Question-Comment: 

Trophies of Grace

If we live by grace and not works, receiving Christ's sacrifice as our only justification from sin, we will become God's workmanship -- His masterpiece.

God's idea of a masterpiece is to take a life that has been trampled on by Satan -- locked in sin -- and then set them free, raising them up and empowering them to do His mighty works. They become His trophy, His work of art. He loves to show them off! He displays them to the world to show His amazing grace, mercy, and forgiveness to others.

If others can see what God's grace has done in you, they will be drawn to the Savior -- the giver of grace -- the one who restored your life. If they can see this "incomparable riches of His grace," they will be drawn to the God of grace and rescued from the darkness that surrounds them.

It is up to us to show them the Light of Christ that shines through grace. And by grace will they be saved, not that any should boast except God (see Ephesians 2:8-9). For it is His "boasting" that will make others hungry for what He has given us and what He has for them, as a free gift! For though they have failed and fallen into sin, they can find forgiveness through the cross. And He will raise them up like He did Peter (see Acts 2:14-41), causing them to stand secure in Christ alone; they will speak with the boldness of heaven.

There is nothing you have done that can keep you from God's love (see Romans 8:35). It is a free gift to all who will receive it, all who ask for it, and all who want it.

Open your heart and tell Him you want Him. He will restore your life and make you a trophy of His grace! For there is nothing lost that cannot be found in Him.

Love and blessings to you,


PASTOR GIDEON

DON WROTE:

Thanks for the good word!

B'ANN WROTE:

Let me add to your teaching with an example of a Christian that has received deliverance versus one that has not.

• The person that has not been delivered has to "chant" a constant reminder.  A person that shop lifts would enter and store and say over and over and over in their mind, "I will not steal, I will not steal, I will not steal".  Or, they become consumed with having to quote the Scriptures, "Thou shalt not steal" which keeps one dwelling upon their own person. The shopping trip becomes a mind torturing burden instead of any type of pleasure. If they meet a person in need, they would be so burdened with self that they would not be able to edify another.
• The person that has been delivered by the "Grace of God" will enter the store and the thought of stealing is no longer part of  their thought patterns.  They can enter the store, buy whatever is needful, and their thoughts are free to do other things. They do not have to focus upon their own flesh but are free to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.  Perhaps there is a person in the store that desperately needs to receive a kind word, a Scripture promise, or any number of needs.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

• We cannot focus upon the needs of others if we are tormented by feelings of guilt.  These feelings do come from a knowledge of good and evil which is addressed in the Bible.  There are those, especially in the psychiatry and Social Work fields, that advocate getting rid of the Bible so that persons are not subjected to the knowledge of good and evil.   But Christ said he would set us free.
• This freedom comes when the born again Christian is aware of what is theirs in Christ Jesus.  Satan would torment a new believer with feelings of guilt. Satan would have the person focus upon themselves with lamenting such as  "Oh, me! Oh, my! Oh! dear!" which in essence keeps one focused upon their own needs, not the needs of a dying world in need of salvation. Satan would have a person chant, and chant, and chant in order to "keep their flesh/thoughts under control".  This keeps a person in bondage to their old  ways/habits. This would come from Satan. We can readily see that this chanting bondage does not come from Christ.

I John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

• The child of God needs to search the Scriptures for the  verses that say we are a "new creature" in Christ Jesus.  We need to accept this and instead of "chanting verses/sayings" that turns one in upon themselves, we need to start singing the praises of Jesus.  Praising Jesus will drive away the need to dwell upon ourselves, which really comes from selfishness.  Singing songs of praise is much different from soulical chants.
• Understanding of the following Scriptures is absolutely necessary if one is to have an overcoming life in Christ Jesus.

John 17:23
 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

I John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

• When does this occur?  Some say it happens immediately upon the "rebirth" experience.  Others feel that it comes by "degrees" as a person studies the Scriptures and learns how to be a Christian.  My feeling is that a person cannot "learn how to be a Christian"; but rather, they have to be "born again" as one.  We need to caution people to not mistake conviction as conversion.  Conversion mean change.  Conviction alone would just add a terrible guilt burden upon a person. 
• We need to admonish people to look at their salvation experience with this Scripture in mind:

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• The only reason to be under heaviness or burdened as a Christian is if one is still in a state of rebellion:

I Peter 1:6
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Question-Comment:

Question-Comment:
Could you explain these scriptures to me? Lam.5:7 and Hosea 5:4 and Is 14:20-22.

Also can you tell me if the sins of our ancestors relate to us today, I mean are we still paying the price for their sins?
And if so how are we today able to be saved with the stain of our ancestors sin upon us. I need to know the answer to this question real soon, Can a person who backslid and is now trying to set it right, can this person pray for another person?

 

DON WROTE:

For our Cyber visitors, the Scriptures referred to above are:

Lam. 5:7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.

Hosea 5:3
I know E'phraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, O E'phraim, you have played the harlot, Israel is defiled. 4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of harlotry is within them, and they know not the LORD.

Isa. 20:20
Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. 21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. 22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.

There is really no need to "explain" the verses for they simply mean what they say.  However, the reader of the Bible should be aware that these verses were written to those who were living "under the age/dispensation of the Law" and not to the believers in Christ Jesus in our age who are living under the dispensation of Grace.

Some important differences between the two dispensations are:

•  Under the Law, the believer was to offer the blood sacrifice of an animal or bird at the appointed times to atone for all sins and failures during the period following the last sacrificial offerings.  Under Grace, when convicted of sins/failures by the Holy Spirit, the believer confesses those sins and failures and by faith receives forgiveness in the name of Jesus because of His shed blood on the Cross.  (His blood was shed only "once" for "all" who will receive it by faith.  All of the blood offerings of the Old Testament pointed forward to and were types that were fulfilled by the spilling of the blood of Christ on the Cross [Hebrews 9:11-28]. )
• Under the Law, the "peace" that comes by being forgiven was less that perfect, varying with each person according to his or her faith.  Under Grace, the "peace of Christ which passeth understanding" is available to all believers who will receive it by faith.  This is a "perfect peace" for it is actually the peace of Christ Himself [Philippians 4:7].
• Under the Law, the Holy Spirit only "acted upon" men and women whenever there was a need.  Under Grace the Holy Spirit actually indwells the bodies of the believers; and when the Spirit is not grieved or frustrated by the believer, God actually brings forth His fruit and grace in the lives of those Who know Him [I Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 5].

Remember, the Bible tells us that the "letter" of the Law killeth, because those "under the Law" were/are condemned by the law because they were/are powerless to fulfill its just demands.  But the Bible also tells us that the Law is a school teacher that brings us to Christ so that we might be delivered from "the beggarly elements" of the Law and walk in the glory and victory of the Spirit-filled life! (See Romans 3 and Galatians 3.)

B'ANN WROTE:

We still seem to have trouble separating the flesh from the Spirit.  We all have to live in governments that were set up by our ancestors.  We have to contend with the choices they made as to morals and customs, or the cultures they developed that drive the business world.  This is separate from the Spiritual.  We each can choose Jesus as our personal Savior and then trust Him to lead us in the midst of any adversities whether if be financial, social, or governmental.  We can each become a new creature in Christ Jesus regardless of what our ancestors did or didn't do!

Thanks for visiting our web site and taking the time to WRAP with us.

If you will click on the "CLOCK OF AGES" button, you will go to our on-line book that lays out our understanding of the chronological order of end-time events much better than I can do in a brief WRAP AROUND.  You will find some illustrations in the book that will help you grasp the chronological order.  Also, you can click on the "CHART OF THE AGES" button and the chart is a good tool to get a panorama overview of what God is doing on His good earth.

Maranatha,

Don

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