Scripture Reference: Romans 6:14
We hear a lot from the religious world today about grace, but I know for a fact that most people don't have a clue of what grace truly is and what it means to be under grace. Most believe that we live in what is called the "dispensation of grace" thinking that everybody is living under Gods grace and can be saved because of it. Well it's an established fact that it's definitely because of grace that we can be saved, as Ephesians 2:8 states saying, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Yes we are saved by grace, but when Paul said we are saved by grace "through faith" this is what most don't understand. Please notice carefully that Paul did not tell us that we are saved by grace alone, as most would have you to think and believe. Those who believe they are saved by grace alone has been erroneously taught to believe that they were saved by merely believing in Christ without any other works involved at all. They fail to realize what Paul meant when he said we are saved by grace "through faith" and not of ourselves, but is the gift of God. Most think to be saved "through faith" means to believe on Christ and accept him as Lord and Savior and that belief and acceptance on Christ saves them. To be saved is not done by merely believing on the person of Christ, but rather to be saved can only be done by believing and obeying his gospel, which are his many teachings found throughout the New Testament scriptures. Did not Paul tells us these words as stated in I Corinthians 15:1-2 that says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." Can you not see here that Paul clearly reveals that it's believing Christ's gospel that will save you and not just believing on the person of Christ alone?
Canyou not see the difference between believing on Christ and to believehis teachings? Yes we must believe on Christ, but what about histeachings, is it not a fact that it's his teachings of the gospel thatis the power of God unto salvation and not just a belief on Christalone, as Paul clearly reveals to us in Romans 1:16 that says, "For Iam not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God untosalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also tothe Greek." What Paul said in Ephesians 2:8 saying that we are saved"THROUGH FAITH" this reveals that we are saved by the faith that comesby hearing and believing his word of the gospel, and not just believingon his person alone. In other words we are saved through the faith ofGods word as we believe and obey it in a daily process. Is this notexactly what the apostle James also tells us in his epistle of James1:21-22 that says, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluityof naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which isable to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearersonly, deceiving your own selves." Can you not see that it takes beliefand obedience to Gods word revealed throughout the New Testamentscripture that saves the soul, only if it's received and obeyed; andnot just believing on the person of Christ alone, like it's beingtaught by the deceived religious clergy today? Now I want you to lookagain at what Paul told us in Romans 6:14 that said, "For sin shall nothave dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."First of all you need to understand that if you are truly under grace,then please notice carefully that Paul tells us that sin does not havedominion or power over them that are under grace. Have you consideredwhat it means for sin not to have power over you and why we need thispower over sin? Everybody is not under Gods grace, but rather it's onlythose who are no longer under the law as Paul tells us. What does Paulmean by saying this? Paul is not saying that everybody is under graceand that sin has no power over anybody, but rather sin has no powerover all them that are not under the law. So what does it mean to beunder the law where sin does have power over those who are under thatlaw? Paul answers this question in what he said in Romans 3:19 thatsays, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith tothem who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and allthe world may become guilty before God." This law that Paul speaks ofhere are the laws of the ten Commandments, which is proven by what Paulin the next verse of Roams 3:20 that says, "Therefore by the deeds ofthe law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the lawis the knowledge of sin." We know that it's the laws of the tenCommandments that reveals what sin is. So every person that is in anunconverted state is under the condemnation of those laws proving thatthey are sinners in the sight of God.
Tryingto keep and obey those Commandment laws will not and further morecannot justify anybody who attempts to keep and obey them. This is truebecause we can only be justified by faith and not by trying in vain tokeep and obey those laws. This is very true, because Paul tells us inGalations 3:12 these words saying, "And the law is not of faith: but,The man that doeth them shall live in them." The faith that willjustify or save us is what Paul told us about in what he said inEphesians 2:8 where it tells us that we are saved by grace "THROUGHFAITH" and this faith is living by every word of God revealed in thegospel or the teachings of Christ. Living by the faith revealed inChrist's teachings will eventually lead us into a life ofrighteousness, which is a life without sin. This life without sin isthe very life of Christ that he came to give us and that moreabundantly, as he stated in John 10:10 that says, "The thief comethnot, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that theymight have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." It willbe the life of Jesus once again being manifested in and through thosewho has truly been born of God. This life of Jesus is referred to byPaul in what he said in II Corinthians 4:10-11 that says, "Alwaysbearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the lifealso of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live arealway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesusmight be made manifest in our mortal flesh." For the life of Christ tobecome our life you need to understand that our old sinful life must bedestroyed. This is accomplished as we walk in and obey the many truthsrevealed in the teachings of Christ. This is why we need power over sinas Paul told us in Romans 6:14. This power is the power of Christ in usand it's through this power of Christ that we can do all things, asPaul states in Philippians 4:13 that says, "I can do all things throughChrist which strengtheneth me.' but Jesus tells us in John 15: 5 thesewords saying, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth inme, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me yecan do nothing." The deceived religious world of Christianity today hasbeen deceived from the truth of how to truly receive Christ in theirheart and lives and for this very reason they are still steeped in sinand even calling themselves sinners as they continue to live in andcommit sin against God. These millions of deceived individuals arestill under the law and are not under grace where we have power oversin and thereby through that power can and must destroy sin in ourlife. Did not Paul tell us in II Corinthians 7:1 these words saying,"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanseourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfectingholiness in the fear of God." Nobody can cleanse themselves of all thefilthiness of sin without truly possessing Christ in your heart andconsider what Paul said about the perfecting of holiness in the fear ofGod. Without this holiness nobody will see the Lord as Hebrews 12:14tells us saying, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, withoutwhich no man shall see the Lord."
Wecan only perfect this holiness within us by being under grace where wehave all access to what we need to accomplish this. Peter reveals thisto us in what he said in II Peter 1:3-4 that says, " According as hisdivine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life andgodliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to gloryand virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and preciouspromises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Allthese great truths are revealed in the teachings of Christ, but youneed Christ in your heart to lead and guide into all truth that willprepare you for the soon return of Christ to this world for his churchthat Paul describes in Ephesians 5:27 that says, "That he might presentit to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or anysuch thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Keep inmind that only belief and obedience to the pure unadulterated word ofGod will bring you to this position and place you in Christ.. As allwho were outside of the ark in Noah's day perished in the flood soshall it be also to all those who are outside of Christ when he returnswill perish as well to suffer the consequences of the second death. Hethat has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to thechurches.....amen