It is the day of grace. Grace. The man of Jesus. John 1:17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

That never ending flow of empowerment through the believer. Grace. Unmerited, undeserved favor. We have heard them all. Used them all. Grace.

I am part of what some might designate a “grace” church. (But was not His grace given for all?) A place where we have decided to plumb deeply the never ending supply of His grace, the depth of His love for it is without height, width or breadth… A place of great empowerment and love.

Grace! Wow!Amazing grace it is.

Yet some might talk of the “greasy” grace or the “hyper-grace”. Let me simply say I get where they “want” to go, but grace is never ending, always fulfilling, so what can be “hyper” about something so big, so huge, so wondrous?

They really are wanting to speak of something Paul and others spoke about…often. It was not missed in their strong discords on grace. For there has been “another side” if you will where man has slipped into licentiousness.

2 Peter 2:17-19 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.…

Read that. Recognize that. Remember that.

Licentious as Merriam-Webster would tell us was that it was depicted by the lacking of legal or moral restraints; especially disregarding sexual restraints, marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness.

Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

And while that was present then, it was and is present now. A creeping in of those who have a disregard for correctness.

Correctness is defined as the ability to change (something) so that it is right, true, proper, etc.. To make (something) correct. To mark the errors on (something that a person has written)and to deal with or take care of (a problem, bad situation, etc.) successfully.

Have we not missed something?
[tweetthis]Have we not missed something?[/tweetthis]

It has become a “common” practice to call something “religious”, à la Phariseeical, when it calls for correction or a change in direction towards Jesus or God. “Don’t tell me what to do. I am free and I will do as I please.” It is a mindset or a stronghold in opposition to the ruling or the Lordship of Jesus Christ and those He has designated as leaders. Paul tells us this! The great purveyor of grace.

Kingdom living has never been a democracy or anything short of the theocracy God implemented… Well, because He can!
[tweetthis]Kingdom living has never been a democracy.[/tweetthis]

One of those areas that has been highlighted in recent days is this. The act of forgiveness (or the lack of it.) and “making things right! There has been too much of this in recent days. The wrongful ability to hurt or denigrate another person, often a believer because of the desire to move as a “free man”. Paul tell us in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

The GOOD of his neighbor!

2 Corinthians 8:19-21 and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.…

One of the greatest areas of “discredit” is in our relationships with one another. We either can make it or break it.

Jesus in the book of Matthew told a similar story.

Matthew 5:21-26 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

(I know it is Old Covenant foretelling of the New Covenant in the New Testament.)

It is time to recognize that our nastiness and our foolish words are not winning converts for the Lord. When we choose to take the position of provocateur we have moved out and away from the understanding of Jesus, love and grace. For grace is the ability and empowerment to love more in the midst of unraveling situations.

While I totally get that “there is therefore now NO condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” I wonder how many imprison themselves through their own actions of cutting down others in an effort to prove their non-reliance on religious structure.

Many years ago a friend and I traveled to speak in a church body. They were set free from the encumbrances of “religious” trapping and “dressing up”. My friend who often ministered while wearing a jacket and tie had this to say. “I get where you are coming from, but if you denigrate those who wear ties, are you not now as religious?” Another friend, Jack Taylor had this to say in “post Toronto” meetings. “The problem with avoiding the Pharisee, is that if you are not careful, you will back up into it on the other side.”

My very first message I ever preached in my first church I started was Matthew 5:21-26. People walked out because they did not want to give up their pain, their hurt. I “thought” it was just a forgiveness issue. But over the years, I saw much of what many have done as believers has been to hurt others intentionally in their freedom and their perceived “lack of freedom” in another.

More people ought to leave their “holy hill” and go seek forgiveness before they, come to the altar, if you will.

• It is about correctness. There is a “correctness” brought about in the atmosphere of true grace.
• It is about our words and actions towards others.
• It is about bringing resolution.

Grace grows us. Maturity defines us. Love releases us.

[tweetthis]Grace grows us. Maturity defines us. Love releases us.[/tweetthis]