Here is where I have a bit of a difficult time with what you are saying of which is very articulate and well put together… If God’s Grace is as big and grand as we so often hear about, wouldn’t it cover even those who do not receive it? It seems as though (in the posts above) when people talk about this grace they eliminate man’s part (of which I understand) and magnify what God did through Jesus on the cross… But if Grace is what people say it is, why do people have to receive it in order to experience the rewards or benefits that it brings… Please help me understand… Thank you…

With Love,
Erna

I dunno if i’m capable of replying to your comments but i’m gonna try with the little understanding i have but the help & wisdom from the HS because my heart hurts for the unfairness you feel coming from the grace message. Your fear is greater than your knowledge of who God is and what He can do.

Basically, it doesn’t take the grace message to give man the license to sin. Man doesn’t need a license to sin, does He? You fear for that kinda of scenerio because you are aware what Man is capable of thinking. Like the proverbial monkey. If you can, what more God? Doesn’t God knows Man’s heart? Isn’t His ways & thoughts much higher than ours?

But one thing i believe is this, that ‘it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,… for in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed, from faith to faith as it it written, ‘the just shall live by faith’.

What is the gospel? It is the good news. What kinda news makes a good news? That Christ came to take our place for the punishment we deserve; that He didn’t deserve on the cross. As much as it’s unfair for us to escape the punishment we deserve, it is also unfair for Jesus to take the punishment for the sins He didn’t commit. And that’s the ultimate prove of God’s love for us.

The power in the gospel is the power of His love. That when sinners come to hear of this good news, the power of God is activated in his/her life. It may take a short time or for some, a even longer time but once it is activated, His unfarthomable grace is at work.

But do we because we fear man will take advantage of God’s grace that we dun preach the good news to them? I believe the more man hears the good news, the more he/she will be freed from the captivity of sin. Not because we preach it but simply because God’s power is at work.

So instead of fearing what the grace message is capable of doing (negatively), we should just do what the Bible tells us to do. Our job is to tell the world. Not ensure that the fruits are produced cos that’s the work of the HS.

I’m not sure what you mean by your comments. Regarding the readers of this blog, whether they are level headed is subjective. But I’d be careful to question their honesty.

And no, I don’t know where the problem lies.

even crooks and honest con men are imperfect.

you see where the problem lies?

cheers

But your question is a valid one and one that many people I’m sure have in their minds.

I’m not going to reply it now because my mind has been on my work and other matters at the moment. However, I promise I’ll respond directly to your question/challenge. Most likely, I hope to quote it in full in one of my posts and let others respond to it before chipping in with my thoughts. I’d like to see how some of my readers respond to what you said before doing so myself.

Basically, the grace message can potentially lead to the following.

Take z christian who rapes another christian daughter. Now, he shouldn’t feel guilt nor condemnation because, jesus had died and paid the penalty for his lawlessness—-past, present and future sins. (Hallelujah!Praise the Lord!)

The christian whose daughter been raped by another christian then proceeded to report the matter to the police. The police arrests the rapist. The sinner turns up in court and the judge sentenced him 10 years in jail plus mandatory caning. As he walked the judicial hall of shame, he was reminded repeatedly by the holy spirit in him not to feel guilt nor condemnation because, Christ has borne all his sins..past, present and future. Since his mind is absolutely focused on Jesus blood, he ignored strangers hurling verbal abuses at him. Christ is his righteousness, he affirmed. God is grace and grace is God. He is blessed forever because of the finished work of Christ. Though the judiciary may CONDEMN and imprison, my abba father does not condemn me and since no one is greater, wiser, more perfect in judgment than God, all others must be wrong, he mused.

Hallelujah! He is like the proverbial monkey who see no wrong, hear no wrong and speak no wrong because …there is now no condemnation in christ!!

The story ends with…released from prison, he being without guilt nor condemnation and in love with Christ, repeats his lawlessness.

The good news is ..no more rape but murder?

The bad news is…there is really none because the christian whose daughter been raped forgives him because…all sins have been wiped away and therefore, the proverbial monkey lives another day?

Yup, Pastor Prince did mention the story of how he stumbled upon the Lloyd-Jones quote in his book Destined To Reign. Thanks for commenting. God bless! :)

Just wanna to say that Ps Prince has mentioned once or twice regarding Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ message. But it was really an amazing tale of how he stumbled upon the passage. It seems that years back, he was feeling discouraged and down about the negative feedbacks regarding the Grace message he was preaching when he stumbled upon a book by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and read that very passage!

Of course, I may be wrong about the story cos I cannot remember which sermon did Ps Prince mention it.

In any case, the same Holy Spirit dwells in the believers and He is the Teacher who will lead and guide us in all things.

But, as you have shared, sometimes when Abba God speaks to us, the same message will be filtered through our own belief system and that is when the message may change from the Truth He is trying to get to us.

Have a blessed year ahead, Bro!;)

I didn’t say that other mega-churches that criticize NCC are fundamentalists. Most mega-churches are not fundamentalistic at all. However, yes, I would strongly disagree with their criticism of New Creation’s message of grace if they label it Antinomian. And I believe that’s their main disagreement with New Creation. Not its view of the Holy Communion as it relates to botox or whatever.

Regarding New Creation’s view of the Holy Communion. I don’t think I’ll agree with everything they say regarding this. I don’t go to New Creation and accept every single word that’s spoken from the pulpit. However, I would say that I have a high view of the Holy Communion. I view the Holy Communion as more than mere remembrance. On the other hand, I don’t treat it as some sort of magic potion – not that New Creation does so! I do, however, believe there’s a link between the death of Christ, the Holy Communion and our health although I probably won’t be able to articulate it out well.