Pilgrim!
Yes! Yes ! Yes!
What a great statement of the grace of God! The reality of was accomplished in Christ Jesus! Live by the Spirit and not the dead letter! The Living Character of God written on our hearts and not the coldness of stone!
Grace and righteousness. Side by side, hand in hand. Eternally coexistent, yet the question is which begets, or is dependent upon, the other?
The understanding of many is that grace is the result of righteous living. It is believed that the grace of God is the reward or payment from the Almighty for living according to His laws (that would be His old covenant laws; i.e. the 10 commandments) and that in living righteously we have earned the right to become a part of the body of Christ. To the legalist (and neither Jesus nor Paul were legalist) grace is a controversial concept, and those who promote it live in danger of being seen as approving of sin.
Nothing could be further from the truth, for to preach grace is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
How so? Because according to the gospel of John grace is what Jesus brought (For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ -John 1:17).
On the one hand is works of the law; on the other is simply trusting Jesus. (John 6:29)
Any "gospel" message that leaves out the grace and truth of Jesus is not a gospel message at all.
The "truth"of this message?
That Jesus is the only way. (Jesus saith unto him "I am the Way the Truth and the Life: no man cometh to the Father but by Me" John 14:6)
In many ways the issue of works and grace for the believer is one of identity. Are those who call themselves Christians called so by works of righteousness (overcoming sin by their own efforts and will), or is it by birth?
If the answer is that we are Christians by overcoming this world and our human nature then truly grace is produced and earned by our own virtues and we have something of which to boast. However Paul says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
What the New Testament teaches is that we are sons of God, born of the Spirit (John 1:13, John 3:3, John 3:6, 1Peter 1:23) and that righteousness is not earned, but imparted as a result of that birth! The righteousness of God is imparted by grace through faith! ( "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" - Romans 4:5)
So am I saying that one ought not to seek to live righteously? Not at all! This is something Paul was accused of in his preaching of the gospel ( "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just." Romans 3:
, rather it is Gods grace that enables us to live righteously by virtue of the Spiritual nature that is born of Him, for as Paul also said "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? " Romans 6:2
Grace is the unmerited favor of God, that teaches us ".. that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" Titus 2:12 , and as it teaches us it never ceases to be the unmerited favor of God! ; "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5
Amazing Grace indeed!
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