Established in Grace
I am not trying to say anything here that is trying to make a doctrine out of one or two verses but simply stating that I believe we are all assured that Jesus will always remain the same. His Grace is sufficient and what He has done for us through that Grace is something that may be difficult for a lot of us to understand but it has been done nonetheless. I think the majority of the human race has a problem with the fact we have received something from God without our involvement in any way. It is difficult to understand and accept the fact there is nothing we have done nor can do in order to obtain this great redemption that was so freely given to the human race by Him at the cross.
I am not going to go into any deep discussion about what the grace of God has done for all mankind in this post because I believe by now most know where I stand as far as what the grace of God has done for the human race 2000 years ago with no one being left out of the plan. When we look at what is being preached today and has been for hundreds of years, it is not really good news. Whenever you hear a message preached that has any kind of bad news in it, it immediately ceases to be Good News. Let us not forget the Gospel is good news.
As I read today in Hebrews I saw in Chapter 13 verse 9 that we are not to be carried away with divers and strange doctrines. I believe these doctrines alluded to here are anything we hear preached and taught that strays from the good news of the Gospel. I believe when we hear anything that says we have to do anything to be redeemed it can be classed as “strange” and should not be listened to. I believe that when we begin to listen to all that is being said out there, or should I say anything that is being said out there, we have to be careful because most of it falls under the category of being “divers and strange”.
Further on in the verse I read that we are to be established in grace. I looked up the meaning of established in the Greek dictionary and it means this……to be stable, firm, steadfast and sure. If we listening to every kind of doctrine that is out there (strange and divers) then we are definitely not established in grace. What does it mean to be established in Grace? I can only tell you what that means to my own heart as I cannot speak for anyone else.
I see myself as established in grace because I read Hebrews 13:8 and see Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. What He did “yesterday” is still in effect today and will be forever. Nothing we do or do not do can change that. When we look at Who it was that accomplished this great plan of redemption and realize it had nothing to do with any of us, then how can we be anything but established in grace.
Going back to the Greek meaning of the word established, am I stable in this? Absolutely because I know it was accomplished by Jesus apart from my involvement. Am I firm in this belief? Of course, but again, only because I know Who accomplished it. Am I steadfast in this belief? Absolutely, because I believe Jesus accomplished what He came to accomplish and that was to redeem the entire human race. Am I sure of this? Very much so because I look at the fact that what Jesus did can not be changed, altered nor can anything else be added or taken away from it because He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
My reason for being established in grace is not because of what I do or don’t do, what I believe or don’t believe but simply being established in what He has done more than 2000 years ago which was fulfilling the plan of God instituted before the foundation of the world. I have laid aside the strange and divers doctrines that were in my life for many years as all they did was cause confusion, bondage and fear. I now rest in the good news of the Gospel which is the redemption of the entire human race.
Quite a few years ago I wrote an article “Our condition does not change our position in Christ.” In other words, all are established in Christ regardless of their religious condition. Like many of us at one time, most religious people just don’t know what it means to have one’s heart established in God’s grace. But for those who do know that their heart has been established in His grace, they ought to be confident enough to know that no strange doctrine should be able to shake them in mind nor in spirit since they already know their position in Christ.
I personally don’t shut myself out from different strange doctrines since I once preached them myself. And the reason being, is simply because it allows me to see more clearly what the error of my ways were at the time, and in turn allows me to help and reach others with Gospel truth. I do discourage those who are just beginning to grow in grace to do their best to stay away from their old religious doctrines of bondage, until they get their heart established in grace. But the truth of the matter is that we really learn to appreciate the Gospel of Grace when we listen to what Paul called “another gospel.”
People have often asked me: “How were you able to pick up so fast the Gospel of the Grace and Peace of God and explain it so easily?” My answer: “By every so often listening to the old strange doctrines that are still being preached that I once preached myself. In my opinion - and we all know that opinions are like noses, they each have two holes - I have been able to be more effective in presenting the Goodnews to others when I hear the badnews of others.
But regardless of our religious condition, rest assured that in God’s eyes everyone is established under His grace whether they know it or not.
Our condition will never change our position in Christ because it was Him who established us all in His grace and we just simply need to get our hearts to understand that. God’s grace becomes established in our hearts when we just simply rest in His grace and trust in His finished work of grace. Religion will always work themselves to please God. But God is pleased with us all regardless of our condition, because He has perfectly positioned (established) us all in His grace.
Grace n Peace
dead2sin23
Good to hear from you today deadtosin23. You raise some great points as always and I guess I never looked at it in the way you explain it and that is that all are established in grace. Of course not all show or know this but like you said, their condition can never have anything to do with their position. Thanks for commenting.
Roy
You are really talented on writting article,i will come as soon as you update blog.
I thought this was a very interesting post thanks for writing it!