LAW AND GRACE

The Life in Christ is rooted in grace. Grace as a way of life is completely different from the norm in our culture. Our culture is steeped in Performance Based Acceptance which is rooted in a legalistic approach to life.

Legalism sets a standard for excellence but offers no help to achieve that standard – only condemnation when you do not achieve it.

Grace also sets a standard of excellence – “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48 NLT) But, unlike legalism, grace helps you achieve that goal – “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13 NLT) – And grace does not condemn when you fall short of the goal -- “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1-2 NLT)

Martin Luther wrote “Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want. “

Here are the differences between law and grace to help you choose whether you want to be free in Christ.

Law says do
Grace says done

Law emphasizes what man does
Grace emphasizes what God does

Law lives out of the flesh life (self Life)
Grace lives out of the Spirit (Christ Life)

Law draws on man's resources
Grace draws on God's resources

Law deals with externals: rules; standards; regulations
Grace deals with inner - heart attitude

Law's primary focus is: Ought to's; should've; have to; must
Grace's primary focus is on want to's

Law creates bondage, duty, and obligation
Grace creates freedom

Law lives from the outside in
Grace lives from the inside out

Law declares do in order to be
Grace declares you are, therefore do

Law produces guilt, condemnation
Grace produces acceptance, security

Law leads to defeat
Grace leads to Victory!

Selah,

Alex

"The Return of The Prodigal Son"

"The Return of The Prodigal Son"

Henri Nouwen, in his book, "The Return of The Prodigal Son", says, "If the only meaning of the story (Luke 15, The Prodigal Son) were that people sin but God forgives, I could easily begin to think of my sins as a fine occasion for God to show me forgiveness. There would be no challenge is such an interpretation. I would resign myself to my weaknesses and keep hoping that eventually God would close his eyes to them and let me come home, whatever I did. Such romanticism is not the message of the Gospels. "What I am called to make true is that whether I am the younger or elder son, I am the son of my compassionate Father. I am an heir. . . . as son and heir I am to become successor. I am destined to step into my Father's place and offer to others the same compassion that he has offered me. The return to the Father is ultimately the challenge to become the Father. . . .

"I know how much I long to return and be held safe, but do I really want to be son and heir with all that that implies? Being in the Father's house requires that I make the Father's life my own and become transformed in his image."

"... God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone . . . Nothing between us and God, our faces shinning with the brightness of his face. And so we are transformed much like the Messiah, our lives becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."
The Message, 2 Corinthians 3: 16ff

Selah,

Alex