Page 164 - GRACE
P. 164

The Dangers of Grace



                                     lives.  The  condemnation  of  such  people  was
                                     recorded long ago, for they have denied our only
                                     Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”


                               The Amplified Bible puts it even more poignantly:


                                     “For certain people have crept in unnoticed [just
                                     as if they were sneaking in by a side door]. They
                                     are  ungodly  persons  whose  condemnation  was
                                     predicted long ago, for they distort the grace of our
                                     God  into  decadence  and  immoral  freedom
                                     [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they
                                     want], and deny and disown our only Master and
                                     Lord, Jesus Christ.”


                               You see, church leadership and membership alike must be
                               informed of the standards of the Lord in order to know
                               those who fall short of these standards and handle them
                               appropriately. Leadership amongst God’s people is a high
                               call. It should model the Christ-life and Christ-likeness on a
                               higher plane. Leadership in church should go the extra mile
                               in representing Christ to His Bride, the Church.


                               3.     Fallen from Grace
                               There is also the harmful effect of legalism or substituting
                               the finished work of Christ. We ought to know that salvation
                               is by grace, as Paul explains it in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by
                               grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
                               is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”



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