The Gospel (part 8) Jesus and Grace

What is the Grace of God? How should we understand the inner workings of Grace in our lives concerning its effect on our sinful actions? These questions should be answered considering it could highly impact our understanding of Truth. If we are to believe Grace covers all our sins, and because of Grace we can no longer sin at all, then this is basically a license to sin. A free pass, if you will. I say this because what limitations should we abide by? Do we only act according to our conscience? If this is the case, then isn’t it the same as simply acting according to our own understanding? If we are to say the Holy Spirit guides us, then how do we know if it is truly the Holy Spirit speaking to us? We are told to test all spirits, so what do we test them to?

Genesis 6:8

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Proverbs 3:1-4, 22

My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.

John 1:16-17

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Here are a few things to take note of. First, Grace was found in the Old Testament, Noah found Grace in the eyes of God as well as Moses. Proverbs links Grace with keeping the Law of God saying His commands will be Grace to your neck. Finally, John tells us YHWH has given us blessing after blessing, first the blessing of the Law with Grace from Moses followed by more of the same through Christ. This verse is normally used to state the Law of God came from Moses, but Grace came from Jesus. However, that is not the case. This should be understood as multiple blessings have been given to His chosen people, first the Law, then Grace, both being blessings. This is not saying, now that Jesus has come, we no longer need to even consider the law. We know His Law is truth so to receive truth through Christ is to receive the Law through Christ.

Psalm 119:142

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.

Now, if His Law is truth, and He brought Grace and Truth, we absolutely should understand these two things work together and you cannot have one without the other.

James 2:17

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Considering all this, so far we can determine Grace is not only a New Testament idea. Both Proverbs and John link Grace with the Law, and James says faith works in unification with the Law of God. Now, if we go a little deeper here we should be able to understand that Yeshua was a living breathing example for us to have both faith and follow the Law.

1 Peter 2:21-22

Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found on his lips.”

1 John 3:4

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Yeshua was our example of how not to sin and how to keep deceit out of our mouths. He kept the Law of God. Sin is breaking His Law and we know He never broke God’s Law. So, the question that now begs to be asked, how does keeping the Law have anything to do with Grace?

1 John 1:8-1 John 2:2

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

We all sin, which is break YHWH’s Law. To say we are not sinners is to deceive ourselves. We are to strive to not sin but, if we happen to accidentally or unknowingly sin, Yeshua is our advocate, standing beside us. The Grace of God is for our mistakes, not our rebellion. Continually, disregarding the Law of God is a rebellious act, and spits in the face of Yeshua. If He was our example, we are to walk as He walked. This is exactly what Paul tells us as well.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1 John 2:6

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

So, this is the Grace of God, which He forgives those who make mistake when they strive to keep His ways. But, it doesn’t end there. He even sends His Holy Spirit to us to help us to keep those commandments and Laws.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

 Not only does He grant us His Grace, but His Spirit causes us to keep those Laws. However, we cannot simply trust every spirit. Some spirits will come to deceive us, as we are told we must test the spirits.

1 John 3:22-1 John 4:3

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

First notice, believers are to be keeping His commandments and doing the things that are pleasing to YHWH. This means we can please YHWH with our actions. Then we read those who abide in Him, are those who are keeping His commandments. We can know He is within us because His Spirit is in us, remember His Spirit causes us to want to keep His commands and follow His Law. But again, we are told there will be other spirits that may come upon us and we are given an example of what those men will teach. They will teach something other than God’s Law, and by doing so, will be denying Yeshua the Messiah. There is a test given to us to be sure we are not following evil spirits, nor evil prophets or teachers.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5

“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

The Grace of God is simply favor or acceptance in the eyes of YHWH.

The Greek word is Strong's G5485 – charis, and it means graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):—acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, grace (- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).

The Hebrew word is Strong's H2580 – chen graciousness, i.e. subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty):—favor, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, (well-) favored.

We find favor in His eyes by doing His will, this is what the entire Bible teaches. God wants us to do His will. He has given us His instructions that we should follow. Now, we are not saved by doing the works, but because we have the faith that His works are right. It is a way to show we love Him.

John 14:15-17

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Notice, Yeshua says, “IF” you love Him you should keep His commands, and doing so will result in Him asking the Father to send His Spirit to help you. Now, couple that with what is stated in Ezekiel and it makes much more sense. He says His Spirit will “cause” you to keep His Laws. In doing so, you find Grace when you make mistakes. Again, one thing that we absolutely have to understand is, His Grace is for our mistakes, not our rebellion.