The Mighty Power of His Grace!
"He has given us ALL THINGS pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of HIM who called us by glory and virtue." 2Pet1:3
Where does the Power come from to live a holy and godly life in Christ Jesus? Many Bible teachers today claim that personal holiness is impossible in this life. Saying that we can only trust in the imputed righteousness of Christ for salvation and never expect to be free from the inward corruption of sin. They go on to affirm that anyone who teaches otherwise is merely promoting a form of legalism that is impossible to attain.
But what does the Bible teach? That’s the real concern to any true follower of Jesus Christ. Since Scripture states without exception that "MY Sheep HEAR My voice, I KNOW them and they Follow ME!" (Jh10:27) We can therefore determine that anyone who is now following Jesus in truth will indeed OBEY Him, Bare His image, Walk in the Spirit and Conform to His Doctrines!
As a son bares the image of his earthly father, so a true ‘son of God’ will reflect the IMAGE of his heavenly father. This is the essence of holiness in the heart of man, true personal cleansing and inward purity that will free the human heart from envy, malice, anger and lust. THIS is what the Bible teaches and the Power is derived from GOD Himself.
Salvation: The Work of Faith with POWER! 2Thess1:11
From start to finish, true salvation is a Work of God in the soul of man, beginning in Purity of heart and ending in Glory and honor. (1Pet1:22, Rom2:7) What is being passed off as true salvation in today’s churches is an insult to the Spirit of Grace.
If Jesus were present in the flesh among professing Christians today He would say the very same things He said to the religious hypocrites of His time. "You are of your father the devil and the desire of your father you want to do." (John8:44) "He who is of God hears God’s Words!" (John8:47) Although you may answer in similar manner, that ‘we are the sons of God! And no one can snatch us from His hand nor separate us from His love!’ You stand indicted by the very same scripture you ‘claim’ to believe. "You are My friends IF you do whatever I command you!" (John15:14)
The Doctrine that is according to godliness governs the salvation of man. 1Tim6:3-5
The message of Grace is ALL things that pertain to life and godliness! The Wholesome words of Jesus Himself, 1Tim6:3, that will produce love, heart purity, a good conscience and sincere faith.
The Grace of God that brings salvation provides the Power to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and instruct the human heart in righteousness and self-control. (Titus2:11) The purpose of redemption in Christ Jesus is to PURIFY and Set Apart His own special people zealous for good works! (Titus2:14, Eph2:10)
True Grace does NOT produce half-hearted, lukewarm and complacent converts full of excuses for sin and in bondage to their selfish ambitions. Contrary to the popular opinion of men God’s Grace is NOT an accommodation to remain in sin because no one is perfect. Nor is it intended to make up for any LACK of Obedience to the Commandments of Christ. Those who ‘think’ that any mention of obedience to God is legalism have ‘believed in vain’ and their faith has ‘made void the law!’ Doctrines that appeal to the flesh DO NOT have their origin in Christ Jesus. Many will trust in the myth of ‘carnal Christianity’ to their eternal destruction. You can escape by following the directives of scripture. (1Tim6:11-12, 14) LAY HOLD of eternal life now!
Scriptural Evidence that Salvation is the Work of Faith with the Power of God.
Eph1:18-19 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and the exceeding greatness of HIS POWER toward us who believe, according to the working of His Mighty Power!"
The Context of by Grace through Faith passage, Eph1:17-23, 2:1-10, is Focused on the POWER of God to ‘Quicken’ us from death to Life and then RAISE us together with Christ into the heavenly realms that the exceeding riches of His Grace and kindness can be manifest to all creation! It then states that we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should WALK in them!
now don’t tell me that a professed Christian who remains in bondage to his lust and selfish desires has experienced this glorious salvation in Christ because he repeated a prayer.)
Eph3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the POWER that WORKS in US!"
Here again the Context tells all, Eph3:14-21, ONLY those Rooted & Grounded in Love (since true faith works by love) can comprehend the love that passes understanding and grasp the fullness of God and then experience His Power that WORKS the work of salvation in the soul!
(this sounds strangely familiar to the teaching of Christ about digging deep & building upon the solid rock of His Word, lest you be destroyed by the winds of false doctrine. Luke6:48-49)
Eph6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the POWER of His Might!"
Notice the Context of this passage, Eph6:10-20, The Lord did not save our souls and leave us prey to the wiles of satan. He provided SAFEGUARDS for our eternal well-being! But they are contingent upon OUR cooperation with the Power He provides to WORK OUT our salvation.
(He never commands something of us that He did not provide a Promise to accomplish! You are without excuse to follow and obey.)
Phil1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
The Context of this passage, Phil1:3-11, reveals the PURPOSE of our salvation. That you be filled with the FRUITS of Righteousness! To the Glory and Praise of God! Then the WORK He has begun in your soul can be brought to completion in Christ.
Phil4:13 "I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me!"
The Passage speaks for itself. Through Christ I can have Victory over my lust, selfishness, pride, anger, malice, envy and strife. By His Power, not my own, I can be free from the corrupting influence of sin and inherit the kingdom.
Col1:11 "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious Power, that you may have great patience and endurance!"
The Context consists of Col1:9-18, and speaks of Walking Worthy of the Lord, being fully pleasing to Him and Fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, Strengthened by the Power of HIS MIGHT! ALL for the express purpose of ENDURING to the end because He has redeemed us from darkness to Light into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love
(how far is this from the average professing Christian converted under the ‘darkened’ gospel of today? To them faith is anything but the Substance and Evidence expressed in this passage. They walk daily in the lust of the flesh and are told heaven awaits them because of Grace!)
Col1:29 "To this end I also labor, STRIVING according to the His working which works in me mightily!"
Col1:24-29 explains the context of this passage of scripture. The Gospel message, being entrusted according to the working of God, contains all the hidden riches of Christ from the foundation of the world. It is to us who believe, ‘the HOPE of Glory!’ and to this end all true believers MAKE EVERY EFFORT to warn every man, teaching in all wisdom, by His mighty Power.
(herein lays irrefutable evidence that most professed Christians have neither seen Him nor known Him. The Working of God imparts a willingness to suffer and a burden for souls, NOT an attitude of complacency and a lethargic heart.)
Col2:12 "Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the Working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
This passage covers Col2:11-23, and explains the process by which the New Birth Works a death to sin in the heart. (much like Rom6:1-6) The Victory Christ purchased on the Cross stripping the devil of his advantage through the law. Redeemed, man can now walk in newness of life, fulfill the righteous requirements of the law, crucify his flesh with its passions and desires, all by the Power of God working in his soul through faith. NOTHING man can conceive as religious ceremony has any power to achieve actual holiness of heart and life.
1Thess1:2 "We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your WORK produced by FAITH, your LABOR prompted by LOVE and your ENDURANCE inspired by HOPE in our Lord Jesus Christ."
This is faith at work! The kind of faith that saves the soul. Prompted by love that purifies the heart and rooted with a hope that endures to the end. The Power of God to live victorious over sin and do His will rejoice with confidence. Who could argue that this alone is the faith spoken of in scripture and the ONLY faith that will inherit the Kingdom.
1Thess2:13 "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is, the Word of God, which effectively WORKS in you who believe."
The Law of faith is His Power effectively at work in you as you receive the implanted Word that is able to save your soul! Thereby the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled and Newness of life is the result. But this Work can never take place unless you OBEY His Word from a heart submitted to Him in loving humility. True faith activates an obedient heart. Many have sadly slipped into a lawless form of grace by imagining themselves ‘saved’ while their faith remains dormant and inoperative. Such is the ‘faith of devils’ and is destitute of the Power to save the soul
2Thess1:11 "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the WORK of FAITH with POWER!"
From start to finish salvation is the Work and Power of God. Nothing could be clearer in all of scripture. It is Christ in you the Hope of Glory. It is He who works in you to will and to do of His own good pleasure. It is HE who will establish your heart blameless in holiness before God. And it is HE who will sanctify you COMPLETELY in spirit, soul and body now and forever.
But you MUST also Stand firm in the faith. Hold Fast to what is good and Make every effort to add to your faith! It’s a SPIRITUAL battle from start to finish. He has not Commanded anything of you that He has not already given to you freely the PROMISE that you can obey. The exceeding greatness of His Power to deliver you from the corrupting influence of sin is yours for the asking. He will fulfill the good pleasure of His will in all goodness IF you follow and obey Him as obedient children that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, according to the Grace of our God forever, amen.
Is the Name of Christ being glorified in you or trampled under foot by men? Is the Spirit of Grace sanctifying you in heart and life or being insulted and grieved away? If you are a child of God you will bare the image and likeness of Christ, proving what is the good and acceptable will of God. The Works of Faith will be evident in your life and His Power will be manifested in the renewal of your mind.
"Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we having DIED to sin, will LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, by whose stripes we were healed!" 1Pet2:24
Decide now, are you ‘living for righteousness’ or for yourself? Have you ‘died to sin’ or still a slave to sin? You are only cheating yourself by not facing this truth. What others may think is of no value in Christ. At the judgment it is HE you will face. What have you done with His offer of Full salvation from sin? Have you accepted man’s word or God’s Power?
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