Friday, October 16, 2009
Two components
"Two components of the gospel of grace that I believe must be understood are acceptance grace and empowering grace. “Acceptance grace” is the unconditional acceptance and love of God the Father as we stand before Him clothed in Christ’s righteousness. It is not achieved; it is simply received. As we confidently draw near to Him, He interacts with us, “baptizing” us in assurance and unlimited acceptance. As we have more understanding of acceptance grace, we realize that there is no disapproval of the Father towards us, no possibility of rejection from the Father. The foundation of our acceptance is not our fluctuating performance but is always the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ on our behalf. That’s acceptance grace and builds into our lives a strong, supernatural sense of security. And, when we embrace the good news of God’s total acceptance based upon the righteousness of Christ, there will be an “empowering grace” upon us. Boldness will naturally flow out of believing the message of God’s accepting grace."
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Craig Glenn
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1 John 4:17 (KJV)
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
Herein is our love made ‘perfect,’ that is, tel-i-o’-o ‘’accomplished, complete, fulfilled.’ ‘Herein’ that is, ‘a fixed position in relation of rest.’ “In a fixed position relating to resting in Christ, our love is fulfilled, accomplished and complete.” ‘That,’ that is ‘in order of or for the purpose of having boldness in the Day of Judgment.’ That is, in the day when we are judged of people, judged in the day of the accuser accusing us and judged in the day of our works, not our sins, which have already been judged and put away, cancelled at the cross against us. In this life when Satan and or through people judge us, we have boldness, parrsia, ‘confidence, out spokeness, bluntness, frankness, publicity by implication of assurance.’ Wherein lies this boldness, this confidence? That “As Jesus IS (present tense) so ARE (present tense) we in THIS WORLD.” How IS Jesus right now? God declares that is how we are in this world. As Jesus IS, is above sin, above the law having fulfilled & ended the law, above sickness, above death, above poverty, above depression, above fear, above rejection & above shame. This ‘acceptance grace as Craig has posted, is this position in Christ in THIS WORLD. To not be grounded in this ‘acceptance grace’ is the root cause of the lack of boldness, bluntness, out spokeness and confidence ‘in this grace we stand in,’ Rom.5: 1. If we are not ‘standing in acceptance grace’, we will not experience ‘empowering grace.’ The ability to respond by grace to the grace extended towards us as a gift. I’m not convinced anyone is rooted in ‘acceptance grace’ that doesn’t manifest ‘empowering grace’ because ‘under grace, sin will not (not might not) have dominion over us, Rom.6: 14.’ So Satan uses the ignorance of sinning to create ‘a bad conscience,’ therefore causing peoples faith to be ‘shipwrecked, 1Tim.1: 19’ because they cannot walk in ‘boldness with a bad conscience,’ which they receive by the accuser when or if they sin. Every believer has a ‘conscience with a testimony, 2Cor. 1: 12, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience (which should be purged by the blood of Jesus from a sin consciousness) that in simplicity, uncomplicated & unassuming and godly sincerity (without a false appearance), not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, we have had our behavior in the world, more abundantly towards you.” This conscience either ‘excuses or accuses you, Rom. 2: 15.’ ‘Acceptance grace’ leads to ‘empowering grace’, which by our new nature in Christ should cause sin to be repulsive. 1Jn. 3: 3 ‘and every man that has this hope (confident expectation of good) purifies himself, even as he is pure,’ & 1Jn. 2:28, ‘and now little children, abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.’ Believers are led by the Holy Spirit, not led by our conscience, but the devil will accuse us in our conscience, therefore it is wise by ‘acceptance grace’ to be ‘empowered by grace’ to keep a good ‘testimony of conscience’ so we may have ‘boldness in the Day of Judgment.’ Sorry about the length Craig, I will try to not make a comment this long again. Love ya in Grace
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