVATION CAME WITH AN ATTACHED OBLIGATION OF SERVICE, THEN IT IS NO LONGER A FREE GIFT!! - and scripture is lying by calling it that!

This principle that the Ephesians Church (and thousands of congregations today) was operating in, was ended with the New and Living way. They were "working" at serving Him as an end in itself instead of works being the fruit of feasting on His love.
Jesus on the cross, ended that "weak and miserable" way of relating to God (zeal without knowledge), by revealing Gods love for us.
To leave your First Love as a New Covenant believer is to stray from the FUELING revelation of Gods unconditional Love for you and move back under the Old Covenant way of service. (obedience without relationship).



Nowhere does God command us to love in the NEW COVENANT, but rather, He reveals that when we walk in a revelation of His love for us revealed through Jesus on the cross, that we will automatically love, as He has loved us.


"Andrew, what about:
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you,....
...Jesus here is commanding us to love each other??!!"

Well, the word translated "THAT" (hina) in the sentence is incorrect.
The correct translation is "SO THAT".....
It should read:
"A new commandment I give unto you, so that you love one another; even as I have loved you,....

So the command is not that we ought to love, but rather, He has given us a command or instruction that will enable us to love... something that we must work at obeying all the time...

"Joh 6:28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."


The more we drink down the revelation of our First Love (His Love for us), the brighter the light of His Glory will shine out of us, and the knowledge of His Glory be made know across the planet.



May the Love of God already in your heart explode in a Glorious Gospel revelation of His extreme Love for you personally!!

Andrew

Friday, September 3, 2010

On Earth as it is in Heaven

This is part one and two of the clips we watched on our "New Wine Revolution - Gospel Celebration" weekend away a few months back.
We will be having more New Wine Revolution gatherings in the future, so keep an ear out if you would like to join us in celebrating the Lamb who took away the sin of the world!!!
"Nothing is more convincing to an unbeliever than seeing a believer enjoy God"

There is just so much stuff in these here two 10min clips. Feast away friends!!








God Blessed you in Christ Jesus!
Loads of Love
Andrew

Monday, August 30, 2010

Grace and Community

"Understanding and acceptance of the grace of God is the best possible foundation for developing intimate relationships, whether it be in the closest of all relationships, that of marriage, in ordinary family relationships, in friendships, in church fellowships, in the relationships between communities, or even in the relationships between races and nations.

The reason given by Peter for husbands being considerate towards their wives is that they are both “heirs…of the gracious gift of life”[literally: “the grace of life”] (1 Peter 3:7).
Their equal value in God’s sight is based on the fact that they are both recipients of his undeserved goodness. And where relationships have failed, it is still grace that can provide healing and hope for future relationships. Rubel Shelley says in Divorce and Remarriage: a Redemptive Theology:

By grace, people who have failed at marriage and who have divorced for the worst or most trivial reasons may be redeemed from guilt. People who have destroyed marriages through their adulteries can be pardoned. People whose hearts and behaviours have been cold, hard, and unfeeling can be made whole. And this is by forgiveness and renewal from above—not through another divorce, not by the penance of celibacy, and not by unringing the bell of harm already done. What law cannot do, grace accomplishes. What law cannot undo, Christ’s blood forgives. What our legalistic interpretations have confused, the redemptive presence of the Holy Spirit can sanctify.

The gospel story, which emphasises that we are all flawed human beings and all potential recipients of his grace, puts us all on the same level. “There is no difference[1] between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24). Jerry Bridges, in Transforming Grace, uses the Grand Canyon to illustrate this theme of “no difference”:

The canyon averages about nine miles in width from rim to rim. Suppose one person could leap out about thirty feet from the edge while another can leap only six feet. What difference does it make? Sure, one person can leap five times as far as the other, but relative to nine miles (47,520 feet!), it makes no difference…Both leaps are absolutely worthless for crossing the canyon. And when God built a bridge across the “Grand Canyon” of our sin, He didn’t stop thirty feet or even six feet from our side. He built the bridge all the way.

[1] Italics mine.

As the saying goes, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

If there is any place where the grace of God should be manifest, it is in the local Christian fellowship. Churches where the grace of God is proclaimed and practised, where loving, forgiving relationships are the order of the day, are likely to be growing churches where visitors feel welcome and at home. Walter Brueggeman, in his 1989 Lyman Beecher Lecture at Yale University, spoke of the church as a “space for grace” and called the church to be a people who “create poetry in a prose-flattened world”. One organisation from which we can learn something is Alcoholics Anonymous. Philip Yancey, in one of his insightful Back pages in Christianity Today, ‘Lessons from Rock Bottom’, tells how he was struck by an observation from an alcoholic friend of his, who said:

When I’m late to church, people turn around and stare at me with frowns of disapproval. I get the clear message that I’m not as responsible as they are. When I’m late to AA, the meeting comes to a halt and everyone jumps up to hug and welcome me. They realise that my lateness may be a sign that I almost didn’t make it. When I show up, it proves that my desperate need for them won over my desperate need for alcohol."

I found this article at: http://www.christianity.co.nz/grace-12.htm

God Blessed you!
Andrew

Friday, August 27, 2010

Friendship with God

I watched this some time ago and recently came across it again. It just sits so well in my heart that I wanted to share it. So here is the you tube link below. It's a 10 minute clip, but well worth a listen (and a re-listen... and a re-listen..)











For me, the revelation that is contained here is so close to me heart because I have seen the result of well meaning brothers and sisters getting chewed-up and spat-out by a system of religion that is so foreign to the New Covenant, it has often left me just shaking my head in confounded wonder as to how we, and the vast majority of the Church, have been so tricked into a works based religion as opposed to a Love based relationship with ABBA.
Of course the answer to that pondering is that we were lured and enticed away from the ROCK, the Good News of Gods love to us, revealed in the reconciliation of Calvery - and led to a feast of SAND (Sand is made of rock, but is broken down and lost its original identity.)

So satan's plan is to get us to feed ourselves and others on "truth", but its truth that is missing the vital connection to Jesus as its foundation. When we do this, we are building upon sand, and time will reveal a fading glory - guaranteed!!!!
Any Good works that are separate from, and not fueled from communion with the Head - Jesus - is a dead work.
When we get stuck on focusing and teaching on things that Jesus and the Apostles NEVER specifically majored on, we can be sure that the symbol-clanging sound of our works falling to the ground, will be the "off-melody" of satans celebration.

Father did it all - reconciled us and empowered us, for ONE reason..... because of His great LOVE for us.


He Loves us all so much!!
Andrew

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Bad News for legalists!!

I read this by Andre vdm at: http://www.newcovenantgrace.com/jesus-end-law/
there are many other really good articles there that will clear your mind-up about the Gospel.


"Many people that still believe they have to live according to the Old Covenant Laws have thrown Matt 5:17-18 at Grace Preachers to try and prove their case. Let us now therefore look at what the Bible really says about living under the law, and if we are still bound to it, because all scripture has to be interpreted by scripture. First off, let’s start with this week’s main scripture:

[Matt 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.]

Peter Ditzel from www.wordofhisgrace.org explains these 2 verses as follows: “Jesus is giving us two either/or conditions here: The law cannot pass until heaven and earth pass OR the law cannot pass until all is accomplished. One or the other can do it. Heaven and earth have not yet passed, so we will leave that aside. But what did Jesus mean by ALL being accomplished? He was referring to what He had just said in the previous sentence: the fulfilling or completing of the law AND the prophets. Once He had completed the law and the prophets, the law could pass. Why is it that so many people who accept that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies have a hard time understanding that in the same way, He fulfilled the Old Testament laws — all of them?”

When you are under a contractual obligation to someone, and you fulfill all the requirements of the contract, the contract is finished & over. But if you simply destroy the contractual agreement before you have fulfilled its requirements, you are not released from its obligations, which is why Jesus said He did not come to destroy the Law. But the moment you do fulfill it you are set free from it! In exactly the same way Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but He fulfilled it, see verse 17 above again. Jesus was in all ways 100% obedient to the law for his entire life (isn’t that amazing???), thereby fulfilling its requirements. Let’s look at more verses (and there are many more than the ones below) that prove the law has passed.

[Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.] Because all the righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled in Jesus, and since we are given the righteousness of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit as a free gift when we put our faith in Jesus, it means that in Christ we have fulfilled the requirements of the law as well, therefore the law has ended for us as well. [Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.]

[Matt 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.] The entire law and the old testament prophets spoke of the coming of the Messiah who would forgive the sins of the whole world. The law was our tutor (schoolmaster), teaching us “right living” until we should put our faith in Jesus and begin to live by faith. Now that we put our faith in Jesus, we don’t need the tutor of the law anymore. [Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.]

[Luk 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”] This verse implies that if you still preach law-based living, you are NOT preaching the Kingdom, because you are preaching the things that ended with John the Baptist over 2000 years ago – read the verse again. How much clearer can it get??

[Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.] And also [Gal 3:19 What then is the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions, UNTIL THE SEED SHOULD COME to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.] This verse says that the law was given because of transgressions UNTIL THE SEED should come (and if you will read the story of Israel in Exodus you will see it was specifically the sin of self righteousness). Then when the SEED (Christ) came, the law was fulfilled and we are not under it anymore.

[Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.] This verse says that if there were such a thing as the “court of heaven”, that the law & prophets would have stood up as witnesses, pointed their fingers to us who put our faith in Jesus and said: “This person is righteous!”

We are now not under the law anymore, but instead we live by faith. And here is a shocker, something that will no doubt shut the mouths of those who still try to be justified by obeying the law. Lets look at 2 verses first: [Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith…] and also [Rom 14:23b … for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.] Can you see what it says when you combine these 2 verses? Can you see it??? Since the law is not of faith, and since anything that is not of faith is sin, then it means that those who try to be justified by their own good works and try to live up to some moral code (the law) are actually living in sin!!

Lastly, look at what Jesus said just after this week’s 2 key verses: [Matt 5:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.] The scribes & Pharisees prided themselves in how well they kept the laws of Moses, it’s what they did for a living! These laws included all the rituals & daily sacrifices, not just the 10 commandments. In fact most people who try to live up to the Law of Moses today would pale in comparison against your average Pharisee. No, the righteousness that Jesus was talking about was not about us trying to live more obedient or more holy, He was talking about a righteousness that comes from God, given to every believer as a free gift at the point of salvation when we put our faith in Jesus, the exact same moment where Jesus is given our sin & transgressions and we are given His perfect righteousness: [2 Cor 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.]"




Friends, don't believe people who would have you believe that "that old Law vs Grace debate" is just another distracting talking point!!
This really is a matter of life and death!!
The Law (according to scripture) is a ministry of DEATH and CONDEMNATION, and Grace is a ministry of LIFE, PEACE, and FREEDOM.

Im certainly not saying that we need to always get caught up in arguments with leagalists, but we must all be convinced of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross. It honors Father when we live in His Gift that He FREELY Gave us - Jesus - and not die in the shadows of the Old Covenant.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, therefore don't go back to that old yolk of slavery and bondage. His yolk is easy and His burden is light.
Lets drink down the revelation of this unending covenant of peace like there is no tomorrow!!


Jesus loves us all so much!!
Andrew

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Don't be an "anti religious, religious" person!

Hi, a friend of mine recently read me this quoted passage from a book that was read by his entire eldership team a few years back.
I thought it was incredibly relevant and well worth sharing.
The book is "Miracle workers, Reformers, and The New Mystics" by John Crowder



"The reason nearly evey move of God tends to stagnate, is because it judges the last move of God. We become what we judge. If we judge religious people and hypocrites , we eventually become religious hypocrites. Never critisize the old wine skin, just let it be. The wine itself will burst the old jug. And and it will eventually burst yours. There is no quicker way into bondage than falling into spiritual pride and thinking we are on the cutting edge of what God is doing. That we have somehow ascended beyond where the old order got stuck. First of all, we dont know all that the old order had to put up with, and what spiritual ground they broke through on our behalf.

It is important not to adopt a rebellious spirit, and to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood. Yes, religion is a foul thing. But religious people are often just wounded Christians seeking identity and comfort in the wrong places. To criticize the old guard is often a sign that we are still operating out of rejection, and somehow needing their affirmation rather than the Lord's. Truly mature Christians, who have overcome insecurity, will see people beyond the veil of their religious bondage and empathize with the hurts that landed them there."



One thing we should all be very careful of is to not become so "Anti" something that we forget about being "Pro" the thing God has actually called us to. This, I believe is to have an "anti religious, religious spirit", and is very easy to partner with and equally harmful to the Body. It will continue to keep your eyes predominantly off Jesus and His finished work and rather get you predominantly stuck in dry theology and pointless arguments against fellow Christians.

Those who believe and share the Truth/Revelation of the Gospel that is being understood across the planet in these days, that carries with it transforming Glory to set even the most bound-up captives free, will certainly become the targets of this trap. If satan can get you to fight and argue with fellow believers, then what you know becomes ineffective against his kingdom.

Am I saying, don't share and discuss the Gospel with fellow Christians who dont yet see things the way you have come to? Certainly not. But, if your peace does not rest with them, and they are scuffing dirt and making a mockery of the Good News, then shake the dirt off your shoes of peace and move on - finished! (Perhaps at a later stage try again).


It is so important for us to not get distracted away from the simplicity of the Gospel. Dont get sucked into never ending debates with people that are clearly not interested in changing their view. Their are by far, more that are waiting to encounter the reality of Jesus through the Gospel of Grace than those that satan would use to suck up your time in vain distraction.


Keep His Love Flowing
God Blessed you
Andrew

Monday, July 5, 2010

Be Mindful Of Christ’s Obedience At The Cross

Hi guys, I recently read this article by Joseph Prince and saw this text like Ive never seen it before.


"2 Corinthians 10:5
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,



Have you ever felt condemned because of the bad thoughts you have had? You could be in the middle of a prayer meeting when suddenly a dirty thought enters your mind. Actually, it is the devil who puts such thoughts in your mind. Then, he steps back, looks at you and knocks you on your head, saying, “How can you call yourself a Christian and still think such thoughts?”

I used to be in bondage over the bad thoughts I had because I felt that I had to confess every one of them and seek God’s forgiveness. But that is not what God’s Word exhorts us to do. You see, God wants us to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”. Now, whose obedience are we to focus on? Christ’s obedience and not our own obedience!

But what is “the obedience of Christ”? It is His obedience at the cross, where “by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous”. (Romans 5:19) Jesus shed His blood for us at the cross. This means that when our thoughts condemn us, we are to focus our thoughts on Jesus’ obedience at the cross.

My friend, the devil can only make inroads into our minds when he gets us to focus on our obedience instead of Christ’s obedience. His strategy is to point us to our obedience or the lack of it to determine our standing before God. But just as our position as sinners is not based on what we do, but what the first Adam did, in the same way, we are forever righteous today not because of what we do, but because of what Christ, the last Adam, did on the cross.

So the next time your thoughts seem to condemn you, say, “I am righteous whether I have good or bad thoughts. My righteousness has nothing to do with my obedience. Jesus’ obedience at the cross made me righteous.” Then,go ahead and pray, knowing that you have access to God and His favor, and that He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)"


The Grace of God is so amazing!!
Guys, we must see that the message of the obedience of Jesus to Redeem us is a scandal. The fact that we get the credit of His perfect obedience credited to us as a gift by putting our trust in this Gospel is a huge stumbling block to Religious folk across the planet. Its ease stirs up every kind of demonic opposition toward all who believe and proclaim it.
This Good News releases people from religions control and bondage and moves the fallen "powers that be" ever closer to their inevitable end at the consummation of the ages.

Its no wonder that Grace has been so well hidden and surrounded by controversy, designed by satan to steer freedom searching saints away and direct them to doctrines created by himself that have their focus on "mans required obedience" as an end, instead of the obedience of Jesus Christ.

Lets keep drinking down the Gospel as we invade the darkness with the Scandalous message of our Loving God.




Keep keeping it real
God Blessed you
Love
Andrew

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Right Standing as a GIFT

Hi everyone. Its been such a long time since I last posted anything. God has spoken some really exciting things and reminded me of some outstanding prophetic words from years back and all the while, has been continuing to reveal the sweetness of His love in the simplicity of the Gospel.

Jesus, continue to reveal your amazing grace to us all, and the reality of your kingdom that is "at hand".

The amazing thing about the Gospel is that the more we see Gods Goodness revealed through his heart of love towards us, the more we realise his heart to do only good to us(Jer 32:40-41). And the more we see that His heart is to do only good to us, the more we receive from Him in faith. We begin to trust Holy Spirit and an expectancy grows to see His kingdom, His glory presence in our midst - on earth as it is in heaven.
An increased revelation of Grace leads to an increased expectancy of His Glory.
Most times, in my experience, those that are most "anti" signs, wonders and miracles, are also "anti" what they call "radical grace".
(I say, if grace isn't radical then its not Biblical.)


The Gospel of the Grace of God that Paul preached wherever he went (Act 20:24), was given to him by revelation directly from Jesus. It's this self same Gospel that deserves the center stage in every facet of Christian life, it is the be all and end all, it is Jesus, the perfect lamb that takes away the sin of the world and exchanges it with Gods righteousness for all who would believe it.
Paul goes on to say in Acts 20:27 after just saying 3 verses earlier that he only preached the Gospel of Gods Grace, that He had not shrunk back from declaring the "whole council of God" to them. That phrase "whole council of God" is not referring to a long list of doctrines and theologies, but rather, "the completed will/purpose of God". All of which is summed up in one word: Redemption.
Its Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, and all who would believe are made righteous by faith apart from works.

Gods plan to re-unite us to His arms was announced 750 years before hand:
Isa 54:14 In righteousness you shall be established;

When we receive His Righteousness as a gift, we become firm and established in our hope. We become stable, secure people, that are not tossed about, but seem to have our foundations on Rock instead of sand. As if, in a world at sea, we have an Anchor that keeps us stable.
It is this Righteousness that guards our hearts against the enemy as our Breastplate of Righteousness (Eph 6). It is this Breastplate of His Righteousness that keeps the soil of our hearts (our understanding) soft and ready to receive more revelation of His Goodness.

This Righteousness is given as a gift by believing the gospel.
If the "gospel" you are believing doesn't make you Righteous (give you perfect right standing before God) as a GIFT, then its NOT the gospel of the New Testament, and it can never cause you to become Established and stable:


Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."


But Andrew, "We get saved and then we need to do stuff to maintain our right standing by doing good deeds. Jesus did His part, now we must do ours."

I say...
Col 2:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, (You received Him "by grace through faith - Eph 2:8)
Col 2:7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
If we fall short in our understanding of "He died for our sins once for all" (the Good News), then we will fall short in our understanding of "The Gift of Righteousness". If we fall short in our understanding of "The Gift of Righteousness", we will live with a perverted view of "Redemption", and If we live with a perverted view of "Redemption", then we will live with a False understanding of Gods LOVE for us, and if this is so, then we can never truly love others with Gods love and will never truly find satisfaction and rest.


His Gift of Righteousness to us gives us access to his lap!! To approach his Throne of Grace, to partake of His divine nature and the Glory of His Kingdom, here on earth.

Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Now, The Kingdom of God is a matter of RIGHTEOUSNESS (His, not yours), PEACE (Because you have right standing) and JOY (Because His presence is now always with you and "in His presence there is fullness of JOY......and He is really happy that we are now ransomed).

Then He says... and "HIS Righteousness"....
In the New Covenant - (post the Cross) - Scripture tells us that as believers are given Gods Righteousness as a gift.
It is only in Gods Righteousness that we can be established - not our own.
As long as we try to keep our "moral ducks" in a row in order to earn Gods favor, we will never attain the stability and consistency that Holy Spirit longs to bring through our lives to the world around.
When we embrace His Righteousness as our own (by faith), then... "all these things will be given to you" because now you deserve them because of your right standing before the Father.

Lets drink deep of the finished work of Jesus, and live boldly in His Love.

God blessed you
Andrew

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Feasting on the Evidence

Hi guys, i have not written for a while because I simply have not been able to express what Ive been feeling in my heart, and I have not had a chunk of time to sit down and put it all down in writing.
I came across this which is very much in line with the Freedom and love of God that has become something of an inexpressible reality in my heart.
There is just so much more in the realms of tangible love for us.


"As we are now absorbed into a new Kingdom with a new King that reigns in our new hearts, I feel it wise for us to know what this Kingdom consists of. After all, if one never knows, how can one experience its treasures?

The Apostle Paul is genius in communicating this kingdoms ingredients and I feel it necessary to add nothing to His words. Romans 14:17 "[After all] the Kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the ] food and drink [ one likes ] , but instead it is righteousness [ that state which makes a person acceptable to God] and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.-amp. Righteousness, peace and joy, amazingly, are the evidence of the Kingdom of God.

The Great Gospel of imparted righteousness is in continual orbit around this glorious King and His Kingdom; Like the living creatures surrounding the throne continually singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy". All of heaven is enraptured in the ecstasy of His holiness and astonished that this holiness has been graced to us!

This holiness and righteousness is not attained by self-submission and self-obedience. No, this righteousness can only be drunk down as a gift. For no other kind of righteousness can stand before His presence. No other dance floor can hold His Joy and His Glory. Nothing but an unearned, unachieved, glorious gift!

In turn this Happy Message produces in a man such heart filling peace and enamoring joy that he realizes that he need nothing else. This man, that receives such a glorious existence given only by such a glorious God, becomes completely satisfied!

This is the state of Kingdom existence. Ecstatic satisfaction! This is what the Gospel affords and imparts to those who believe.

Many other things are mistaken to be evidence of Kingdom fullness. These are twisted ideas that measure a mans nearness to the Lord by a mans gift of miracles, encounters, ability or works. Such notions that leave room only for self-achievement, self-attainment and eventually lead to self-disappointment. When one gives his heart over to such a system of believing he forgets the very heart of the true Gospel, which is simple childlike faith. Instead of trusting in the ability of God, one finds himself in a place where his efforts are needed to produce the desired result. Whether it be miracles, holiness or any other good thing.

Language, then, also follows suit and what is heard from the mans tongue is no longer the glories of The Gift, but rather a boast in the need to pursue and to press. The song sung to the well of salvation is no longer heard.

The Jews were guilty because they demanded signs and wonders but missed the scandalous Grand Miracle, which was Christ coming to dwell in their hearts. The crime I believe was not the wanting of the miraculous but missing it when it came. The Greeks were equally guilty in their want for wisdom but again they missed Christ, who is the manifold wisdom of God. All of us are guilty of this subtle mesmerizing of the soul, but as subtle as it may be it leads to a polluted and stagnant pool. Surrendering to such ideas build up for ourselves a kingdom made of salt and castles made of sand, which inevitably fall with the changing of the wind.

Religion always wants something additional to simple faith and trust. Of course miracles do come, but they come at the call of faith. Jesus said that the signs would follow those who believe upon the Gospel. Believing upon the joyful message of what Christ has done is all that God really wants.

Let me put forth a simple truth. God does not need our help! This is a simple yet revolutionary truth. He does the miraculous sovereignly and independent of our striving, achieving or lack thereof. Paul in Galatians 3 reminds the bewitched Galatian church that Christ did miraculous and wondrous, supernatural things not according to their law rituals of fasting and self denial, but according to their clinging to and trusting in the message of the Gospel.

Yes, let us desire miracles and the endless, wondrous realms of heaven. But don't forget that heaven is at our hands. Forget not that heaven has invaded our hearts like a king conquering a foreign land needing permission from none. Forget not that Jesus is heaven and that He does not come and go. He abides with us and in us always. He, once and for all, opened heaven for all to taste and to drink their fill.

It's not just the for few who can press in for it. No, it is for all who believe! Don't take your eyes off of the Grand Miracle of a life possessed by God.

Scour the scriptures if you dare and see what you find. But be carful, major foundations of what you believe may be shaken and may even fall to their knees and bow to the Majestic Gospel.

The true evidence of fullness of the Kingdom and its realities is childlike faith being empowered and expressed by love. When this simple truth arrests a mans heart he sets sail on an endless ocean of bliss. The measuring rod of comparison is tossed overboard. The storms of un-fulfillment and disappointment disintegrate into nothing. No longer let down by the lack of seeing the miraculous, he is absorbed in a gaze at THE Miracle. Heaven is the wind in his sails and signs and wonders ripple endlessly behind. This man sings the melody of faith endlessly and joyously, like a drunken sailor singing after having too much rum. This is the true evidence of the realities of the Kingdom.

Let this be your song, let it drip from your lips like sticky honey dripping from the comb. Let all who hear it taste its sweetness and be addicted to its effects upon their soul."


Guys, how simple is this!!
Oh God, reveal the hugeness of your love for us, to us that we could represent this reality to others!!!

God Blessed you
Andrew

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Revelation VS Obligation

Many teachings invading the bride of Christ today are based on out-of-context scriptures that seem to command believers to do certain things or live in a certain way, or make the believer responsible "to keep" their own salvation. This is the exact same issue that Paul aggressively wrote against in many of his letters.

Your ability to respond to the Gospel must only based on your revelation of what Jesus satisfied on the cross. Without a personal Revelation of the “Good News” revealed through “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified”, your “ability to respond” will only be man-empowered and therefore, doomed to end in failure.

If this Radical Gospel of Grace is not Clearly understood, the results will be no deferent from dead religion:
Satan says, “Yes, you’re under grace… but if you sin, you give me permission to come in and mess up your life”….. Friends, If we believe that, then we have just made Jesus death of no value to us.

If the message you are hearing has Fear attached to it – you have either misunderstood the message or you have understood the WRONG message because the Gospel has got NO fear attached to it. (1 john)

God is pleased with you because HE is pleased with JESUS
All of your faithless actions – which is sin (Rom 14), Has been declared, “paid for!” and “atoned for” ALL our disobedience – past, present, and future has been SWALLOWED up in the OBEDIANCE of JESUS on the cross.

Our understanding the Gospel is the sole Key for you to be Who God made YOU to be.

1Co 15:56 The “sting of death” is sin; (The thing that leads to DEATH is sin….. its like a deadly scorpion sting. That’s a "sting of death". There is nothing you can do in your own strength to stop it, working its poison.
The “sting of death” is sin; ("sin" here, is a Noun. It is our position in First Adam)
and the power of sin is the law:
The Law is what empowers sin - DO’s and DONT’s to attain Gods blessing.

You may say, but I’m not trying to be justified by the 10 commandments or the Old Testament LAW.
But If you believe:
That you need to have a QT to stay in Gods favor – you are under the LAW.
You have to be here today (in a Sunday meeting)to keep God Happy with you, you are UNDER the LAW
You have to pray for the sick to keep Gods favor on you, you are UNDER the LAW.
You have to share your Faith to Keep Gods favor – you are under the LAW.
Now, These things are all good, when they are out of a place of Holy Spirit given REVELATION!

The scorpion was disarmed at the cross because the LAW was fulfilled by Jesus on behalf of mankind.
The power of that poisonous "sin-sting" was made null and void. However, SATAN STILL ILLEGALLY tells those still laboring under Law OBLIGATIONS, that it’s really sore, and paralyzes them with CONDEMNATION.

“If you are Laboring under OBLIGATION instead of REVELATION, you will end up under CONDEMNATION because you will always fail in your own efforts.”
The Law will empower your failure (Under Obligation)….. To show you your need to walk in what Jesus has already done on your behalf (Gal 2:24)

If your Christian walk is more “HAVE TO” than “GET TO” then you have not yet fully understood the GOSPEL of Gods Grace. The Solution of FINDING rest is not to try harder in your own efforts, but to keep feeding on his Grace so that this REVELATION gets deep inside us.
This knowledge of His Goodness will allow you to receive and encounter Holy Spirit like never before. We wont be offended by Him, because we now know His NATURE. HE IS GOOD, and Only Good… ALL the time


Rom 10:4 "Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness for all who believe.
(there is no more righteousness to be attained via the LAW. CHRIST Ended it and has become “OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”

God always intended for you to live in victory over sin. His Grace (undeserved, unmerited favor)was given to empower us to walk in victory.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under law, but under grace.
The only reason sin will dominate our life is because we don’t know the truth about GRACE and are still living under the Law. Not the other way around….. Grace does not stir up sin.
The Law stirs up sin.


This Gospel, which is the Good news about Gods Grace was the sole subject of Paul's preaching, and nothing else. When we read his letters to churches, we MUST be sure to know the historic context into which he is writing. That, in most cases, he had already spent time sharing the truths about the Gospel of "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified" with them - A Gospel, that it seems, so many have no idea of. This is not spoken as an accusation, but rather as an observation - (including me up till a short while ago!!).

Our "job" as believers, is to believe the finished work of Jesus. The rest (works of Faith) will flow out of a REVELATION (not obligation) to this truth.

God wants you to be true to your own personal revelation of Him, not somebody else's. Be free to be you.

God blessed you!!
Andrew

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Is Grace Simply a License to Sin?

"Is Grace Simply a License to Sin?
This topic has presented itself in the form of numerous questions and statements in the past, such as the following:

• Does preaching Grace lead to a careless lifestyle?
• Won’t people run out and sin recklessly if they get too “deep” into the Grace message?
• We can not preach Grace to a new believer because they are not mature enough to be trusted with such freedom yet.
• Taking the Law off believers gives them a license to sin.

All these statements fly straight in the face of what the Bible teaches about Grace:

[Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age].

Firstly let us consider how Grace influences a person’s thinking. When we comprehend what the message of Grace is all about (how God pardoned the sins of the whole world (Heb 10:17), abolished the written code of the Law (Col 2:14), set people at liberty to live free from the fear of judgment and punishment (1 John 4:18), how believers are encouraged to have boldness when approaching God (Heb 10:19-21), that we can be confident that God will never be angry with us ever again (Isa 54:9-10) and many other truths like these), it is clear that a proper understanding of these matters will in fact NOT encourage a person to want to sin, but rather inspire such a person to be more thankful towards God for all He has done, to live a life worthy of the sacrifice made by Jesus and to deny ungodly conduct as stated in Tit 2:11-12 (above).

Mostly the arguments and questions against the Grace message, such as the ones we mentioned above, come from people who are not necessarily afraid that they themselves will be deceived into wanting to commit more sins, but their arguments are for other “weaker” Christians who in their opinion do not yet have the “maturity” to handle the responsibility that comes with such freedom. Therefore they encourage that the truth of the Grace message be taught with a healthy dose of Law mixed in to warn these “weak” Christians against the perils of sinning. How ironic isn’t it then that the Bible teaches us that sin doesn’t increase through Grace, but rather through the Law: [Rom 5:20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant] (NLT). Grace actually came in and removed the sins that were made more abundant through the Law!

So for someone to say that Grace is a license to sin, it simply serves to expose such a person’s ignorance to what Grace actually means and stands for. It reveals that they don’t understand that the power of the Holy Spirit inside a believer (reminding them of their complete 100% righteous standing before God) is an infinitely stronger empowerment for “good behaviour” than threatening someone with the Law. As a result the legalists can all relax and come to terms with the fact that the Holy Spirit can be trusted with the transforming work in the life of a believer: [Phil 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ]. Nobody appointed us as each other’s moral policemen, so how can we ever try to assume that function?

The truth is that Grace can never be reduced to an “acceptable” level to compensate for the insecurities of legalists. Due to the extreme nature of the Law, Grace needs to be preached in its purest form as well in order to free people from the poison of “works based” mindsets"

By Andre van der Merwe