GOSPEL OF GRACE

In 2011, I have attempted to share my understanding of the difference between the pure, unadulterated gospel of grace and a mixed teaching of law and grace. Recently I felt impressed to share the differences, this time in a single post.

Gospel of Grace

Mixed Teachings of Law & Grace

·    Focus on the finished work of Christ. A divine exchange has taken place at the Cross. What Christ has suffered (heartache, pain, sicknesses, poverty, condemnation etc) we need not suffer again.  ·    Because Jesus cried ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?’ we can now say ’My Father, my Father, why have You so blessed me?’ We are righteous because of what Christ has done for us. ·    We are now under a new covenant of grace; the old covenant of law has been replaced.  We now enjoy unmerited favour from God.  ·    We have confidence that His blessings are based on Christ’s finished work, not our own performance. We are blessed to be a blessing to the world.  ·    There is one perfect sacrifice at the Cross for all our sins: past, present and future. With Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the Cross, God has promised that He will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more. ·    We need not fear His fiery judgment because it was all poured out on Jesus. God does not want us to be sin conscious but righteousness conscious. When we know the heavy price Christ paid for our right standing, we will not see this grace as a licence to sin. ·     Righteousness is a gift just like salvation. We only need to believe that Christ came to give us righteousness; it is not something we can earn. We cannot be more righteous by our works. ·     Right believing always leads to right living. We are already holy and accepted in God’s eyes because of Christ. We are God’s beloved children and we have an inheritance in Christ. He wants us to be firmly established in righteousness.

·    What Christ has done has bought us eternal salvation but sometimes we still need to go the way of the Cross. We need to take up our cross and partake in the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ.  ·    I never heard about the new covenant of grace hence I was in fear of God’s judgment in the Old Testament. I have asked God if I was pleasing to Him. I didn't know how He saw me.  ·    Sometimes I felt that the blessings of God are dependent on my actions like those Israelites under the old covenant.  ·    The focus was on what we should do to be a channel of blessing, rather than on the finished work of Christ. It was very much based on our works. ·    When we sin, we need to confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9). This implied that the blood of Jesus could only cover our sins till the next one.  ·    Our relationship with God is not broken but our fellowship can by broken by our sin. Hence we need to confess our sins and repent, so that our fellowship with God will be re-established and He will hear our prayers. Sometimes God seems far and distant when in fact, He is always near.  ·     We got to be learn to be more holy and righteous by the pursuit of spiritual disciplines like quiet time with God, praying, fasting etc. ·     The impression given is that there is still some part for us to perform after being saved. Some books even teach that salvation could be lost. That will not give believers security if their faith is based on themselves. Besides, that would not give them confidence to come to the throne of grace in times of need.