Ever since I became a Christian I have been fascinated by the way that professing believers have defined (and redefined) the term and concept of “grace.”
Some folks define it as a type of shield that protects them from the wrath of GOD, almost using it as a license to continue in their sinful lives. Others define it ambiguously as HIS unmerited favor (which it is), but upon further investigation, I found that they also suggest that their form of grace is somehow in opposition to much of the Word of GOD. In particular, the first five books of Moses, as they maintain that grace is new thing, a new dispensation if you will, whereby describing how GOD now deals with mankind.
Though I once looked at HIS Word in this same way, I do so no longer! (At this point you might want to read another article on this site; “When Did Grace Begin?”) That will save us both from rehashing what is already written… :>)
Once I realized what grace is biblically, I was challenged to clarify its use (and misuse) as I encountered it. Both in casual conversation and in my teaching ministry, I strove to properly apply its proper definition as found in the “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible” and in the “Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.” It is Strong’s #5485, GRK “charis” which is defined as “From G5463; 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, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).”
My efforts to use the word as properly defined fostered no small resistance by the way, finally resulting with many changes taking place in the ministry here. As I have pondered those changes, I was struck by the simple truth of it all! It was/is a work of GRACE! How did grace change things? (I’m intentionally punning off of a noted book title:>) Seriously, I realized that GRACE DOES produce change! But not the way that it is currently being portrayed…
BIBLICAL GRACE DOES NOT CHANGE GOD! Biblical grace is GOD requiring and producing HIS change in MAN! As stated in the definition; “especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life…”
As but one example, let’s consider the words of the Prophet Malachi regarding the concept of change. Malachi 3:6 says “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
Since YHWH does not change, then those who profess to be HIS people must be the ones to change! Could we qualify this change as HIS work of grace? By its definition, I think that we can! Let consider it:
I have heard so many folks quote Malachi 3:6 over the years, and yet I wonder how many have really taken into account the context of the verse. In Malachi 3, YHWH is taking HIS people Israel to task for their unrighteousness as stated in verse 5,
“And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— because they do not fear Me,” Says the LORD of hosts.”
Notice the last words of this verse again, “…because they do not fear ME”!!! Let those words sink in… Why does HE say that? What is indicative of their lack of fearing HIM??? How is it that HIS people could be involved in sorceries, adulteries, perjuries, exploitation and rejecting strangers??? We are given the answers in verse 7, which by the way is immediately following HIS statement in verse 6 that HE DOES NOT CHANGE…
“Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.”
Notice that returning to HIM, is synonymous with a return to HIS ordinances! Ordinances is defined as an enactment; hence an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage):—appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree (-d), due, law, measure, X necessary, ordinance (-nary), portion, set time, statute, task.) Also (See the article on Galatians 4:19 asking how Gentiles could be returning to HIS Law when they never had it to begin with?)
Just as HE is holding Israel to HIS ordinances in Malachi, why is it so difficult for today’s Christianity to realize that HE (because HE does not change) continues to hold HIS professing people accountable to those same ordinances?
My soul cries out “When is professing Christendom going to wake up to the fact that they have taken a redefined grace as a means of changing GOD rather than seeing it biblically as the means whereby GOD changes man?” To which I pray to hear HIM answer; “Soon …very soon…” Please pray with me…
Brother I share in your cry! Amen!
Hi, could you please demonstrate how we are suppose to keep the law? I have found many people that talk about keeping the law not by the “letter” but buy the Spirit. However, all I ever see is people just talking about it. Is there any way you can tell me how you are doing it. I’m not trying to be rude or anything like that. I’m am just interested for myself, because these issues are on my heart. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi, great question! I not only talk about the Law of GOD, I am committed to allowing HIM to cause me to walk in it, just like HE promised as a recipient of the New Covenant! (Jer 31:31 / Ezek 36:27) How am I doing this? Simple. By keeping HIS weekly (7th Day) and HIS Feasts and Holy Days (Lev 23), and walking as JESUS walked (1John 2:5-6), eating according to HIS food Laws and loving every minute of it! What most folks don’t understand about HIS Law, thinking that “there is no way that anyone can walk in ALL of HIS Laws, because there are over 600 of them” is that there are some laws for men, some for women, some for the priests, some for people living in the Land of Israel, some for men, for women, for priests only with a rebuilt temple, etc… Of course I don’t practice sacrifice because those spoke prophetically of THE Sacrifice of MESSIAH YESHUA! That is where people get confused, not realizing that there were certain aspects of HIS Law that YESHUA DID fulfill…but HE didn’t fulfill ALL LYING, for example. You and I have to fulfill those types on our own. That is what Paul was referring to in Romans 8:4 “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” So, really following HIS Word/Law isn’t a burden. David sure didn’t think so by his words in Psalm 119, the longest Psalm and it is ALL about his commitment to the LAW of GOD! (not to be confused with the law of man)… Hope that helps you get more of an understanding of how one walks by the SPIRIT according to HIS Word/Law!
Thanks Pastor Ron. That did shine some light on the issue. Now as far as not lighting a fire or going a certain distance on the sabbath, do you keep these as well? Do people that work in law enforcement or the military on the sabbath, are they wrong? Do we need to wear commandments attached to our clothing or our bodies. Do we need to not cut our beards? Please don’t think I am giving you a hard time, I’m not. It’s just, for quite some time now, I believe that these issues on my heart mean something. When I talk about them, I usually get the little and impractical laws (in a modern view) that were commanded in the old testament. They usually ask me if we are suppose to do those as well. I know that Ihave a lot of studying to do in the old testament. I hope and pray that God would lead me into an understanding of His Laws.
Thanks again.
You are quite welcome! I appreciate the opportunity to discuss these issues. As for your question regarding not lighting a fire on the Sabbath(Ex 35:3), we must take into account the entirety of the Scriptures when dealing with one portion that seems to be in contradiction to another portion like what we find in Ex 12:16 “On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.” Or in Ex 16:29 “See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” So, if we take these three and combine them, we come up with a composite that is very restricting for them/us and is not consistent with the whole of the Scriptures. So how we are to interpret them? Interpretive exposition requires to consider the context of each one and realize that YHWH is not contradicting HIMSELF, but in fact is establishing specific requirements based on each situation that HE is addressing. This should be our approach for correct exegesis throughout the Scriptures. For example in understanding the text in Ex 35:3, we must take into consideration that the people were to begin the work of building the Tabernacle. In chapter 34 they are told not to make any molds of other gods. We know that they were gifted artisans (working with molten metals) among them. With the task at hand, it seems that YHWH is precluding any problems by telling them to refrain from doing any WORK that a fire is to be used in, on the Sabbath, emphasizing it again in verse 2 “Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death”, before HE tells them to not kindle a fire in verse 3. The other references to restrictions on the Sabbath, taken in context, also address specific issues at the times so there are no contradictions.
As for your question of them commanded to not go over a certain distance, that is not found in The Torah / Commandments of YHWH and is in fact a restriction placed on the people in the “commandments and doctrines of man” that JESUS addressed in Matthew 15:1-9, and that Paul refers to Colossians 2:22. These are the commandments that both JESUS and Paul were accused of breaking. Neither broke any of the Commandments of YHWH.
As for your question about wearing commandments attached to our clothing, I’m assuming that you are referencing Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ““And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Please notice the first place that HIS Commandments are to be; “in your heart.” Notice the wording to make HIS Commands the central focus for teaching to the children, talking in conversations wherever / whenever. That they are to guide everything that we set our hand to do, and everything we encounter in every direction that we face. HIS Commands are to be the standard for our dwellings and our property. I do not condemn those who wear them, but this Hebrew idiom has been grossly misunderstood and misapplied; In the Scriptures the heart is spoken of as the beginning of the being, the place from which all else flows…
As for your question regarding Commandments concerning beards is found in Lev 19:27, found between verses 26-28 “‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 27You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 28You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.” Which deal with the godless practices of those people groups that the Israelites would encounter “in the Land.” These practices were the very reason that those people groups were to be displaced from HIS Land. HIS people are not to copy the pagan practices of godless in any fashion, fad, cutting of the flesh, shaping of the hair, etc…
You also asked about those who work in law enforcement or the military on the Sabbath. It is an issue of the heart. If one is required to work on HIS Sabbath, and that is a part of duty, that is one thing. But if one desires to work on HIS Sabbath because of the money or any other reason in opposition to HIS Word, then that is another heart matter altogether. I have seen YHWH deliver his people from having to work on Sabbath when it was their sincere desire not to in some very unusual ways! The last couple of verses in Isaiah 58 gives us a good rule of thumb when contemplating our heart attitude toward HIS Sabbath. Even thought the entire chapter seems to deal with fasting, in fact it is dealing with the intentions of the heart and HIS people to abstain from anything that dishonors HIM. It is worth the read…
I pray that I have been able to offer a perspective that both helps and encourages you in your obedience to HIS Word!
Pastor Ron,
Thank you so much for your time and answers. They have been most helpful. Last night I read the whole book of Leviticus and I am eager to read more of the Torah. Are there similar teachings that you have maybe posted on a website that I could find? I appreciate your help brother. I will be sticking around
Again, you are most welcome. I’m blessed to hear that! You can find more articles and info by clicking the links to the right. A couple of the websites are hosted by brothers in our fellowship. They have great info! The Messiah Fellowship one has more of my articles, CDs, downloads, etc. available for donation and free. May you be blessed in HIS Truth as you seek HIS Face!
Blessings!
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