Sunday, October 29, 2006
More Grace
The God in whom we claim to believe is a holy God. He is perfect and righteous. He has never done anything wrong. And we read this command in His Word: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). He says clearly that without holiness no one will see the Lord. We read the same basic truth in Ps. 24:3-5, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."
So how do we see that? Is there any hope for people like us? Yes, and that hope is in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. There is no other hope. Since all our deeds are like filthy rags, we must find a Savior who can satisfy the righteous demands of a holy God. God Himself has provided that Savior, His own Son Jesus. What did we deserve for our sin and rebellion? We deserved to have the wrath of God poured out upon us; we deserved destruction and hell. But listen to the good news. I Pet 3:18, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…" Jesus endured the wrath of God, so that we wouldn’t have to endure that wrath. II Cor 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
So we understand that our only hope is to have the righteousness of Christ. And through faith, a faith that is stirred up in us by God Himself, that righteousness is imputed to us. That is, it is credited to our account. So do we become holy? Yes. How do we know, because over and over Paul addresses his letters to "the saints." Let’s not let anyone rob us of that beautiful biblical word "saints." It simply means "holy ones." All who are in Christ are holy ones, having been set apart unto God.
So now comes the question: Do we live holy lives day by day? Does God want us to live holy lives day by day? Is it possible to live holy lives? Does it make any difference whether we are holy in our practical, day-by-day behavior? Those are critical questions that cry out for answers. In modern Amercian Christianity the most common answer of the heart to those questions goes something like this: "Jesus Christ is my holiness. Because He lived a perfect and holy life, I don’t have to. I cling to His holiness and righteousness. The way I live ultimately makes no difference, because my hope is in Jesus." Doesn’t that sound spiritual? That puts the emphasis on Jesus, rather than on me. Praise God that the Lord Jesus lived a holy life that I have now claimed as my own.
Friends, to say, "Because Jesus lived a holy life, therefore I don’t have to" is a cop out. It comes from a misunderstanding of God’s Word. Go back to Heb. 12:14, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." The word translated "follow" is a very strong word. More literally, it is, "Pursue…" This same word (not the normal Greek word for "follow) is translated "persecute" no less than 29 times in the New Testament. This is a word that speaks of hot pursuit. The writer of Hebrews tells his readers to be in hot pursuit of peace with all men, and in hot pursuit of holiness. He is not talking about the position of holiness we have in Christ; he is talking about living a holy life right here in this world. Without it, no one shall see the Lord.
So someone will surely ask, "So what is our hope? Is it trusting that we have holiness in Jesus? Or is it living a holy life before God?" Our hope is in trusting the Holy One, Jesus Christ. There can be doubt about that. But how do we know we have truly trusted Him? How do we know we are not deceiving ourselves? The evidence of genuine trust in the Holy One is a life in hot pursuit of holiness.
When it comes to holiness, it isn’t "either or" – either have the holiness of Christ or live a holy life. Rather, it is "both and." We increasingly live a holy life because the Holy One is our very life.
And that brings us back to grace. Two weeks ago we talked about grace. Let’s continue. I think most of us would have to agree that in the last 20 years or so "grace" has become a buzzword, a favorite theme for preachers and authors to expound. Over the past two or three decades, how many Christian books have been released with the word "grace" in the title. I think of a couple of well-known authors and titles: Grace Awakening, by Chuck Swindoll; and What’s So Amazing about Grace, by Philip Yancey. Yes, it would seem that "grace" has become the watchword of the modern church.
Am I saying that’s a bad thing? Am I saying that we don’t need an emphasis on grace? No, I am not saying that. However, I do find the situation very interesting. While there has been this overwhelming emphasis on grace during the past two or three decades, what has been happening in the church? Has the church been strengthened? Is the church becoming healthier every year? No, that is not the case. During this tremendous "grace emphasis," the church is conforming to the world more than ever before. While there are those who are saying the church is experiencing great revival, even a casual observer can see that it isn’t true. The modern American church is better and better described with Paul’s words – "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."
Last week we spent some time looking at the first part of Romans 6, especially that 14th verse. Let’s read again Rom. 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Did you spend some time thinking about that truth? When do you know that you are living under grace? Is it when you are confident that your sins are forgiven? No, that isn’t what the Word says. You know you are living under grace when sin doesn’t rule your life, when sin isn’t mastering you. Conversely, you know you are living under the law when sin is ruling your life.
We didn’t read verse 15, but let’s try it now: "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." It seems like in our day we have asked the question without taking the time to read the answer. "Since we are not bound by the law anymore, are we free to sin, to break God’s law? Yes, we are. We don’t have to pay any attention to the law of God; surely that’s what it means to be under grace." We want to rise up and say, "No, Christian people don’t think like that." We wouldn’t say that, but our lifestyles give us away. The divorce rate is still basically the same within the professing church as outside it. We still don’t think too much about it when we hear or pass along gossip about others. When we feel we are wronged by somebody else, the last thing we usually do is to go and talk to that person; we prefer to talk to others. Of course, the law of God forbids all of these things, but who cares? We’re under grace.
I thought maybe the bumper sticker had disappeared from every bumper in the country, but I saw it again last week. It is the one that says: "Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven." That bumper sticker highlights the misunderstanding of grace in the modern church. Grace has become our justification for being pretty much like the rest of the world. "We’re no different from anyone else except that we are forgiven." The blunt truth is this: If we are no different from the rest of the world, then we haven’t been forgiven. How can I say that? Because the Word says without holiness no one will see the Lord.
I Cor 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Note that the term "grace" is used three times in this verse. Paul begins by saying, "By the grace of God, I am what I am." In the first 8 verses of this chapter, Paul speaks very specifically about the gospel which he preached to the Corinthians and which they received. Then in verse 9 Paul says, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." Paul confesses that he is not worthy to be an apostle. He doesn’t deserve that privilege. Then he says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am." Though Paul didn’t deserve to be an apostle, it was so by God’s grace. God forgave him for persecuting His church. Though Paul didn’t deserve to be forgiven, God did it through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. So first of all, we see how he received forgiveness according to the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).
So was Paul just like the rest of the world, except that he was forgiven? Is that all that grace did for him? No, we must read the rest of the verse. "And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain." That is, this grace Paul received was not empty; it was not received without purpose. And what was the purpose? Why was the grace given? "But I labored more abundantly than they all." The implication is clear. Had God’s grace been given in vain, then no labor would have been produced. But rather than receiving this grace in vain, Paul had labored more than all the rest. That certainly sounds like God bestowed His grace upon Paul so that Paul could labor abundantly.
If there is any question, just look at the third use of the term "grace" in this verse. "But I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." So where did Paul get the power to labor more abundantly than anyone else? From the grace of God. Do you see it? Forgiveness of sins marked the beginning of the purpose of grace in his life, but it wasn’t the end. That same grace enabled Paul to labor for the Master.
We find more of this emphasis in II Cor. 12. In order to get some of the context, let’s begin reading in verse 7… (II Cor 12:7-9)
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove this thorn in the flesh. Whatever it was, it was a great source of affliction for Paul. But the Lord did not choose to answer Paul’s prayer, at least not in the expected way. Instead of removing the thorn in the flesh, the Lord did something else. He said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee." What does that mean? He was saying to Paul, "I won’t remove it, but I will give you the strength to bear it." Now please don’t misunderstand. Many people bear afflictions. Often there is no choice. But the grace the Lord gave Paul to bear this affliction was more than sufficient to just get Paul through. Let’s read verses 9-10,
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Paul didn’t just endure this great affliction, but turned it into a weapon with which he could glorify God. And how was he able to do this? The answer is in one word – grace. It was by God’s grace. God’s grace was so powerful in Paul that the apostle actually gloried in, boasted in, rejoiced in all the problems that came his way. That, my friends, is the power of grace.
It was by that same grace that Jesus tasted death for every man. How could Jesus possibly leave the glory of heaven in order to go to the cross and die for us? And remember what kind of death it was. Yes, it was an agonizing death physically, but that wasn’t the half of it. The Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He bore all of our sins. How could He do it? Heb. 2:9, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Now come back to Rom. 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace." Do you see it? At first, it seems upside down. How can being under grace be a deterrent to sin? It seems it would be the opposite. That is because we have swallowed the lie that grace is only unmerited favor in regard to the forgiveness of sins. Grace is that, but it is much more. Grace is also the power by which God works in the life of that one who has been forgiven.
To be under law is to be limited to the power of the flesh. In other words, the person who is under the law is limited to his own strength, his own power. The law says, "Thou shalt not covet." So I do my best not to covet. I try not to desire anything that is not my own. Though I am tempted, I work very hard not to envy what others have – not only material things, but gifts, abilities, etc. And what do I find? I find that I am not able to keep that commandment.
Though I have some success, in the end I find that sin is my master. Sin lords it over me, and there isn’t a thing I can do about it.
But Paul says to every believer, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Sin will no longer be your master, because you are no longer operating out of your own strength; you now have the grace of God at work in you, even as Paul himself had. The same grace that enabled Jesus to die on the cross, the same power that enabled Paul to joyfully endure great afflictions… that same grace is available to me. The grace that brought forgiveness for my sins now works in me to set me free from the power of sin. That’s grace!
Paul further explains this in Rom. 8:1-4…
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Notice in verse 3, "For what the law could not do…" And why was the law unable? "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh." There was nothing wrong with the law itself. As Paul said earlier, "The law is holy; and the commandment holy, just, and good" (Rom. 7:12). The inability of the law is found in the weakness of the flesh. Do you see? The law is tied to the power of the flesh. The law says, "Thou shalt, thou shalt not." I try to obey the law, only to find that I can’t do it. We don’t have time to go through it this morning, but a study of Galatians reveals that the law, the flesh, and works are always connected. By the power within me I try to do the works that the law requires, and I always come up empty.
So does that mean that the works required by the law can never be accomplished? Will the law not be fulfilled? No, that is not what it means. There was a man named Jesus, who came into this world and fulfilled the law completely. We know that, but what does that have to do with us obeying the law? Everything. Here’s the good news. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Listen to those words – the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. The righteousness of the law was first fulfilled in Jesus, but that isn’t the end of the story. The will of God is that the righteous requirements of the law might also be fulfilled in us.
But how can it ever happen? It can happen, because we are not limited to that powerless trinity – law, works, and flesh. Now we who are truly children of God are a part of a new and powerful trinity – grace, faith, and the Spirit. Though the term "grace" is not used in these verses, the concept is here. This is a further commentary on Rom. 6:14. To be under the law is to be limited to what I can do in my own strength. To be under grace is to live in the reality that the power of the Spirit of God – the same Spirit that worked in Jesus – is available to me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As Jesus fulfilled the law when He walked on the earth, He wants to do the same through His people.
Conclusion
Let’s stop here this morning. Let me conclude by getting you to help me illustrate these realities. Actually, this little demonstration will be a summary of the letter to the Galatians. I need six volunteers…
* Three on one side of me; three on the other. Have each group of three join hands, standing in a
straight line. Give each one of them on a name…
… Law – works – flesh
… Grace – faith – Spirit
Then explain: When I am under law [taking the hand of law], I try to do the works required by the law in my own strength (= flesh). And what is the result? Futility. I can never fulfill the
requirements of the law, because my flesh is weak. [While letting go on law and linking hands
with grace] But when I am under grace, then I trust what the Lord can do in me through His Spirit.
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