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 Those who emphasize the divine view of Grace over the human view tend to neglect man's role in his own salvation. (Philippines 2:12-13).

On the other hand, those who emphasize the human view of Grace over the divine view tend to neglect God's role as the source of Grace.

But, Biblical Grace is a combination of both of these views. Grace in all cases is God providing a gift for man that man cannot provide for himself. Biblical Grace is an exchange between God and man. It does not just flow from God to man but between God and man. Grace that is not appropriated is a dormant or potential Grace. It is not active and effecting good until it is appropriated by man.

Examples are abundant. The Grace of God that flows from the cross in redemption toward man is God providing for man a legal release from sin. BUT, Grace that remains unappropriated man cannot save or bring God's desired blessing until a man repents and takes hold of God's Grace.

Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to liver soberly, righteously and godly in this present age. BUT, the disciple must come to the feet of the Master and take in His Words and act upon them.

Where there is a teacher there is learner, a student, or a disciple of that teacher. So, the Grace of God that teaches us the holy life is once again seen as an exchange between Christ the teacher and the Christian disciple. It is a reciprocating relationship. Schools have teachers but that is not the purpose for having schools. The purpose of the school is that the students attending receive from the teachers what they do not know. It is an exchange, an interrelationship,&NBS; between the teacher and the student. The knowledge flows from the teacher to the student but in that process the student must respond to the teacher as part of the learning process. So is Grace! Someone has said, Grace is what God does for man, and faith is man's response to God's Grace.

The Grace of God must be perfectly balanced with two equal proportions of initiative. Grace is God's initiative toward man, while faith is man's initiative toward God. Salvation is a combination of both human and divine effort. Every record of the Bible teaches this principle.It is God's Grace and not man's grace.As we launch into this great ocean of God's Grace we must make it clearly understood that in all instances and in every way, God took the initiative in the redemption of man. God is the source of all cosmic and spiritual Grace that ministers to the needs of man's well-being. Man is the recipient and not the originator of Grace. From the very foundations of the world before man ever existed God had conceived the plan of salvation by Grace! And so let there be no question that Grace is a provision for man from God and that man has nothing to do with its origin. Only omniscience could conceive and put Grace into motion. The opening chapter of this book makes that very clear.

Grace in its many forms is any benevolent provision of God provides for man - man is simply the recipient of that graciousness extended to him by God. But, once man receives that Grace into his life, then man must respond in a positive or negative way to that extended Grace. In fact, until Grace makes contact with man it is not Grace. It becomes Grace once it is given to man. It was designed for man and man cannot take part in the kingdom of God until he enters a Grace relationship with God by responding.

In recent years the fundamental church has made a third kind of grace popular called the faith doctrine. Grace has undergone some tragic reinterpretations slanted to the extreme side of magnifying the divine element of Grace to the point of licentiousness. That is, that Grace has become erroneously taught as God's mercy winning out over God's justice. In simple language it is a benevolent grace that not only forgives the sins of the past but allows the Christian to continue in sin and worldliness, continuing to rebel against the instruction of righteousness with impunity (no consequences for his disobedience against the moral laws and teachings of Christ). It is an amoral kind of grace teachinmg that insists that we need only blelieve in Christ, and that as we do so, we are are covered with His righteousness. This doctrine teaches that I am only saved by His righteousness and that I have His righteousness as long as I believe He dided for my sins and that He is my savior. The popular notion that Grace is God's mercy canceling God's justice is an unfortunate conclusion that certainly only those Biblically illiterate would accept. I say unfortunate because this robs us of experiencing the first purpose of Grace after the cross for Christians. This concept of Grace deprives Christians of knowing the power of Grace to generate a whole new moral nature and tasting the sweet victories of the overcomer. The benevelant grace taught by the faith teachers destroys the incentive to be an overcomer, and we know that being an overcomer is to have power over sin, self and Satan. All of the recent talk tado about the faith teaching may attract simple gullible people but it is a doctrine of devils! There is no Christ-like character in it!

A Bible book store proprietor told my daughter, Penny, with a slur, when she asked for William Law's book, Wholly For God, "We don't carry books like that because Christians today don't want to think, they want to be entertained" When you see what shallow thinking people attach to Grace, you come to the conclusion the Bible book store proprietor was right on target. Today's modern grace that promotes conditionless salvation has produced that mentality in Pentecostal and Evangelical mainstreams.

When we say that a distorted concept of Grace is the mother of all spiritual corruption and error, the above is an example of that distortion.  The grace teaching that supports either the modern faith teaching or conditionless salvation theories is without good exegesis and cannot be reconciled with many Scriptures. Any doctrine taught as apostle's doctrine must reconcile with all Scriptures pertaining Those who teach such philosophies as being "gospel" have deceived thousands and even millions of Christians with a popular but nevertheless false grace. Men who teach God's love apart from God perfect hatred of sin are cowards in cloth.

Grace is not God excusing man's weaknesses but rather God displacing man's depraved moral weakness with the strength and power of the divine nature. (1 Peter 1:1-4). Modern grace teaches that God excuses man from being good because He kn ows we are poor, miserable weaklings that can not match up to His own Holy character. I personally heard that taught by a well known radio bible teacher. According to these doctrinaires God pardons us and continues on pardoning us of any weakness or imoral behavior, I guess, so long as we are willing to acknowledge we are weak and dependant on His conditionless attitude toward our sin.

One very well known Pentecostal woman who had divorced and remarried, discussing her divorce, said, "I know that divorce is wrong in God's eyes and that it was wrong for me to remarry. But after I was married the second time, I asked the Lord to forgive me and I know he did." This is the gospel according to the apostates. This very human concept of grace licenses any violation of moral law so long as we acknowledge it is a sin and continue to profess Christ and keep up with our "praise life." While these horrible distortions of grace continue to get a lot of vocal support from Charismatic figures there continues to be a total silence about the Grace that "redeems us FROM sin."

Apostate grace is an accommodation that allows Christians to live in known disobedience to the moral laws of God, and even be a Sodomite and remain "saved" and remain socially correct in a morally bankrupt society. Apostolic Grace makes me a partaker of the divine nature, overcoming sin and triumphant in Christ! I read of only this Grace in the Word of God. This other stuff, in the words of Leonard Ravenhill is a disgrace.

Grace in justification (at the cross) is not the same Grace as in sanctification (after the cross). These are two different operations of Grace and many unlearned preachers have made them one grace to the church. It is because of this erroneous grace that liberalism has emerged in the evangelical churches with all kinds of tolerance false teachers and embracing "brethren who love the Lord the same as we do" but who teach doctrines of devils! The result of this unwholesome league with false teaching, in the name of love which the new grace fosters, they have identified the evangelical movement with unregenerate churches and church leaders. Another doctrinal error that has resulted from not distinguishing between Grace at the cross and Grace after the cross. Modern Evangelcalism is tolerating many errors that is leading their people into immorality and judgment. Only a return to The Power of Grace will correct this course they are on.

Straighten out the doctrine of Grace and in the process you will touch every vital teaching of the apostles and bring healing to the body of Christ. But arrogance keeps us from doing this, and men who do not pray, or love something more than the truth (even though they pray) will not be delivered of their error. For true and pure Grace to be restored to the church, prayer with humility and a commitment to the truth of God's Word must first return to the preachers in the pulpits.

The Power of Grace is instilled in the born again believer enabling him to behave like a son of God. (John 1:12) The distortions of God's Grace authored by man are not all recent. Satan's trifling with this doctrine began appearing in the writings of the early church Fathers. Origen Grotius and Abelard all held a view of the atonement that we could call nothing less than ignorance; that, "The atonement has no inherent worth. It is spectacular, designed only for impression." I don't think these men were trying to discredit the atonement, they just did not understand the legal aspectsof atonem,ent and the relationship between the perfect justice of God's nature and how the principles of equivelance required a life blood penalty. Such statements by highly visible early church theologians should cause all ministers of the gospel to be very careful about using their pulpits and influence to make doctrinal they are not qualified to make.

The theory of these early men was that, Calvary was a sensational display of God's love for man, but other than that there was no moral or legal reason for the death of Christ. They were wrong on both counts! How could the death of Christ be a demonstration of His love for man if there was no efficacious reason for it? We are privileged to be living in a day when such men as Wesley, Adam, Clarke, Finney, and Murray, Clark, and Creighton have given to the church eternals truths on the doctrine of Grace that eclipses the errors of earlier theologians whose theology was certainly not complete.

Enough of this passive powerless Grace. Let's get back to the positive Power of Grace that empowers the Christian to live a holy life in untoward generation of Christ's return.

Bill Burkett

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. 1 Corinthians 15:10
 
 

Grace functions in at least three distinct ways at three different times, and in three different zones of a man's life. Here are principles and Biblical truths from which there could be volumes written.

The Three Zones Of Grace
First, Grace before the cross: Or, we may call this natural Grace:
Secondly, Grace at the cross: Saving Grace.
Third, Grace after the cross: Keeping Grace.

Grace is like all other doctrines of the Bible, it must be "rightly divided." into Grace BEFORE THE CROSS, Grace AT THE CROSS and Grace AFTER THE CROSS. These are three different operations of God's Grace applied to three different times in the life experience.

The Grace of God as revealed in Scripture operates in three distinct operations. Let us quickly look at these three zones of Grace and distinguish their three different operations.

Defining Grace
The Popular Definition - Noah Webster takes the prize for the most famous definition of grace as being, "the unmerited favor of God." This definition has echoed from church pulpits, Bible colleges and seminary classrooms around the world for decades. Mr. Webster's definition of Grace is a good generic (general) definition of natural grace - but, Bible doctrines become twisted when we passively allow dictionary definitions to replace good sound Biblical exegesis. Webster's definition of Grace certainly has an element of truth to it, but falls far short of leaving a right impression as to what true Grace in all three of its operations in the Christians's life. The Noah Webster definition of Grace does not clarify Grace in its fullest meaning. In fact, the Webster definition supports the idea of a conditionless Grace that presents Grace as God's mercy winning out over God's perfect justice.

A MORE ACCURATE DEFINITION OF GRACE - Grace is what God does for man that man cannot do for himself. This definition is more doctrinally correct in defining the nature of Biblical Grace. This definition takes in all three operations of Grace extended to man for the good of man. This is a generic definition only. Now that we have considered definitions of Grace, let us go on to Biblical explanations of Grace. Biblical Grace has two specific spiritual operations. This study makes those two kinds of Grace clear as the Bible teaches.
 

THE GRACE OF GOD IS WHAT GOD PROVIDES FOR MAN   THAT MAN CANNOT PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF.

We do not expect this more correct defintion to go sweeping across Christendom replacing Noah Webster's definition so popular among Christians, but we are obligated to offer it as a better, and simple statement of

Grace. This definition of Grace fits all three zones of Grace and not just one particular feature of God Amazing Grace. Now let us see what the Bible teaches about God's Amazing Grace.

The Three Kinds Of Grace
The major part of our study will not be treating Natural Grace BEFORE THE CROSS, but rather the two spiritual Graces; Grace AT THE CROSS and Grace AFTER THE CROSS. But we must also briefly define first God's natural Grace to make the doctrine of Biblical Grace complete.

 
 

Natural Graceis seen in the myriads of cosmic laws regulating the physical world around man for man's good including his own biological self. The warm sun, balanced humidity and fragrant flowers are all natural forms of the Grace of God. We might just say off hand that these are the graces of creation. The millions of laws holding beauty, color and light under its sway all reveal that God had the happiness of man in mind when He created the cosmic universe. Everything in the world from bacteria to the beauteous wonders of gems and precious stones was created by God to benefit man daily. These are all things a benevolent God has done for man that man could not provide for himself. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. Psalm 9:1. (See Psalm 8:3-9)

Scripture: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45.

Redemptive Qalities of Natural Grace: None. There is no redemption where there is no blood. There is no blood in all of this cosmic beauty, but, the natural graces may lead the unsaved to reflect on the goodness of God and in this way help lead him to Christ and a salvation experience. But natural Grace has no redemptive or atoning power because it does not deal with spiritual laws - only natural laws. There is no blood in all of the splendor of the natural creation, but there is certainly a lot of food for thought and reflection on the goodness of God! No matter how much you admire what God has done in nature, there is not one drop of redeeming blood in a blade of grass or a golden sunset.

Conclusion: A Natural Grace To Be Enjoyed By All Men- The Universal and unconditional Grace of God from creation upon all men both righteous and wicked; providing all things necessary for mankind's health and happiness; for his welfare and wellbeing. Natural Grace is God providing for man what man could never provide for himself.

 
 

Redeeming Grace: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 This is the Grace that bringeth salvation. (Titus 2:11) In the cross we see God doing something for man that man could not do for himself.

Redemptive Qualities: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. Upon confession of sin and confessing Christ as the only Saviour and the only means of redemption the sinner is released from all past charges of guilt and sin (Romans 3:25) through faith alone in the atoning work of Christ's shed blood upon the the cross

Scripture: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9. Other Scriptures that apply to Grace AT THE CROSS: Romans 3:22, 24-25, 28, 30; 4:5-6, 16, 24-25; 5:1, 9, 16, 18; 9:30; Galatians 2:16; 3:8, 11, 24, 26; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 2:13-14; Titus 3:7.

Conclusion: Grace From God That Justifies Man - God exerting his holy influence upon the souls of men to provide for them a legal rel;ease from damning sin through Christ. Grace that keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of Christian virtues. (Lexicon)

 

Transforming Grace:For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:10.

Redemptive Qualities: JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS. Sanctification begins as the redeemed person seeks holiness in the presence of God. Through the power of the Spirit and by responding to teaching of Grace, the redeemed man yields himself to the duties and disciplines of righteousness instructing him from God's Word. (Romans 8:4)

Scripture: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. James 2:20-24.

Conclusion: Grace From God That Transforms Saved Men - The spiritual condition of one governed by the power of teaching grace.(Lexicon)

 
 

By now we see that there is more than one kind of Grace but the spiritual Grace provided in the cross of Christ (I.) releasing man from the guilt of sin (redeeming Grace) and empowering him with dominion over sin is the imperial Grace (Transforming Grace)! This is (II.) around this fact this whole study revolves, the supreme fact of salvation is centered in the redeeming blood of Christ as the imperial Grace of God.

The truth of God's Word and the sweet Holy Ghost starts convincing the sinner that the great God of creation loves Him and hates his sin and that He is able to save him from his sins. The sinner flees to the foot of the cross and repents! There he receives the remission of sins past (Romans 3:25-26) and imparts the Spirit of Christ within to start a new life of righteosuness and holiness. Only God had in His power all the elements needed to release man from the guilt of sin and the power of sin and restore us back into His presence. Only God could provide this for us, a thing we could never provide for ourselves - atoning blood.

There was only one way man could be restored to fellowship with God and that would be if a sinless man did exist. But that man, though sinless, would have to have rights and access to the throne of God to be legally representing the human race. This sinless man would also have to be God at the same time! This redemptive person would have to be human to represent the fallen race, and God to represent the creator whom that man offended and transgressed. This redeemer would have to be God and man - a God man. To represent God He would have to be sinless. If He had sin, he could only die for his own sin - that is if a perfect and sinless man did exist. If this redeemer was both God and man, then God would be providing a sinless man that could return to the throne at death to become the legal and rightful represenatative of both the Kingdom of God and the human race.

Because the life of the blood is the only equivelant to the death of sin, and because all of God's provisions are according to perfect justice, therefore, only blood (life) could atone for sin (death).  Blood is the only equivelent to cancel sin. But, alas, in all the earth there was not a man found without sin to be the perfect sacrifice. If he has sin then his death would onl;y atone for his sin but not the sin of others. But if this sinless man could be found then he would exempt from damnation and return to God from whence he came. But then another dilemma; if there was a sinless man, would he be willing to die as an atoenment for the sins of others? And another enigma; That if we find this sinless man he would represent the human race but would not be divine with the authority of heaven vested in him. There was only one way to provide a sinless man: If God would empty Himself into a human body and become human, become a God-man, and by this all of the enigmas would be settled and that God-man would have irrefutable authority both human and divine to become the legal representative for every sinner who should come to God by him. And so it was that God threw Himself into the redemption of my soul. That is the power of Grace at the cross. (1 Peter 2:24)

He came without my knowledge or an invitation from the human race and condescended to the sinner's state to experience a pounding heart, perspiration, hunger and thirst; to encounter sin, desease and demons to provide for me a way back into the presence of God.

Jesus Christ alone achieved my legal release from sin and restored me to fellowship with God. That is Grace AT THE CROSS. Christ and Christ alone becomes my righteousness.

That sir, is Grace! Something God did for me that I could have never done for myself.

That is indeed the unmerited favor of God! That He, through the legal provisions of the cross fulfills all demands of divine justice, providing the atoning blood of the cross, making it possible for me to come boldly into the presence of God clothed in His righteousness. Through that atonement and that restored fellowship with God, He makes my moral transformation possible and gives me access to His personal advocate, the Holy Spirit - THAT IS INDEED AMAZING GRACE!

In this study we are not considering natural Grace other than to distinguish it from Spiritual Grace. We are interested in Spiritual Grace and the two operations of Spiritual Grace. From this point on we are only considering Grace AT THE CROSS, and Grace AFTER THE CROSS.

Mixing Two Graces
There are two operations of spiritual Grace; saving Grace to the sinner AT THE CROSS as the first measure of Grace and then, Grace that keeps us saved AFTER THE CROSS providing preserving (keeping) Grace as the second measure of Grace. Mixing these two Grace experience into just one, we apply sinners Grace to the saint and the saint\s Grace to the sinner confusing the Biblical facts about God's Grace. When we study the doctrine of Grace (as well as any other doctrine) we must remember Paul's instruction; Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [orthotomeo; to cut straight, to dissect correctly the divine message] the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Grace as two distinct experiences.
Because there are two experiences in the one Grace, one AT THE CROSS and another AFTER THE CROSS there are two desired results to each of them.

Grace AT THE CROSS is to bring the sinner to repentance, to justification and new birth in Christ.

Grace AFTER THE CROSS is to carry the Christian on into the life of divine government and the perfecting of personal holiness. (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:12.

At the cross God's Grace sanctifies me ceremonially. He declares me holy. Grace after the cross teaches me to be holy and possess the holy nature of God. The first is bestowed, the second experience is instilled when the Spirit of Christ enters my heart at new birth and is cultivated and perfected as I acknowledge that presence and its purpose working in me.

First: AT THE CROSS God is reconciling man to Himself. This is the whole purpose of Christs' death, to make a legal atonement for the sins of man and restore him into fellowship with God as in the beginning. At the cross we are receiving God's Grace, but then afterward Grace gives us a ministry of life and obedience. Paul said in Romans 1:5, By whom we have received grace AND apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Secondly: AFTER THE CROSS Grace transforms by the renewing of the mind, a process of moral transformation (Romans 12:2), and the subsequent receiving of a Pentecostal baptism that empowers us supernaturally to do the works of Christ. Has the Bible believing church gone from seeking holiness and sanctification at the alters to seeking tongues? If so, is it any wonder we are the generation of the falling away? that we are the generation that has built super churches with fleshpot doctrines and saints with sensual soapie mentalities?
 
 

TO LIVE RIGHT, A CHRISTIAN MUST THINK RIGHT.

This Grace after the cross also sovereignly appoints us to our ministry and the will of God for our lives. It is after the cross that God's plan for our life is revealed to us and we learn submission to His will. None of these privileges are for the sinner before the cross but only for those who come by the cross, after the cross!

When I hear modern preachers thrash out at "legalism" they sound like they don't believe in legalism at all. Sir, you were saved from hell by it! God's close observance of perfect justice saved your soul! Instead of telling people that legalism is wrong and evil, you should carefully study this subject and qualify the difference between divine and human legalism. Apostates and liberals are very reckless with this doctrine of legalism. There is no excuse for intelligent men not being doctrinally correct in such matters unless they are biased or too lazy to study the Word and pray.

Perfect Justice And Perfect Love Never Exist Apart From Each Other - Modern fundamental preachers have too many blind spots in their theology, blind spots the carnal nature conveniently prefers to live with. These blind spots in carnal theology fails to reconcile the law of God and the love of God as being the same qualities - that is, as being the same things. Grace embodies both law and love. Grace teaches us to love God and hate iniquity, to be governed by love in the Spirit and restraint of the flesh. (Galatians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Corinthians 10:5)

Moral law is a revelation is a divine love. It is a selfless concern for the well being and the welfare of others. It is the wisdom and and goodness of God governing us in such a way others are effected for good with no consideration of self. It is the faith that God will take care of me if I care for others. Both God's law and God's love express an identical code of goodness that seeks the good of others before self. The cross is the divine example of this virtue (altruism).

Ceremonial law foretold the coming Messiah. But when the Messiah (Jesus) was come, then that ceremonial law was fulfilled and no longer needed or required. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the fulfilment of the ceremonial law. Jews did not "fulfill" the ceremonial law - only the coming of the Messiah could do that - the Jews "kept," "observed" or complied with the ceremonial law.

It is this ceremonial law (and not the moral law which Paul is referring to many times in the New Testament writings such as in the book of Galatians. We can see this clearly in his words in Galatians 5:1 through 6:14. (Study chart PG-1)

Grace is all of the combined powers and influences of God upon man that removes man from sin and teaches man to be holy. Grace teaches each of us the way of personal holiness. This is the work of Grace and the efficacy of the cross. Any departure from the Grace that teaches godliness, AND ESPECIALLY ANY WILFUL DEPARTURE FROM A LIFE OF GODLINESS, RENOUNCING GODLINESS AS BIBLICALLY PRONOUNCED AND PRACTICED IS "FALLING FROM GRACE." Falling from Grace is to fall from the teaching of Grace

If Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:12) and we reject that teaching - we will fall back into an apostate form of religion . . we have fallen from Grace. If Grace is a teacher, then those who refuse to be taught by Grace are "fallen from Grace."

The voice of Grace - Liberals try to make apostasy appear to be the denial or rejection of Christ, or the Spirit of Antichrist. An apostate is one who renounces "teaching Grace." You can accept the work of the cross of Christ as a spectacle of God's love and call Him Lord, Lord," but if you do not the things which I say (teach), it has no saving power. Everything in the Old Testament and the New Testament assert that fact! Apostasy is not a rejection of Christ but rather a rejection of what Christ teaches. To believe in Jesus the person and Jesus the atoner of past sins AT THE CROSS and then ignore and rebel against His teaching and the teaching of the apostles is the mark of apostate fundamentalism. To reject the redemptive qualities and teachings of the Christ is to reject Christ! How can a professing Christian declare that he or she believes in Jesus when it is apparent to all that they reject certain of His teaching AFTER THE CROSS? It is not possible! To believe in someone is based on what they teach and what they stand for. To make Christ a speechless diety is of no more redemptive value than believing in an idol which has a mouth but cannot speak. (Psalm 115:5)

To believe in Jesus is to believe in His diety, for without His deity His death cannot provide atonement. That belief must be accompanied by obedience, and credibility placed on every Word of God. Without that response to the teaching of Christ AFTER THE CROSS makes His work AT THE CROSS of none effect. (1 Corinthians 1:17) Any gospel that does not teach the moral transformation of the depraved nature AFTER THE CROSS is "another" gospel. (Galatians 1:6).
 

EVERYTHING CHRIST ACHIEVED AT THE CROSS WAS TO   MORALLY TRANSFORM OUR LIVES AFTER THE CROSS.

Moses Finds Grace (Exodus 33:13-34:8) - Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace (chen, graciousness, favor) in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. (Exodus 33:13)

Perfect love cannot exist without a moral law to define it. (Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 5:1-3) As we have said before, God's love is the Spirit of the law and God's law is God's love in writing. There are many instances in Scripture that prove the link between perfect love and perfect justice. In the Old Testament it is revealed in Moses encounter with God when he asked to see God's glory. God set Moses on a rock and in a cleft of a rock, passing by Moses, declaring in thundering tones what He wanted Moses to know about Him. You see, God's glory is not just a spectacle for the eyes to behold, some kind of sensational aura to excite the human emotion - God's glory is established by His Word, by what we know about Him through His very own self revelation. In this declaration of God we have God's very own Words declaring the union between His mercy and His moral law. When God passed by Moses it was not in silence but with an alarming crash of thunder echoing through the rocky canyons that threw Moses on his face worshipping God. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. Exodus 34:5-8.
 

GOD'S COMPASSION AND MERCY FOR THE SINNER WHEN   CONDITIONS ARE MET, DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH THE   PERFECT JUSTICE OF GOD WHEN GOD'S CONDITIONS   ARE NOT MET.

What did Moses ask of God? Did he ask to see His glory only? No. He asked for something greater than glory. He asked that I may know thee. (Exodus 33:13) Moses asked three things; 1. To see God's glory, 2. to know His way (derek, a course of actiion, intentions), and 3. to know Him. The Lord answered all three of Moses' requests. His glory: The glory Moses beheld was indeed a revelation of God's glory Secondly he asked to know what God's way: In verse 14 God told Moses, My presence will go with you. Thirdly he asked to know Him: The declaration that thundred through the rocky caverns of Sinai was God declaring who He was, revealing His nature to Moses.

In The New Testament - When Paul explained to the world in the book of Romans the universal need of man for a Saviour, he was careful to establish first of all the just nature of God (Nahum 1:3) that would not at all aquit the wicked. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing [good works] seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; (Romans 2:5-9) Paul is making it clear to the Jews that they have no advantages with God over the gentiles. (Romans 3:1) "Every soul," regardless, will be judged by the perfect justice of God and rewarded according to their affection for and their continuance in well doing. It must be seen as this letter of Paul to the Romans unfolds that it is not the cancelling of justice that Grace accomplishes but the power to continue in well doing! That is the purpose of Grace and the power of the cross! That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4; Hebrews 10:29)

Atonenment by death was required by the laws of the Kingdom. Love provided a redeemer from heaven. God's love had to find a way to redeem us and yet not violate a single law of perfect justice of the Kingdom. (Ezekiel 18:4, 20) Both God's law and God's love issue from His benevolent nature, both seeking the good of man.

These (law and love) are the same as the cross proves.
In the cross we see God's law being complied with by God Himself.
Scripture often uses the words law and love together as meaning the same thing.

For example: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.(1 John 5:3.)

For example: Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.(Romans 13:10)

God's love never conflicts with His laws. One does not hold supremacy over the other. They are the same because they both issue from God's heart for the the good of man. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10.

Calvary is a spectacle of conditional salvation! Christ suffered the untold agonies of the cross meeting the conditions required by His own Kingdom! And another thing, Sir, perfect justice is still an attribute of the God who does not change! If we distort the gospel and create a facsimile based on the whiny whims of sloppy agape, we will find ourselves on the same short end of the stick Israel had ahold of! For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31.

Grace teaches godliness - Grace that is of God teaches the Christian a new moral way of life that Scripture calls godliness. (1 Timothy 6:3) It is also referred to as being transformed in Romans 12:2. If moral perfection is not the meaning of Grace to any Christian or any church doctrine AFTER THE CROSS, then we have somehow missed the meaning of Biblical Grace as God's children. To not appropriate God's Grace AFTER THE CROSS and think of it as highly as we do the Grace that saved us AT THE CROSS, we violate the real purpose, or the intention of Grace - we frustrate God's Grace - we hinder it, impede it, obstruct it.

Frustrating The Grace Of God - When the ambitions and preferences of self are thrown into the way of God's Grace working out the divine intention, the effects of the cross are defeated (frustrated). Any honest, rational person should be able to see and understand that behavior on our part as Christians that tends to cancel the power of the gospel to transform us morally is of the flesh and the rationale of the depraved nature. If the passions of the flesh and the powers of this world's influence are allowed to effect us, Grace is neutralized, becoming inoperative and ineffective. Godly and ungodly influences effecting us at the same time cancel each other. This is precisely what the writer to the Hebrews zeros in on when referring to the Jews who frustrated God by diregarding the law He gave them. THE WRITER THEN APPLIES THE SAME CONDITIONS (APPLIED TO ISRAEL) TO CHRISTIANS UNDER GRACE. As the Jews disregarded the law of God and were cut off, so Christians who disregard the teachings of Grace will be cut off (and there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries). Hebrews 10:26-31.

Who receives this penalty?
(1) Those who have trodden under foot the Son of God. The expression, trodden under foot, describes contempt. There has arisen in these days of great worldliness and mnaterialism a fervent trend toward praise among all kinds of fundamentalists including the charismatics, the Catholics and the Calvinists. The more materilistic and worldly the fundamentalism becomes the more impassioned praise we heap on Christ.

Godliness is the highest kind of praise. - No man loves Jesus who does not give absolute credence to all of His teachings and the total revelation of God's Word. Fundamentalism is cursed with superchurches that specialize in electronic praise. But this praise without obedience to the Grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts is nothing but a fervent, vocal fundamentalist cult; a break-off from the authentic holiness gospel. To praise and venerate God and His Christ only indicates that you do indeed know His greatness - but if we know that greatness then we will be required to respond with far more than mere praise.

Death to self and separation from the world is the price of discipleship. No amount of Praise will release us from that obligation! It is a show of contempt for intelligent people who have been touched by the Spirit of God to change the meaning of Grace to mean justice is cancelled. That sir, is contempt! That is to trod the Son of God under foot! Paul said, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2

Praise has become the apostate's tranquilizer. They have learned to venerate Christ so well with voice and instruments that they feel they are excused from obedience to moral instruction given in the Word. They openly boast that they are released from the obligations of being responsible to God's moral law. (Romans 8:4; 13:8-10) The spirit of apostasy intentionally avoids moral truths and doctrines taught in Scripture. This whole pseudo fundamentalism that revolves around free grace, conditionless promises, material prosperity, faith and tongues without holiness, is not the gospel of Grace but a gospel of disgrace. These will meet the same fate as the wicked. (Hebrews 10:31)

(2) Those who have counted (hegeomai, to speak as with great authority) the blood of the covenant wherein they were sanctified, an unholy thing.The whole purpose of the cross is to sanctify us and set us apart from the world and unto God. When we came to Christ AT THE CROSS, we were sanctified. That consists of two things: a. Declared as being the possession of God for God's exclusive use and, b. separated from the the world. Separation is one half of the doctrine of sanctification. Modern fundamentalism places great emphasis on the dedication part of sanctification and then ignores and even denounces the separation part of sanctification.
 

A HALF TRUTH PRESENTED AS A WHOLE TRUTH   IS NO TRUTH AT ALL.

Holiness is very easy for the godly man to define and understand. Yet apostates diregard holiness as something contemptable, and unimportant. But the Bible defines it as essential to salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. (Please note in this verse that the word hagiosmos, godly nature and conduct.) and not the verb hagiadzo meaning to be declared holy ceremonially. Holiness is the high calling in Christ Jesus to become like Him in all manner of concuct. To show contempt for holiness is to reproach the blood of the cross! It is that blood that secured for us the power to live the holy life.

To hold holiness in contempt is to hold the blood which sanctifies us ceremonially and expereintially in contempt!

The display of ignorance that many modern churchmen show when they approach the matter of holiness with contempt is the sign of an apostate Laodicean philosophy that sees religion and God's approval by the number of people they have in their church and the finacial security they have. It is an inexcusable ignorance to hold people in contempt who believe that separation from worldliness is a vital part of the salvation experience. It is just as irresponsible to teach that worldliness is evidence of spiritual maturity and spiritual freedom. The prophets and the apostles warned us of this reversing of moral values by false teachers. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain (the aquiring of wealth) is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.(1 Timothy 6:5) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!(Isaiah 5:20)Modern fundamental apostates actually teach that having personal convictions in conformity to the apostles teachings is evil! One radio evangelist said, A woman who does not wear cosmetics has a face that "looks like an unmade bed." These are the sneering remarks made by apostates who hate holiness and those who teach worldliness as part of the Christian freedom. But Biblical Grace does not teach such things! The blood of Christ that washes from sin is a sanctifying blood! (Isaiah 59:15)To show contempt toward the the work of sanctification and separation in the personal life of the Christian is a show contempt for the agent and means of sanctification, the precious blood of Christ!

Where there is no appreciation for the holy and separated life, there will not be a proper and reverent esteem for the blood. The redeeming blood that sanctifies is understood and esteeemed as being holy by anyone possessing a holy nature from God. It may be claimed but you cannot believe in the holy blood and despise separation from the world culture.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ... For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.1 Thessalonians 4:3-4,7-8

(3) Those who have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace.
All efforts by celebrity apostates in recent years to neutralize the gospel of it's moral theme have brought terrible deception to millions through television and literature. Through the ages there have been many natural gospel movements that attempted to mix natural reasoning (philosophy) with the truths of revelation, e.g., Gnosticism (and other later heresies known as), Sabellianism and Arianism, semi-Arianism and Macedonianism; Apollinarianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism, and Monothelitism; Pelagianism, semi-Pelagianism and the Donatists; the Manichaeans and many, many more!

These believers in Hebrews 10:26-30 apparently had a wrong concept of Grace AFTER THE CROSS. When it speaks of the blood of the covenant, that is Grace AT THE CROSS. When he speaks of doing despite unto the Spirit of grace, he is speaking of Grace operating in the life of the believer AFTER THE CROSS, not living correctly after once being sanctified AT THE CROSS. Their spiritual problems all had to do with matters of holiness. They taught a distorted Grace, and there is no excuse for that. To see the difference between the two sanctifying experiences AT THE CROSS and AFTER THE CROSS, read 1 Corinthians noting the difference between the word sanctified (hagiadzo, to be declared holy ceremonially) in verse 2 with the word sanctification (hagiasmos, a state of purity or holiness) in verse 30.
 
 

IF WE DISTORT THE MEANING OF GRACE, WE RUN THE RISK OF   LOSING, AFTER THE CROSS, WHAT WE GAINED AT THE CROSS.

Look at the cross tell me if you see mercy! No! You see the dark wrath of God, the fury of his judgment against sin! In becoming human He identified with the sinner, but in the garden He identified with sin. 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. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Once He had drank the cup of iniquity and identifed with the sin of the sinner He came under the wrath and disproval of the Father as a sinner. Once He had drank the cup of our iniquity, while yet in the garden making the surrender to the will of God, He was instantly taken into custody by His crucifiers, beaten mercilessly, drug semiconscious to the brows of Galgotha and there He perished as a sinner under the judgment of God's wrath. On that tree He payed the sinner's penalty to the last agonizing breath!

Look at that scene, sir, and tell me that you see mercy! Nay! If you had been in that crowd, you would not have seen mercy! You would have seen God's judgment being poured out on a helpless man.

The cross is a threefold revelation of God
It is a revelation of His perfect hatred of sin.
It is a revelation of His perfect love for perfect justice.
It is a revelation of His perfect love for the sinner!

To make the cross a thing that benefits me personally, believing it releases me unconditionally from all responsibility to seek and achieve moral perfection is gross error. It reduces the gospel to an amoral religion and religious experience exactly as we see it today in the evangelical church world; a gushy god gospel with no grit or guts - a religion of emotionalism, materialism and entertainment!

When a God of perfect justice hates sin He must destroy it! Just as the nations of the world gathered against Iraq's Saddam to make war against evil, so does God seek to rid the world of sin. In fact, the whole plot of the Bible story, the gospel, is the ultimate destruction of the forces of sin including Satan, Mr. Sin himself!

All sin committed in God's world will receive penalty and punishment according to the terms of divine justice spelled out in God's Word. Oh, how the carnal nature despises and reacts to this fact! But it is etched eternally in the Holy Scriptures by God's own finger and shall never be revoked by mad demon, screaming homosexuals or wicked potentates! There is no way out except through Christ who Himself has suffered untold agony in His encounter with the penalties of divine justice. To Him alone be the glory!

THE PERFECT JUSTICE OF GOD HAS BEEN DISPLAYED FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE TO BEHOLD IN THE SPECTACLE OF THE CROSS. Nothing! No, nothing so reveals all the many facets of God's love as does the cross! Study it. It is at the cross that man learns the truth about God.

Jesus Came To Fulfil The Law - not to abolish it! The cross is proof that God does indeed FULFILL His law. The whole spectacle of the cross is fulfilment of what is written and what is required! Spiritual FULFILMENT for the Christian life is the efficacy (desired purpose and result) of the cross. Christ fulfilled the laws of atonement and then rose again to be at the Father's right hand to send forth the Holy Ghost upon the disciples that they have the power to FULFILL the righteousness of the moral law by His Grace! The meaning of this word, FULFILL, is demonstrated in Christ fulfilling the demands of atonement according to the law. (This word FULFIL [pleroo], means to execute; accomplish; to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment - Greek lexicon)