Cut off from Grace

When I accepted Jesus as my Savior I had no grid for what that really meant. I prayed the three-point prayer and was congratulated on my newfound life but otherwise, nothing changed…..except I suddenly felt the weight of all I was not. 

To me salvation meant to be good, to please God, to carry the badge of the Christian army, so to speak. When I made good decisions: showed up at church, volunteered, helped a friend, I felt more Christian. When I succumbed to temptation, I felt less Christian. And, so as a teenager I lived my life in a delicate teeter until I seemed to weigh heavily on the side of bad and could not see how God would redeem the mess I had made all while bearing His name!

Over the years God has continued to teach me about grace, about sanctification, how there is no condemnation in Jesus, and that my goodness on this earth does not determine His goodness towards me. I can remember my husband telling me this powerful quote that went something like this, “Don’t just read the Bible. Learn how to read the Bible.”  I learned about context, culture, and covenants. I learned about the offices of the apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor, and evangelists and their role in shaping the church. I realized how much of my faith was built upon religion and performance, and then, how much Jesus despised those very things.

For so long I’ve wanted to write the simplest explanation of the gospel. What do I wish someone would have told me? The more I’ve contemplated what to include, the more I’ve realized it should be a book. Then I remembered that it is already a book...a very good book written by the wonder that is Paul Krismanits, and it is called Religionless.

If you are interested in my rendition, a brief summation of how to know Jesus without religion, I’m going to attempt to pull this off.

I become uneasy when Christians lash out against the gay community, as without fail someone will come to their defense with, “Well, Leviticus says not to eat shellfish. I notice you eat shrimp while condemning homosexuals!” First of all, there should be no condemning of people groups (hang with me here because I love the Bible and this isn’t going to take a turn to heresy). What I am trying to communicate is that God is a God of covenants. There are eight covenants in scripture: Edenic, Adamic, Nohaic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Land, Davidic, and finally, the New Covenant, which is what we operate in now. The book of Leviticus was written for the Mosaic Covenant. We are no longer in the Mosaic Covenant, which is what makes the Leviticus reference a result of ignorance. 

Let's look at the New Covenant:

“But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises....If the first covenant would have been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

“The day is coming says the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. The covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors where I took them by the hand and lead them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:

‘I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives saying, “You should know the Lord.” For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.’

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.” Hebrews 8:6

Basically the New Covenant abolishes the law (or rather, the responsibility to adhere to it, as Jesus’s death fulfilled what the law required), it guarantees forgiveness of sins, is inclusive of all nationalities (non-Jews have been grafted in), and we have the incredible privilege to know the Lord personally, with Jesus as our mediator. In the older covenants, sacrifices would have been made by the mediator or priest in place of the people. Jesus became the high priest and was the final sacrifice atoning for all sin.

The main point is: Jesus’s blood changed everything.

“First Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased by them….Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once for all of time.” Hebrews 10: 8-10

There is so much available to the New Covenant believer. For one, we have access to the throne of God (Hebrews 10:19). We worship with our lives, not in ritual (1 Corinthians 10:31). We rest every day in Christ, not just on the Sabbath (Hebrews 4:7). Most profound of all, our obedience to right living isn’t indicative of our salvation, only our faith is.

Sometimes that messes people up. No one believes grace can be that insanely gracious. But, it is. Jesus’s blood is that effective.

But, hold on, people. We gotta back up to Romans.

“Well, then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when you were joined in Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we may also live new lives….we know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power on our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” Romans 6:1-6

New Covenant believers should not be in sin. WE ARE NOT SINNERS. 

Romans says the Law reveals our sin, but if the law is obsolete….and we aren’t sinners….what is sin?

Here’s the kicker: Mosaic Law is obsolete, but the New Covenant has its own set of laws. Notice how Jesus never mentions the ten commandments. (I know, I am poking all of you. Hang in there.)

This scripture may pop into your mind, but actually, Jesus is referring to the Old Covenant here:

"Jesus declared, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Allow me to introduce you to the New Covenant Law:

“And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” 1 John 3:22-24

How did Jesus command us to love?

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35

Did you spot the difference between the old covenant and new covenant law? 

In the old covenant we love others as we love ourselves. 
In the new covenant, we love others as Jesus loves us. He raises the stakes!

So, here we have it, the two laws of the New Covenant:

Faith (Hebrews 3-27-28) and Love (1 Corinthians 13).

Now, please do not misunderstand me. Holiness is non-negotiable.

But, here is what happens in salvation:

1) We receive salvation by faith.

2) We are forgiven of our sins.

3) We become filled with the Holy Spirit.

So, even though we don’t have 500 moral laws, we literally have the Spirit of God living inside of us and trust me, He deeply cares about sanctification.

Our obedience isn’t as connected to law as it is to abiding with the Spirit of God.

“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about the things that please the Spirit. So letting the sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 3: 6-8

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of the living God in you (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all)….Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 3: 9-14

Here is what I want to set up, ultimately, in a very incomplete summation:

There are two ways to respond to Jesus: Religion or relationship.

Religion is equated to rules.

Relationship is equated to abiding.

There is enormous dichotomies between living from the Spirit and living from the sinful nature (which no longer controls us):

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” Galatians 5:16-25

Now, if you hear anything, receive anything, this next point is what compelled me to write this blog

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the LAW.” Galatians 5:1

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been CUT OFF from Christ. You have fallen away from God’s grace!” Galatians 5:4

I added emphasis to these two scriptures because FOR REAL, the church spends so much time holding a flashlight to sin, which has been dealt with on the cross. And, yet, if we try to carry out the law as a means of relating to God, we are literally cut off from grace.

I am tempted to quote the entire book of Galatians here.

Okay, allow me this one:

“Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.” Galatians 3: 2-

My point is, obedience alone is not justification.

We belong to God because of faith, because we have given our lives to something we can’t see. God requires faith, rewards faith, and is attracted to it.

When Jesus stakes his claim on our lives, we become consumed with the call to love.

Not perform for people. Not conform to rules.

Our lives become transformed by grace, which is totally free. You do nothing to earn it besides simply believe.

In grace, you become FREE.

FREEDOM...to sin?

“Don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13

The price he paid was for love. That’s it.

Yes, I was inspired to write this because of the back-biting that occurred on Lauren Daigle’s Instagram. Christians attacked her clothing, her decision to perform on a secular media platform, the fact that she didn’t say the name of Jesus, and many accused her of sin.

But, let me tell you about sin. It exists outside of grace, which is cut off when we attempt to achieve our own righteousness. When we point out the unrighteousness in another, the speck in their eye, Jesus warns us to remove the log in our own. (Mathew 7:5)

Grace is ushered in by faith. It’s so simple it’s almost scandalous.

I wonder how much longer churches will continue to have children memorize the ten commandments without teaching them about this God that is the embodiment of love, that sends His Spirit to inhabit our bodies so that we are empowered to live righteous lives. Nothing else is going to cut it.

If you’ve ever experienced shame, it’s religion. If you’ve ever invoked shame on another, it’s religion. Get it out of your life.

When you really get into the nitty-gritty of the New Covenant, it’s message is clear: Love God and love people.

And, over and over, Paul issues a warning: Stop returning to the old Covenant that God didn’t even like! It didn’t work! It wasn’t enough!

Well, I feel I’ve exasperated my dear readers. There is so much more. The Bible is rich with instruction. Also, there are probably holes interspersed throughout this because I can’t write a dissertation on sin and grace, this was just meant as an invitation.

Peer into the motives of your own heart. Are you trying to earn grace? Or, are you living in simple abandon to it?

Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit speak? Jesus says His sheep will know His voice. (John 10:27-28)

Recently I had a vision of myself in a wide-open green pasture. Jesus was next to me, dressed as a shepherd. He looked at me and said, “There are no fences on your life. But, follow the Shepherd.”

The closer we live in relationship to Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, the more freedom we will experience. With our freedom, we choose Him, we love others.

Sometimes he leads us places that seem crazy, and again the actual gospel and American Christianity seem to diverge. Many of the foolish things of this world are actually God. (1Corinthians 1:27)

 If we want to be free from religion, we must join an accurate understanding of the Bible (which embodies context and culture) with communion and interaction to the Spirit of God. 

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." Matthew 7:16-29