Do We Even Know What We Are Saying?

Titus 2:11-13, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."

Hyper-grace. A word that has been invented over the last several years to cause people to question strong grace teaching. A word that has confused so many children of our Heavenly Father. Causing them to question every grace message and person. All the while, missing out on the joy of living completely confident in the grace of God.

I am a strong grace teacher. If you have spent any time in this blog at all you have come to realize that. I don't make any apologies for it either. I believe it is the grace and love of God that is central to the gospel message. That it is by grace, through faith, that you have been saved. That you could never do anything to obtain it. And that it is the grace of God that empowers you to live life as a son. With all of that being said, why are there so many people coming against grace these days?

***Since most people that are against a strong grace message like to label the proponents as "Hyper-grace", then I'm going to use the term "mixed-grace" to reference them. I don't like labels but it will make it much easier to type out my thoughts.***

Many of the mixed-grace teachers/preachers like to refer to the small letter of the New Testament titled Jude. It is here that we read a warning against those who would abuse the grace of God. Teach it in such a way as to validate a sinful lifestyle. Those who try to "change the grace of our God into a license for immorality." While I have no doubt that there are such teachers in the world, I have yet to hear any true grace preacher/teacher use those words. Most of us who have learned how to bank everything on the grace of God understand that grace was never meant to cover up a sinful life. The grace of God is meant to empower us to live the life He has always purposed for us. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to me to create these questions in the hearts of people every time they encounter a strong grace message.

The grace teachers (blows me away that I even have to use these words - all of us should be grace teachers) that I have listened to believe wholeheartedly that the grace of God produces something within us. A likeness to Jesus. None of them have ever advocated living a sinful life. They don't cheer destructive choices in the lives of people. They are completely convinced that it is the grace of God that makes lasting change. Empowers us to live. Is the divine influence of God upon the soul. Rather than seeing the grace of God as a license to sin, they see the grace of God as the ability to say "NO" to the things of the world while saying "YES" to the things of God. Grace is not a get out of jail free card, it's a never have to go to jail card. A gift from God that keeps us free from sin.

People keep calling it hyper-grace, but I don't think they know what they are saying. To say "NO" to grace is to say "YES" to the Law. It's the only other option out there. Paul taught the Galatian Church that to try to be justified by the Law is to fall from grace. A serious problem. Destined to live a life dominated by the rules. Bound to all religious ritual and tradition. Forced to fulfill all the requirements that must be filled for holiness to be a reality in your life. Folks, this has been tried and been found wanting. The only person in all of human history who was able to fulfill the Law has fulfilled it. Not only that, but He has offered His righteousness to each of us in the process.

The mixed-grace teacher/preacher does just what his/her label suggests. They mix the message. A little bit of law here, some grace there, and the thought that there is a perfect balance in between. The reality is that you can't mix the message. You cannot have grace and law abiding in the same place. It doesn't work. The Law says "you must do", while the grace of God says "it has been done." Is it any wonder why there is so much confusion on the matter? Couple that with the fact that there are so many people who have no idea what the grace of God is really all about and you have a major mess on your hands. So many children of God trying to earn what has already been given. Trying to do what has already been done. Missing out on the joy and rest of the Heavenly Father.

I get it. People want holiness to be a big issue. They struggle with the ideas that there aren't any rules. However, what they don't understand is that the grace of God is teaching what to say "NO" to and how to say "YES" to the life of Jesus within us. What often gets missed in the equation is the ability of the Holy Spirit within us to make up the difference. A mixed-grace message puts so much of holiness in your lap. You have to accomplish it. The strong-grace preacher/teacher understands that we don't live in such a way as to achieve holiness. We live in such a way as to display the holiness that He has already given to us.

By the way, just so people understand where I'm coming from, just because I say there aren't any rules doesn't mean that my life is not ruled. There is a drastic difference. When Jesus is Lord, living out His Lordship, I don't need rules. It's His rule and reign in my life that makes all the difference. We have to trust this in each and every person who claims faith in Jesus. I'm not looking for an adherence to rules. I don't need an inventory checklist. The Holy Spirit makes this evident in each and every one of us. The fruit of His life within us looks like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He is evident in how we live our lives. He is the standard.

I realize that there are plenty of churches who still teach the "do not touch, do not taste, do not handle" approach to spirituality. However, Paul said that this was to live in such a way as to say that you are still alive to the elementary principles of the world, and that you are continuing to follow the commandments and teachings of men. There is a much better way to do life. The faith that we live in is so much greater than a list of do's and don'ts. It is a way of life where the Lord teaches us. Where He is able to speak into our lives. It's what the grace of God was meant to do from the beginning. And it opens up hand in hand, heart to heart, face to face relationship with the Lord.

So...we are not advocating a do whatever the heck you want type of spirituality because it will all be okay in the end. On the contrary, we believe fully in the law of reciprocity. You know the one that says that you reap what you sow. We believe fully in the responsibility of the believer to rest in the grace of God. We advocate intimacy with God and sensitivity to the Spirit. We want you to live in the freedom that Christ set you free to enjoy. But we also want you to know that your Heavenly Father is not always on board with your decision making. If you sow to the flesh then you will reap corruption. Oh, but if you sow to the Spirit then you will reap everlasting life.

Here's the question: Can you do in the flesh what can only be accomplished by the Spirit?
Paul asked a similar question to the Galatians. "Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"
He says that this is a foolish way to do life. And...unfortunately...many of the mixed-grace folks have fallen into the same trap.
Do we even know what we are saying? Grace is a wellspring of life. Everything about our lives is to flow from this fountain. Don't miss out on this. Don't think for a moment that there has to be some kind of balance. GRACE is the life you were meant to live all along.