I along with
many others have a concern for an over exuberant Gospel of Grace. My concern doesn’t lie in the message of
God’s Favor we have in Christ, in which we live in supernatural health and
prosperity (although some preach it in a selfish way). God’s Grace/Favor is so overflowing, He so abundantly
distributes it, but my concern is in the way some imply that change can take a
lifetime and that’s fine. So if I have an
alcohol problem and I continue to hang out in bars (and get drunk), but I preach Jesus, while
drinking, then that’s fine. Then I’m
being a witness of God’s Glory. That
isn’t God’s Favor! Being in God’s Favor
is the power to change and not continue along in sinful acts. 1
John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we
keep his commandments: and
his commandments are not grievous.
John 15:10-12
Authorized
(King James) Version (AKJV)
10 If ye
keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy
might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
1 Corinthians 5:11
Amplified
Bible (AMP)
11 But now
I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to
be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to
any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue
[railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person.
[Live] as free
people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but [live at all times] as servants
of God.
“If he is known”, in
other words we don’t use this to look for sin in a persons life or to judge the
end result of their life. It is a
process and we should not look to judge a person. But if it is evident that one who calls
himself/herself a Christian yet is living in sin, then they are not under God’s Grace. Living in
sin is practicing sin continually; it isn’t an error, mistake or lack of good
judgment. It comes down to either
sincerity or using the freedom in Christ as a cloak for wickedness.
But seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.
for the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost.
So first we seek God’s Kingdom, what does
God’s Kingdom on earth look like? Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit. It’s all His Righteousness, His
Peace and His Joy; and it’s all a free gift, it’s there in the Holy Spirit
given just by seeking.
and hope
maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us.
keep
yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
It’s all there
for the seeking, but we have to seek it! God’s Favor in Christ is God’s Power
to change us, if we are truly under His Favor we will change and
effortlessly. I went from being a liar,
drunk, drug addict, addicted to sex, a brawler, a complainer etc… to truly
knowing the Love of God and the change was immediate and absolutely nothing
that I did!! It is a process and I’m
still changing to this day. If there is
no change or if I’m still trying to change myself, then I’m not under
Grace. God’s Favor is the power to
change and I am not under condemnation, guilt,human tradition or judgement, it
is true freedom from the bondage of sin.
