Bishop's Corner

GRIPPED BY GRACE - RIPPED FROM LAW

Bishop, Dr. John D. Washington, D.D.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Read Romans 7:1-6 in the Message Bible.

Vs. 6)  But now that we're no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we're free to live a new life in the freedom of God.

 I want to share with you an exciting subject that is burning within me. God is giving me and His Church a good dose of understanding on grace. I have been teaching a series since New Years’ Eve on Gripped By Grace & Ripped From Law.

 I am not concerned about how we define grace, which is God’s unmerited favor, we know what it is, we know who provided it, we know who it’s for, but do we know how to receive and apply it?

 I am deeply concerned that we understand the difference between law and grace. The scriptures clearly state: the LAW came through Moses and GRACE and TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17. Moses is the mediator of the Old Covenant. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant came from God through Moses to the Children of Israel. It was called law. The New Covenant came from God through Jesus Christ to the Church it is called grace. The New Covenant is truth because it reflects God’s attribute of Love.

 It is worth noting that there were two covenants, two mediators, two people groups, but one originator. God is the originator of both covenants. God has always been gracious. He revealed His graciousness with Adam and Eve after their sin by offering the blood of an animal. He shows His graciousness in both covenants. In the Law, God reveals His kindness by animal sacrifices. He knew that Israel would not keep the law so he said, offer me blood for your sins and I will forgive you. In the New Covenant God manifested His graciousness by sacrificing the blood of His only begotten son. If we adopt the concept of God that most Christians have we should ask; why would a mean, cruel, merciless God provide forgiveness for faithless, faltering, non covenant-keeping people? Because, God is Good! Ps. 34:8.

 The law was good because it came from God through Moses to the Children of Israel. The Mosaic Law was specifically for the Jewish people but we all are born threatened by the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2. The law was a temporary solution for faithless people. Gal. 3:19 gives us important facts about the Mosaic Law. It indicates that the law was added until the SEED/Christ should come. The law was added to the Abrahamic Covenant because the Children of Israel refused to walk by faith. Abraham didn’t need a law because he lived by faith. The Law was the tutor (guide, guardian, governor,). In Hebrew culture the guardian of the master’s house took the master’s son(s) to school. After that the son was in the care of his teacher. The guardian didn’t attend the class or stay at the school. His responsibility was complete once he got the master’s son(s) to the teacher. The law is finished (including the law of sin and death) because Christ, our teacher, has finished the work of redemption. John 19:30. We don’t need religious laws to live for God we live by faith. The just shall live by faith. Hebrews 10:38.

 We began our Christian journey in faith. We were all saved by grace. Eph. 2:8.  Why do we leave grace and go back to law. The law requires religious obedience. The law put people in bondage. Many pastors and preachers are like the lawyers of Judaism that keep people in bondage. God’s anointing on our lives is to liberate people. Methods of control to manipulate and intimidate people are proof that we are not gripped by grace and ripped from the law. We use Old Testament scriptures for New Testament believers to govern them. As New Covenant people we are in Christ not Moses. Because we are saved is proof we have grace, for the grace of God has appeared to all men. Titus 2:11.

 The Church's dilemma is found in Romans 7:1-5. We Are Living An Adulterous Relationship. Paul reveals that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives. The woman is bound by the law as long as her husband lives. Unfortunately, we try to make these passages fit in the confines of an earthly marriage and we are missing the actual application. Paul is emphasizing to the Church that we are not free to marry a new mate until the former mate dies.  Here is our controversy; we are married to Christ and Moses, to Adam and Christ, to the Old and New Covenant, to law and grace. We are baptized into Christ, not Moses. 1 Cor. 10:2. Everything we possess is in Christ, not Moses.

 The Holy Spirit wants to free us from legalism, religion, traditions of men that make the Word of God of no effect. When Jesus made reference to the thief in John 10:10 that steal, kill and destroy, He was not directly talking about the devil. If you read it in context you will discover that He was referring to the religious leaders of the Jews. Religion, legalism and traditions prevent us from being fully gripped by grace. Religion makes us earn right standing with God rather than accept the finish work of Christ on Calvary.

 Let me close my deliberation on the subject by sharing my heart concerning Gripped By Grace and Ripped From The Law.

 Grip- A tight hold; a firm grasp:

Rip - 1. To become torn or split apart. 2. Informal. To move quickly or violently.

 GRACE IS:

 God’s Potential In Our Impotence

God’s Provision For His Vision

God’s Ability In Our Inability

God’s Strength In Our Weakness  

God’s Favor Manifest Through Our Savior

 Grace Is Not A Liberty To Lawlessness.

Grace Is Not A License To Sin; It Is A Liberty To Live The Abundant Life.

Grace Is Not Permission To Be Promiscuous

When you are gripped by grace, you serve God because you want to, not that you have to.

You give to God because you want to, not that you have to.

You don’t fear a hot hell because a holy Heaven is in your direction.

WHEN YOU ARE GRIPPED BY GRACE YOU CANNOT BE A:

• Casualty Of Religion
• Condemned By Critics
• Convinced That God Doesn’t Love You

Accepting God’s grace is the prerequisite for our acceptance of God’s unconditional love. God’s love for YOU is unconditional. His mood or attitude toward you will never change. This doesn’t mean that God will not correct us when we are wrong, to the contrary, because He love us he corrects and caresses us. It is unfortunate that many of us preachers haven’t marketed God properly. God is so gracious that his throne is called the Throne of GRACE/FAVOR, not judgment; it is the place where we obtain mercy and find grace/favor to help in a time of need. Heb. 4:16.

Come on Church; let’s get gripped by what gripped us and turn our hearts to the Lord and ripped us from the law of sin and death. GRIPPED BY GRACE!