Grace That Demands Change

Has there been a change in you since Christ came into your life? I thank God for his amazing grace, that grace that comes not of yourself but by his power. It is God's amazing works that saves us. Romans 6:1 and 5-7 and 15,16.

It's God's goodness that leads us to righteousness, amazing grace, and how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. John Milton penned it right on the head in his song, 'Amazing Grace'.  God is an awesome God. There's none like him in his excellence or wonders. Exodus 15:11.

We've come to a point in the church where we don't need revival, we need a spiritual awakening.  Christianity is not a humanistic religion, but that's what it has become.  King David says, "Serve the Lord with fear and trembling."

We don't see that kind of fear and trembling as Christians walk in their daily life.  They are busy doing everything but putting God first; making a thousand decisions a day without inquiring of the Lord.  God  knows your every thought and every move, and we don't even acknowledge that in our lives. Yes, we need a move of God from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  We need a movement of his presence and his light. How many of our lights have dimmed, yet we are supposed to be the light of the world.

We straddle the fence and eat at the table of the Lord one week and the table of the devil the next.  Without repentance in the heart change cannot truly come.  Joy cannot come because joy comes from a soul that has been washed in the blood.  Where sin did abound grace abounded much more.

No one can feel comfortable in God's presence with a life of sin.  What brings salvation's goodness is obedience.  There are some things grace cannot do and I'm going to outline those and talk about each one.

1. Grace cannot condemn the sinner or excuse the saint.

Sin drives your nature, like lust, and lust will take hold and drive you to things that you will be ashamed of.  Jesus gives us freedom from that flesh drive.  When you're saved and sanctified, you are a partaker of the divine and sin can not rule you any longer.  The first thing that happens is the old man dies and is freed from sin. It is appropriated by faith and freedom then comes by the blood.

The word sanctifies you, so sanctifying yourself comes by the hearing of the word of God.  We are buried by him in the baptism and by his death. Romans 6:22.  You should see fruit in your Christian life. We are in a  Laodicean era.  The churches are empty, and no one is going to the altar.  People don't want to be offended but that's what the law does, it cuts through bone and marrow to the core of who you are and where you stand with God.

2.  Grace cannot forgive unconfessed sin.

After you have received God's amazing grace and continue to sin and violate God's law, the 10 commandments, and forsake the Sabbath you are going to fall back into the devil's hands.  You will fall from grace.

The first four commands show the eternal laws and your relationship with God.  Forsake not the assembling of yourselves with other believers.  Your blessing may be wrapped up in someone God wants to connect you to in the church but are you there to meet your destiny?  Five through Ten of the commandments deals with our relationship with others.  These laws are eternal and permanent, written in stone.

God can't forgive unconfessed sin, but you've got to know what sin you're doing to feel conviction.  Before a heart can be healed it must be broken.  The word of God breaks your heart and shows you your short comings so you can change and walk right.

3.  Grace cannot forgive an unrepentant heart. 2 Corinthians 7:10

We cry when we are caught in a civil court for breaking the law and say, Judge, I'll cut my right arm off
if you'll just pardon me.  How do people think they can stand before God and forgiveness when they can't get it from a civil judge.  Because you have an advocate with God and his name is Jesus Christ.  He stands in the gap.

People in the church confess Jesus but they don't have Godly sorrow.  Their heart is far from him. He tells us that if you love me, you will obey my commands. Matthew 7:23 says, "But many will say, look what I did in your name, and Jesus will say, I never knew you." We've got people claiming to be saved that has never departed from iniquity.

4.  Grace cannot grant eternal life to a person who refuses to obey God.

People say, you can't lose your salvation.  Well, they didn't have salvation to start with. No person with salvation would continue to commit adultery, kill babies, lie on his neighbor.  They never got grace to start with but they sure want to condemn the law.  Romans 6:16.  Sin brings curses and obedience brings blessings.

Don't you believe some hot shot preacher that tells you you can't slip from grace. Keep on sinning and see how quick you will fall.  People with salvation who walk a righteous life don't revisit the road of sin.  They've been washed and made into a new man and they are a slave to Christ.  Grace cannot give life to a person who refuses to obey.

5.  Grace cannot change God's law of sowing and reaping.  Galations 6:8

What God can do when you repent is to restore the years the canker worm and locusts have eaten away.  He can restore your joy.  God is the judge and no one can take that away from him.  He says, I'll give you the desires of your heart if you'll just give me your heart.  Inquire of him with all decisions you make.

You can't go to the bible and see who you should marry, but if you'll walk righteous and pray and put him first, he will lead to the person he wants you to marry.  We miss our seasons and destinies because our hearts are somewhere else. Put him first and you will see manifestation of certain things to you.

6.  Grace cannot keep a person from moral failure if they choose to sin.  Isaiah 59:, Psalms 66:18, and 1 Peter 3:12.

We need to get back to righteousness and purity in our hearts.  God didn't call us to uncleanness.  We've got to have holy preachers to result in holy people.  The true church wants holiness and righteousness.

So goes the priest, so goes the people.  A true preacher will never get on t.v. and wiggle his way out of speaking the truth in the word to keep from offending someone.  Exodus 15:11 How wimpy, and poor little Jeremiah had to deliver to the people hell and damnation and be persecuted for it, but it saved a nation. A preacher that cares more what people think than what his mandate by God is is not worthy to be called a man of God.

Where is God's glory?  Grace of today demands a change.  We have it all and are too fat and are Laodicean spirits but God says, you are naked and poor and in need of salvation. God is calling his true church to holiness.  He's awakening a remnant that will reign on high, a remnant that has hearts set upon him. Are you ready for the Lord to take the world out of you and sanctify you?  God will stir up a people who will love only him and not the world or the monetary things of this world.

The outpouring will be a great victory for the church, fear and reverence of God will return. We will see people work out their salvation instead of hiding behind a mask. They will tremble in fear when they approach his throne instead of mumbling some rehearsed prayer. Matthew 7:14.

I recommend reading Johnathan Edwards' sermon from the 18th century, 'Sinners in the hands of an angry God', he shook the foundations of the church, one woman at a revival grabbed hold of a post thinking God was going to lift her off the earth. Paul's preaching to Felix, the Roman judge had the same affect.
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