Breaking Major Misconceptions About God's Word
Posts tagged grace
Is Grace A License To Sin?
21 year ago
by Caleb Gibson
in Law and Grace
If you preach that people are completely forgiven and are forever under grace, won’t that give people a license to sin?
That is a great question! Now, let’s make one thing crystal clear, I am completely against sin. The truth is people sin all the time. The problem is not, “Grace” the problem is that sin has dominion over them, and they cannot escape the prison of sin!
Grace is not a license to sin. People Drive Cars without Licenses, and people Sin whether they have a license or not, so it is not grace that is the problem. The problem is the Power of Sin.
Eliminate the Power of Sin
The new Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises is about a man named Bane. Bane is an extremely strong man, so let’s use Bane as, “Sin” and Batman as, “us.” If we are trying to defeat Bane, we need to defeat his Power! Bane’s power is his muscle, so if we can make him weak and fragile then we can defeat him. The same thing goes with sin; if we eliminate the Power, sin is a lot weaker and we sin less.
How to Stop the Power of Sin
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. – 1 Corinthians 15:56
The Bible is so clear. I wonder sometimes if people can read. According to 1 Corinthians 15:56, the power of sin is the law. It is as if, sin is a person and the law is the muscle of the person. Today, Christians are in a boxing ring trying to defeat sin; while, sin is overpowering the Christian with its muscle. Just eliminate the power of sin, and you will win more boxing fights! Hallelujah!
Lifestyle of Sin
A man who chooses to live in adultery saying, “it’s okay, we’re under grace” is still under the law. He is (quite obviously) under the power of sin, and he has not realized he has been made right with God. Some pastors think, “Oh man, I can’t preach grace or else people will have a license to sin.” When, (Hello) THEY ARE ALREADY IN THE CHURCH! Those pastors are preaching the law and giving people the power of sin!
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. – Romans 6:14
Because you are no longer under the law, sin shall no longer control you! Notice it does not say because of Grace Sin shall no longer control you, but it says the law keeps you in sin. Grace is not the problem, but it is THE ANSWER!
People leave the church (organization) not because they are demonic, but because they give up! They can’t keep the law so why try. But, if the true gospel is preached people’s lives will be radically changed!
In the end, people sin because they are trying to keep the law. It is easier to sin against two cold rocks then to sin against a man who gave his life for you! If they only accepted the grace message, they would be released from the power of sin!
Photo By: Ruben Magos/ creationswap.com
The Ministry Of Condemnation
61 year ago
by Caleb Gibson
in Law and Grace
The TV works fine for its purpose, to watch movies or shows, but when a TV is used for something outside of its purpose, it is frustrating. Ever tried to store pennies in a TV? Not going to work. Is there anything wrong with a TV if it can’t store pennies? No, that is not its purpose. Even a little kid will say, “what are you doing?” In the same idea, the purpose of God’s law is to point out your faults and sins and make you realize you need a savior.
“through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” – Romans 3:20
Paul once said,
“For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” – Romans 7:7
When people try to keep the law they become frustrated because that is not the purpose but, to point out our faults. In Galatians 3:24 is says, “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” Later in the next verse it says, “But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
The Spirit Gives Life
Throughout life we learn new things, and sometimes new truths. Come with an open mind to hear what God wants to tell you. Let’s read the Bible for what it is, not for what we want it be.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;[a] for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 3:5-9
We [You and I] are ministers of the new covenant! Not of the old covenant but of the Spirit. Wow what a revelation, we are no longer of the letter but of the spirit! What exactly does that mean? The Holy Spirit is talking about the Law that was written on parchment, on letter. Anytime you try to earn, deserve, or merit something. You’re putting yourself back under the law. That is what the system of the Law was; it was all about you earning it, you deserving it. You Meriting it.
“How can God’s holy law kill?”
One of the reasons it kills you is because it condemns you. The purpose of God’s law was to point out your faults and sins.
“Are Christians Under the Ten Commandments?”
This is a great question. So, let’s go to the bible.
7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. – 2 Corinthians 3:5-9
Let me ask you a question, what else in the law was written and engraved on stones? Only, the Ten Commandments was written with God’s finger and engraved on stones.
“Blasphemy! I would have you know that The Ten Commandments are God’s holy laws. How dare you call them the ministry of death?”
I understand your anger. It is hard to comprehend, but let me explain.
- It is not Caleb Gibson that wrote that the Ten Commandments is the ministry of death it is the Holy Spirit who wrote that (don’t kick the messenger).
- If you disagree, please offer me a new covenant verse that denies this claim.
- God has made a new covenant. Quite obviously the old one did not work. By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13
Some argue and say the Law refers exclusively to the “ceremonial laws” of Moses, such as the animal sacrifices. Therefore, they say while we may no longer be bound to the ceremonial laws, we are still under the “moral laws” or the Ten Commandments. However, nothing could be further from the truth because the ceremonial laws were never “written and engraved on stones.” They were written on parchment. Only the Ten Commandments were “written and engraved on stones.”
This explains the previous verse that Say’s “the letter Kills, but the Spirit gives life.” The entire covenant of Law condemns you, but the covenant of grace gives life! This is why condemnation KILLS!
The Commandments are holy, just, and good
While the Commandments are holy, just, and good, it has NO power to make you holy, just, and good. We are no longer under just a part of the law, but we are no longer under the whole law. The Old covenant is also known as in verse 9 as “the ministry of condemnation.”
I’m hoping you see how pathetic it is to try and keep the law. Those who fight for the Ten Commandments cannot even remember them. You ask them, what is the 8th? What is the 4th? What is the 9th? The Holy Spirit does not help on that when you ask them. They have no clue. But even the Holy Spirit will Help a little child remember “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!” My friend when you try to keep the Ten Commandments. You are Condemned! You feel guilty.
People leave church, not because they are rebellious but because they give up; they say, “This stuff is too hard”. The have been hoodwinked into believing it’s all about them! When it’s all about Jesus! Give up on self, and begin to put your trust in JESUS! Take your eyes off of yourself and look to Jesus. I promise you will walk on water!
Photo by: enderike/ flickr.com