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            The true grace of God is much different than the false grace messages given in churches and over the airways today.  The true grace of God truly changes our heart.  Grace is a gift from God that is received by faith when we believe on the One giving it.  There is nothing to pay, but a believing faith to retain.

Satan has false teachers distort God’s grace, and by that wrong interpretation of God’s Word, has deceived millions of eternal souls by leading them into serious sins or misplaced trust.  The apostle said that believers had to Jude 1:3 “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints,” because false teachers had 4 “secretly slipped in among you,” who “change the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

          God’s grace frees us from immoral sins and desires—not to continue in them.  Titus 2:14 Jesus “gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right”—which is to trust Him everyday to cleanse our heart and to inspire faith in us to believe that by His grace we are forgiven.  He added 15 ”You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary.”

          The apostles urged believers Acts 13:43 to “continue in [hold fast to] the grace of God.”  God’s grace is a gift but only believing faith receives its benefits.  True grace is the appearing of God’s Son Titus 2:11 who made the sacrifice to cleanse our heart. 

This grace 12-13 ”teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled [sober], upright and godly lives in this present age [world], while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

          God’s Grace is received when we trust in faith on the shed blood of His Son.  There is no way to earn it, but only a believing faith will receive it.  Satan has deceived millions by distorting the grace of God and involving them in sins of the world.  The fate of the immoral is the lake of fire Revelation 21:8, but false doctrines deny what Jesus said about the fate of the unrepentant.

The time has come 2 Timothy 4:3 “when people will no longer listen to right teaching.  They will follow their own desires [lusts] and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear.”  The truth is Ezekiel 18:26 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.”  Romans 8:13 “If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die.”

          Putting God’s Word into practice is evidence that God’s grace is received.  Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  True disciples Luke 8:21 ”Hear God’s word and put it into practice [obey it]."  It is a believing faith that trusts in the atonement of Christ—James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”

          God will remove the sin nature from our heart by replacing it with His divine nature—if we will believe Him and trust in faith on His atonement for sin.  He promises to provide all our needs from His storehouse of blessings, if we will trust Him in believing faith.  He promises to protect us from harm by a divine shield, if we will believe Him in faith and reject all substitutes.

          God promises to heal us when oppressed, if we will confess our sins, put our faith in the Blood of His Son, and reject the world’s remedies, medications, prescriptions, and pills.  God promises to guide us on this path if we will trust Him in faith to do it, and He promises to save us from His wrath, if we will believe Him and trust Him in faith every day.  Romans 4:16 ”It is of faith, that it might be by grace.”

          Our slate is cleaned, when we sincerely confess and forsake our sins.  After accepting God’s grace by faith, we make a commitment to do God’s will by faith—in the power of His Spirit.  Romans 3:23-24 ”All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Acting on the Word of God by faith, is just evidence that we believe and accept the grace of God by faith.  We trust Him in faith, because we know “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God“ Ephesians 2:8.  Grace is free because Jesus paid for it, and it is received by a believing, trusting, and enduring faith in that sacrifice of atonement.

          A condition to receive the grace of God, is that we forgive everyone who has offended us.  We have to forgive them, because Jesus forgave us.  Colossians 3:13 ”Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances [offense; complaint; quarrel] you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  Every sin is nailed on the cross, when we believe on His atonement sacrifice to forgive them.

Jesus became sin for us, so He could offer grace to us.  As we walk in the light of God’s Truth, 1 John 1:7 “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  The grace of God is given when we believe in faith on the Son of God.  It is possible to stray or disobey, but the Holy Spirit convicts and inspires us to come back and trust God.  Hebrews 3:12 ”Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

          The grace of God is essential, so our confession to God must be sincere, and our faith in Christ without compromise.  Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” 

Satan is out to destroy every soul, but we will be saved by grace, if we live by faith—as Abraham did James 2:22.  We stand guilty on the basis of past sins, and we cannot be righteous before God—apart from the grace of God—which is made possible by believing in faith. 

Accepting God’s grace by faith, and forgiving others in the process, is crucial.  Jesus said Mark 11:25 “When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

          We cannot approach God’s throne of grace, unless we are cleansed from sin by believing in faith that we are forgiven—because we are trusting on His blood sacrifice for atonement.  Ephesians 1:7 ”It is in Him, and through the shedding of His blood, that we have our deliverance—the forgiveness of our offences—so abundant was God’s grace.”  The devil wants us to think we are not forgiven, but when we sincerely confess our sins to God, we definitely are forgiven.

As a child of God we have a right to ask Him for anything—divine healing through faith in Jesus’ Name Acts 3:16, enough finances by trusting Him in faith Philippians 4:19, inner peace because of His stripes Isaiah 53:5, divine protection because of His promise Psalm 91, spiritual guidance by His Spirit James 1:5, and anything else that is part of grace—appropriated by faith.

          There are many false places of trust—plans, pills, policies, or procedures on which we can put our trust, and Jesus was definite about the consequences for not keeping our trust and faith on Him.  Matthew 18:3 “Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  We only ”receive the kingdom of God like a little child" Mark 10:15.

          Many are deceived to accept false places of trust—like depending on some type of medication for healing—instead of trusting in the Name, and on the Blood, of Christ Acts 3:16. Millions own real estate or houses as financial assets, but Jesus said Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”

          Employees depend on unions for improved conditions or higher wages, instead of trusting God in faith to improve work situations, and praying in faith for an increase in wages.  Luke 3:14 “Be content with your wages."  Believers are instructed to Colossians 3:22 ”Obey your earthly [employer] in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”

Millions of professing Christians depend on insurance coverage for financial protection, instead of trusting on God in faith.  Philippians 4:6 ”Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Millions depend on legal action to avenge wrongs, but God says Romans 12:19 "It is mine to avenge; I will repay."  All these substitutes are false trusting places—against the Word of God, because He has promised to do those things—if we will trust Him in faith.

          Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac because God does not allow any idol in our heart.  We see James 2:22 ”that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”  Acting faith on God receives the grace of God.  Only the Spirit of God can truly enlighten us to the grace of God—grace that forgives, when our trust is on Him.  “It is of faith, that it might be by grace.”

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First Century Gospel Church © 2011
PO Box 24283
PHILA PA  19120-5283
contact@fcgchurch.org