Has – “Grace” – been twisted into a false doctrine? Will that false doctrine cause many to fall?

Has – “Grace” – been twisted into a false doctrine? Will that false doctrine cause many to fall?

First:

The following can not be grasped by casual reading or by skimming; the deep things of God must be understood word by word, line upon line and precept by precept.

Ephesians 2

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith — he loved us,

“he loved us” 5 — Even when — we were dead in sins, — hath quickened us — together –“”with”” Christ, —- (by grace ye are saved; )

Here is a key statement by Paul that is a cause of the confusion. By focusing on the last statement, “by grace ye are saved; “ and ignoring the first “Even when we were dead in sins,”– the confusion occurs.

6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] – sit together - in– heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us — through Christ Jesus.

Grace is not salvation — salvation comes only — “through Christ Jesus.”

Salvation –through – Jesus Christ comes because of God the Father’s kindness/grace.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; — and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

By the kindness/grace of God we are saved by our faith/trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that faith/trust is even a GIFT.

We must acknowledge Paul is hard to understand as the apostle Peter confirmed.

16 “As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which —- are some things hard to be understood, —

— which they that are — unlearned – and –unstable == wrest,(twist) as [they do] also the other scriptures, —-unto their own destruction.”

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, states clearly we are saved by Grace.

Here is the question that demands a clear answer.

Is Paul stating in verses 7 and 8 above that God the Father is giving us eternal life by and through His Grace i.e. kindness and therefore we have no need of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood as our Passover? Is it by Grace or by the Blood?

We will slowly dissect, digest and “rightly divide” the scriptures to come to the Truth,

This study will confirm the following explanation of Grace.

“Even when we were dead in sins,”:

Thus:

Even while we were under condemnation: under sentence of death for our sins:

Even while we had not repented and were as yet unconverted:

Even though we did not have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us:

THEN — while we were unrepentant sinners worthy of death —

THEN — even though we were –locked in to – that deplorable state of sin and even as we continued to dwell in that condition of iniquity:

God the Father sent HIS SON Jesus Christ to die for us.

The “Grace” the “Kindness” of God is while we were –Sinners – our Father sent His Son to be brutally beaten and slain — for sinners –
 

Slain for unrepentant sinner’s — sinners that love sin — Not for the righteous and NOT for those with a “good” heart and Not for those seeking after righteousness —

Jesus Christ was sent by the Grace of God — To die for Sinners.

Only because of the Kindness/Grace of our Father did the Father allowed HIS Son to become our Passover— it is — ONLY –BY THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST that we are saved from the penalty of death for our sins against our Father.

Yes! Because of Grace/Kindness we are saved –BUT – it is the Blood that does the saving —not the Grace of the Father— Grace — “allows” — the saving of sinners —- but grace is NOT what saves US, grace IS NOT what pays the penalty of Death for each of us.

Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ can save us from our sins.

Grace is NOT a get out of jail for free card. By the kindness of God adulterer, liars, thieves, the proud and vain and blasphemers can have all those sins paid for by the Blood of the Son of the Father.

Do not for one tenth of a second think that I would allow any of my children or grand children to die for you. I am not yet that ‘kind”, that indescribable act of kindness is only possible by OUR FATHER and His Son Jesus Christ.

Stop and consider this fact: Paul had mothers and fathers put in prison and I would think some even were put to death like Stephen.

While Paul was in the act of destroying the Saints of GOD and God’s church – Paul as called by Christ to serve Him as an apostle. Is that mercy, is that kindness, is that grace?

Paul was baptized and by the laying on of hands received the Holy Spirit, Paul debt of death for all the evil he had done was paid in full by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. spirit

The kindness of the Father led Paul to Christ and to salvation and to a Great Work.

Romans 5

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. NLT

At the exact time —- at the exact second – appointed from before creation – Christ died for sinners and while we had no strength – no power of God’s Spirit, while we were helpless against the pulls and temptations of the flesh – then while we were in the condition of SINFULNESS —-Christ died for us.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

I would die for one of my children or grand children but for you ???? I can not see that happening. Sorry my conversion has not yet been competed to the point I would die for you.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, —while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners

This IS THE GRACE OF GOD—while we were yet sinners – our Father sent His Son Jesus — to die for all mankind.

Without our Father’s kindness being so great that He let His Son die for worthless sinners– we would be without hope. With out our Passover and His blood poured on the ground— we have no hope/expectation of eternal life.

Do you understand who Christ died for?? Think of the mass murderers, think of the heinous crimes that man has committed —- Christ died for the scum of the earth while they were scum.

9 Much more then, being now — justified by his blood, – we shall be saved from wrath through him.

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

By the kindness only found in the Father are we set free from the penalty of Death for our sins, set free — only by the Blood of our Savior.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son — while we were still his enemies, — we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son

We “all” were not just sinners — but enemies of God: — I must admit I can not conceive of willingly allowing my self to die to pay the penalty of death for those that have done evil things to me over the course of my life — again only our Father and our Savior has that measure of grace/kindness.

11 And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (reconciliation) .

11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God (The Father) because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

We are reconciled to our Father because of the payment Jesus Christ made: our debt of death has been paid in full by Jesus Christ.

The veil that closed off the Throne of God was ripped in two at Christ’s death and now we can go boldly and directly to our Father with all our problems.

Yes we can be set free from the penalty of death for our sins because of the Grace of our Father — BUT — it is only the blood of Jesus Christ that washes away all of those despicable sins.