Ahhh Grace... Part I

Ahhh Grace... that mysterious word; you've heard some of the sayings: 

• “we're under Grace, not Law”
• “Greasy Grace”
• “Grace gives you a license to sin” (to quote Andrew Wommack, “people are sinning without a license!”)
• “anything goes” 

But what is it really & more importantly, what does it mean to me?

The Law was all about me & what I had to do; Grace is all about what Christ did & me simply resting in His finished work on the Cross.

To me, Grace is freedom; not freedom to sin & do whatever I want, but the freedom & enabling to live (really live, abundantly live) a holier life than I ever could before. It's freedom from the Law (which, by the way, I'm dead to) & all the rules & regulations (which, by the way, were nailed to Cross of Christ).

People view things differently: 

If someone reads their Bible (or prays) religiously for an hour everyday some people call that being disciplined while others call it being legalistic. Grace to me is read what you're led to read, when you're led to read it... ponder it... don't just read something because it's on your list & you need to check it off... & pray without ceasing (keeping an attitude/posture of prayer).

If a church service is structured w/ the worship first, offering & announcements next, then the sermon/message (& no one would ever think of deviating from that 'perfect' format), some people view that as “decent & in order” while to me, Grace says “where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom”; freedom to shake things up a bit & be obedient if you're led to do it another way or in a different order. 

If someone tithes w/ the fear of being cursed if they don't (by the way, Jesus redeemed us from the curse & He Himself said tithing is a matter of the Law) or they give freely “as long as it's at least 10 percent!”, then some view that as being legalistic; once again putting a condition on your giving while to me, Grace says percent is not the issue, your giving is a heart issue but realize that you reap what you sow.

Grace to me is a game-changer & I for one will take it over the Law any day.