Today’s modern Christians seem to be virtually obsessed with
the concept of Grace. If today’s pastors, teachers, and rank-and-file
Christians were truly defining God’s Grace in the same way that Scripture
defines it, I wouldn't really have a problem. The sad reality however is that
the definition of grace most Christians use today is usually the direct
OPPOSITE to the definition of grace that Scripture teaches, and most people
don’t even realize there is a difference.
What Most Christians THINK That Grace Means
Truthfully, I challenge you, no; I DARE you to ask your
average Christian, (or even many pastors) coming out of church on Sunday
mornings to define grace. What does Grace mean? How does Grace truly function? Most
likely, the majority of the time these are the types of answers you will
probably get:
·
- “Grace is God’s undeserved or unmerited favor.”
- “Grace is God’s Righteousness at Christ’s Expense.
- “Grace means that God forgives our sins. He does not hold our sins against us.”
- “Grace means that we are not under the law.” “We don’t have to obey God’s law anymore, because Jesus did it for us, and then he died on the cross.”
- “We don’t have to worry about learning or doing the Commandments of God anymore, because we are under grace. Jesus did it for you, so you don’t have to obey those Commandments anymore.”
- As long as you, “Love Almighty God with all your heart soul mind and strength,” (whatever that means), and as long as you, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” (whatever that really means), then you have fulfilled the law, and so you can DISREGARD virtually anything else that God said that He desires and that He requires, as long as you, do the opposite of God’s Commandments,(because obeying God is supposedly legalism); so disregard God's Commandments, but, “Do it in Love."
- “Anyone who still tries to honor or obey ANY Biblical Commandment is practicing, “Legalism,” they are not under grace. “They have denied Jesus Christ.”
- “Purposely doing the OPPOSITE of what God’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions, tells us to do; that is how you avoid legalism. So, doing the OPPOSITE of God’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions is PROOF that you are under grace, and that you are not in legalism, because doing the opposite of God’s Instructions proves that you are not trying to justify yourself by obeying God.”
Honestly, if you ask your typical minister or average
Christian today how to define grace, these are the types of answers that you
will most likely get. It’s scary, but it’s true. What is even more frightening,
if you look at the above descriptions of grace, only TWO of the above
descriptions are even remotely part of the biblical definitions of grace whatsoever.
The rest of the above descriptions are completely OPPOSITE of how the Bible
defines what grace is, and most Christians don’t even recognize the difference.
Taking what God calls SIN, and Calling that Grace
What is perhaps the most frightening phenomenon in all of
modern Christendom is the fact that if you look carefully at the modern
understanding and descriptions of what people think that grace is, and you look
at the biblical definition of SIN; the two definitions are practically
IDENTICAL. In other words, what modern Christians have managed to do over the
centuries is to take the biblical definition of SIN, (even in the New
Testament), and they have taken the definition of SIN and called it grace. I’m
not kidding. It’s true. Let’s review the New Testament definition of sin:
Even in the New Testament, Sin is defined as breaking,
violating or doing the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions
(e.g. 1 John 3:4; c.f. Hosea 8:1; Daniel
9:11; James 1:25; James 2:12; Isaiah 5:20-24; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)
ANOMIA (Lawlessness - Greek Strong’s #'s 458-459 Literally meaning to walk
outside or in violation of or to transgress Yahweh's Law which He gave to Moses,
(1 John 3:4).
As it is written:
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John
3:4, NASB95)
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
(1 John 3:4, KJV 1900)
Note: First John
was written approximately 50 years after Messiah died and rose again. So even
half of a century AFTER we entered the supposed age of grace; walking
outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions was STILL the definition of
SIN that the apostles were routinely using.
Greek Strong’s #
458-459 –(ANOMIA Lawlessness IS SIN 1 John 3:4)
- · The condition of being without Law
- · Being ignorant of the Law
- · Violating/ Breaking the Law
- · Having contempt for the Law
- · "To be destitute or in violation of the Mosaic or Jewish Law“ A.KA. Illegality; iniquity; to break, transgress or walk in violation of the Law- (see also 1 John 3:4)
- *(See both Thayer's and Strong's Original Greek Language Lexicons)
The scariest part is that all too few Christians are asking
the critical question, and they should. Since living outside of God’s Laws
Commandments and Instructions is part of the New Testament biblical definition
of what SIN IS, then HOW can living outside of God’s Laws Commandments and
Instructions possibly be what it means to live in God’s Grace at the same time?
It simply is NOT possible. What God has already defined to be sin, cannot be
what it means to live under God’s Grace at the same time.
It is a most serious hazard to take a concept that God has
described to be sin in Scripture, and to change His definition, and calling
grace what God has defined to be sin:
As it is written: “Woe
to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light
and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong
drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones
who are in the right! Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble And dry
grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their
blossom blow away as dust; For they have
rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel.” (Isaiah 5:20–24, NASB95)
As it is written: To
the law and to the testimony! If
they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” (Isaiah 8:20, NASB95) If we do not speak
in agreement with God’s Law, then we don’t have dawn in us, and such a case
we’re still in darkness. That’s SERIOUS. The New Testament touches on the same
concept:
As it is written: If we say that we have fellowship with Him
and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we
walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6–7, NASB95)
Please think about it. If we do not speak according to the
Law and the testimony of YHWH, then we have no dawn in us. If we have no dawn
in us then are we walking in light, or are we walking in darkness?
If we say that we are walking in fellowship with Messiah,
and yet we are walking in darkness, then even according to the New Testament,
we are lying and not practicing the truth.
The Free Grace/Lawless Grace Message Simply Doesn't Add Up
The bottom line is that even if you are, a “New Testament
Christian,” even if you are not a Whole Testament Pursuant believer in Messiah,
but you mistakenly believe that only the New Testament is truly binding upon the
Christian, even then, the Free Grace/Lawless Grace is NOT biblical; not even by
so-called New Testament Standards. A simple look at the facts will prove the
truth of the matter. Let’s run it by the numbers.
·
Fact:
Depending upon how you divide up the verses, and on how you combine or separate
out the various Commandments, the Torah of Yahweh, (Genesis through
Deuteronomy); contains between 613 to 650
Commandments which various God followers are told to obey. Keeping in mind
that NOT every single Commandment in YHWH’S Torah, applies to every single
individual. Some Commandments are given specifically to men, others are given
specifically to women, others to priests, some Commandments are given
specifically to Kings, other Commandments are given specifically to farmers,
and many are given to God followers in general, but not every Command
applies to everyone. But overall, the Torah of Yahweh has between 613 to 650
Commandments that various God followers are required to obey.
·
Fact:
The so-called New Testament, (I say so called because the entire Bible from Genesis through
Revelation is actually ONE Complete Testament, and NOT two separate ones, and there is
NOTHING really NEW in the, “New Testament”); but the so-called New Testament has 1050 Commandments,
the vast majority of which apply to all believers. Most are universal
Commandments to all believers and followers.
·
Fact:
There are MANY MORE, (at least 400 more), imperative Commands listed in the New
Testament than there are in the, “Law,” or the Torah.
·
Question: Something just doesn't add up. IF
being under God’s Grace REALLY means that we are NOT REQUIRED to HONOR, or to
OBEY, or to DO ANYTHING, because supposedly Jesus did it ALL for us, then WHY
are there 400 MORE imperative Commands in the New Testament, then there are
listed in the Law. If Grace truly means that we do not have to honor, obey, or
do anything like so many free grace teachers are teaching today, then WHY are
there 1050 Commandments in the New Testament at all? The entire, “New
Testament” was written AFTER the death and the resurrection of the Messiah;
after we had entered the supposed age of grace. So if Grace truly means not having to
obey anything, then why are there 1050 imperative commands in the New
Testament? Why are they there at all, if God did not intend for us to DO them?
·
Fact:
All of the promises of God are yes and amen in Messiah (2 Corinthians 1:20). Meaning essentially that all of the
promises of God are made available to every believer without partiality or
favoritism, (cf. Romans 2:11-16). So
basically, if I desire or I want to receive the blessings and benefits of a
biblical promise, then the biblical promise is available to me as a believer in
Messiah.
·
Fact:
However, almost every single promise that God has given in Scripture has
specific CONDITIONS which are attached to each promise. In other words, almost
every single promise that God gives in Scripture has conditions attached; there
are specific things which the believer is REQUIRED to BELIEVE and/or to DO, in
order to receive and abide in the blessings and the benefits of almost every
biblical promise. So if I believe and I am willing to meet the conditions, then
I can have the benefits and the blessings of a biblical promise. However, if I
refuse to meet the God given conditions to receive the promise, then I have
no legal or biblical right to the promise at all. So far, I have only found ONE
promise in all of Scripture, which had absolutely NO God-given conditions attached
to it; (Genesis 9:11; cf. Genesis 9:15). So far, in all the other promises I've seen in Scripture have some specific conditions attached, in order to receive
or abide in the promise. That one is the only one that is totally
unconditional.
·
Question:
IF being "Under God’s Grace," REALLY means that you don't have to
OBEY or DO ANYTHING, because Jesus did it all, then WHY is almost every promise
of God CONDITIONAL and NOT Unconditional? IF being under grace really meant
that we don’t have to do or obey anything, then shouldn’t the overwhelming
majority of God’s promises be unconditional promises, instead of having
conditions attached to them as most of the promises do?
Did Paul the Apostle Really Teach that Lawlessness is living in Grace?
If you ask most Free Grace/Lawless Grace preachers and
teachers to give a biblical support for their notion that in order to walk in
God’s grace, you must then walk outside of God’s Laws Commandments and
Instructions, most of them will quickly run to selective bits and pieces of
what they THINK that Paul said which appears to support their position, (while
conveniently ignoring everything else that Paul said which clearly refutes that
position). Once again, simply by running it through the numbers, the Free
Grace/Lawless Grace doctrine simply does not stand up under biblical scrutiny.
It is not supported at all, by the weight of biblical evidence against it.
Let’s run the numbers and see.
·
Fact:
Even in the, “New Testament,” there are 15 Warnings AGAINST Lawlessness,
(Anomia) in 13 verses.
·
Fact:
Of the 13 verses that warn us AGAINST Lawlessness in the, “New Testament,” 6 to 8 of those verses come from Paul's writings. (Depending
on whether or not you believe that Paul wrote Hebrews)
·
Fact:
Paul warned against lawlessness more than any other apostle in the New
Testament.
Question:
Are you absolutely CERTAIN that the apostle Paul was truly teaching you to be
Lawless; to BREAK God's Commandments in the name of Grace? Seriously?!
The True Grace That Paul Taught Included OVERCOMING Anomia
Perhaps the most telling thing of all, which
most clearly indicates that modern Christianity has almost completely derailed
concerning the message of grace, is that Paul himself gave a CLEAR definition
and description of what Grace is, and HOW Grace functions, in the New
Testament. What I earnestly encourage you to do is to carefully look at polls
definition of grace in the New Testament, and look at the typical definition of
grace that you find among modern Christians, (see section 1 of this teaching);
then compare the two. If you compare them carefully you can clearly see that
the modern Christian teaching of grace, and Paul’s description of Grace in the
New Testament, have almost NO real resemblance to each other.
As it is written:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all
men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live
sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed
hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for
Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things
speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” (Titus 2:11–15,
NASB95)
What Paul Really Taught about Grace
Beloved,
Grace does NOT mean that we do not have to obey what God says. True Grace HELPS
us and empowers us to OBEY what God says to do.
Beloved,
I strongly urge you to do a New Testament study of the word LAWLESSNESS, what
it means, and what the consequences of lawlessness are.
Look at what TRUE Grace does according
to Paul:
·
Grace
brings salvation.
·
Grace
makes salvation appear, (or evident, or visible) to all mankind.
·
Grace
teaches us to DENY or in other words to REJECT ungodly lusts, worldly passions
and desires. True grace does NOT require us to accept every ungodliness, sinful
passion and worldly desire in the name of love. True grace teaches us to REJECT
certain things, even according to Paul.
·
Grace
teaches us that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present
age.
·
Grace
teaches us to actively look for the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.
·
Through
Grace, Christ gave Himself up to REDEEM us
FROM EVERY LAWLESS DEED. So Grace through Messiah appeared in order
to REDEEM US FROM every lawless deed, NOT to cause or to permit more
lawlessness. That's critical. So, living outside of God's Laws Commandments and
Instructions is what Jesus Christ and the Grace of God came to save us FROM
doing. Therefore, continuing to live in lawlessness; continuing to live
outside of God's Laws Commandments and Instructions CANNOT POSSIBLY be what it
means to live under Grace, because living outside of God's Laws Commandments
and Instructions; that is the very lifestyle that the Grace of God and Messiah
came to SAVE US FROM continuing to do, according to Paul.
·
God's
grace came through Jesus Christ to make us God's own special people; a people ZEALOUS
FOR GOOD DEEDS, (which is the very OPPOSITE of sin and lawlessness).
Therefore, doing what God considers to be good works CANNOT possibly mean that
you are walking outside of grace, as so many modern Grace teachers teach today,
can it?
·
And
Paul specifically tells us to speak these things. He tells us to exhort and to
rebuke with all authority in the context of these things. And he tells us to
NOT allow anyone to disregard us concerning this teaching about Grace. I find
verse 15 very telling because obviously God understood that people would be
tempted to disregard this New Testament definition of Grace, so the Holy Spirit
obviously directed Paul to write the specific instruction in verse 15. So we
are called to speak, to exhort, and to rebuke using this definition of grace,
and not allow anyone to disregard us, (Titus 2:15). This is what
Paul said that Grace does. This is the Grace we are COMMANDED to teach, even in
the New Testament. It’s far removed from the lawless, totally works free grace, that we so
often hear preached in today's pulpits.
The Consequences of Lawlessness Are Serious
It should be abundantly clear even in the New Testament that
the Free Grace/Lawless Grace/Completely Works Free Grace; that we so commonly
hear preached and most pulpits today, it is simply NOT the grace that was being
taught by the apostles in the first century, in the New Testament. What is most
commonly defined as grace today actually fits the New Testament definition of what
SIN is, by New Testament standards; and what God has called sin, simply CANNOT
be God’s Grace at the same time.
Even Paul taught AGAINST lawless grace more than any other
apostle in the New Testament. Even Paul taught that we are REQUIRED to SEPARATE
FROM lawlessness; to SEPARATE FROM, anomia, in order to be accepted by Almighty
God as one of His children, (See 2
Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
Even the definition of grace that Paul gave in the
New Testament includes OVERCOMING every lawless deed, and being zealous FOR
DOING GOOD DEEDS, even while we eagerly wait for the return of Christ. Free Grace/Lawless Grace/Completely
Works Free Grace, is simply NOT Biblical Grace; NOT even
by, “New Testament” Standards. When you compare it with Scripture, lawless
grace simply does not add up to sound doctrine.
What is perhaps the most frightening phenomenon of all in
modern Christianity today is the shocking depths to which modern
Christian pastors and teachers are willing to sink, in order to support a
lawless grace doctrine that is clearly not taught in the New Testament. They
are willing to reject the very words and teachings of Jesus Christ Himself to
support this very evil lawless grace doctrine.
Question:
Christian, do you believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, (Yeshua the
Messiah), the Son of the Living God, (YHWH)?
Question:
Christian, do you believe that the Messiah will be at the right hand of YHWH
Almighty, and that He will judge the living and the dead, just as Scripture
says that He will, (e.g. Matthew 25)?
Question:
Christian, do you believe that Yeshua the Messiah KNOWS which attitudes, which
beliefs, and which behaviors WILL enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and which ones
will NOT enter the Eternal Kingdom? When Yeshua the Messiah said that certain
beliefs, attitudes or behaviors will NOT ENTER the Kingdom of Heaven, did He
know what He was talking about, or didn’t He? When Jesus specifically said that
certain attitudes and behaviors would NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven, was He
serious, or was He kidding? Was Messiah telling the truth, or was He lying? The
repercussions of how we answer that question are nothing short of Eternal Life,
or Eternal Death in the balance. So let us consider carefully.
As it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven
will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name
perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Yeshua Messiah; Matthew
7:21–23, NASB95)
Notice: Messiah clearly SAID in the New Testament that
those who DO the Father’s Will, will enter into the Kingdom.
Notice also that Messiah did NOT specify those who do Messiah’s will, but He
specifically said those who do The Father’s Will, will enter into the Kingdom.
That is especially noteworthy for those who mistakenly believe that obeying the
Father, and that learning and doing the Father’s will is supposedly not as
important compared to obeying what they THINK Christ must have meant. That’s
NOT what Messiah taught, is it? Notice that those who practice lawlessness,
(anomia - same Greek word used), will NOT be getting into the Kingdom of
Heaven, according to Messiah, even in the New Testament.
Question:
Christian, is it even remotely possible to DO the FATHER’S WILL by BREAKING the
Father’s Commandments?!
Question:
Christian, is it even remotely possible to DO the FATHER’S WILL you will, by doing the OPPOSITE of what God Father’s
Laws, Commandments, and Instructions specifically tells us to do?!
Question:
Christian, when you teach people to disobey what God clearly Commanded,
supposedly in the name of Grace, then are you truly teaching them to do God the Father’s will, or are you teaching them AGAINST doing God’s will?
As it is written:
“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will
gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who
commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in
that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Yeshua the
Messiah; Matthew 13:41–42, NASB95)
Question:
Christian, where did Messiah say that those who practice lawlessness, (anomia -
same Greek word used); where do they end up going?
Question:
Christian, where did Messiah say that those who cause others to stumble into
lawlessness or anomia end up going?
Yeshua the
Messiah SAID that those who practice lawlessness, (anomia); those who commit
anomia; and those who cause others to stumble into anomia, (lawlessness); will
NOT enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they will be in the
place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Any way that you slice it, that’s NOT Heaven.
And that’s even in the New Testament
Question:
In light of Messiah’s own Words, Christian, how SAFE is it really, to teach
people that doing the opposite of or that living outside of God’s Laws Commandments
and Instructions is supposedly what it means to live under God’s Grace?
According to Messiah where are you REALLY leading people would you believe and
teach that sort of thing?
 |
It’s NOT MY judgment. Messiah already SAID it. Your argument
is with Him, NOT ME. I simply BELIEVE Him and try to faithfully declare and
progressively obey what He specifically SAID. You either believe and respect
what Messiah said, or you don’t. The responsibility and consequences are yours,
and
I pray that you will earnestly ask for, seek after, and knock at God’s door
until you truly receive HIS True Biblical Grace; the grace that empowers you to
overcome Lawlessness, that empowers you to learn and to progressively do His
Will, by obeying His Commandments, and that you will never settle for a lawless
and counterfeit grace which leads to certain destruction. May YHWH give you His
True Grace to obey Him; to do the Father’s Will, so you may truly be accepted
in the Eternal Kingdom, and will not be rejected. May YHWH deliver us from all
evil, and help us to walk in ways which are truly delightful to Him. Amen.
As it is written:
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46, NASB95)
“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12–13, NASB95)
:
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the Commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12, NASB95)
Scripture clearly tells us how we can successfully persevere and endure to the end. Are we willing to learn to do it?
Brother Michel Lankford
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