GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION
Every person has a divinely implanted destiny and purpose, and we can never really be fully satisfied unless we live out that destiny and purpose through Christ.
Ecclesiastes says,
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]…. —Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMP)
But there are many things that can hinder or destroy our destiny and sabotage the fulfillment of God’s purposes for our lives! But most believers are usually able to trust God to restore their lives from the consequences related to these kinds of destructions.
What happens if we are the ones who have failed and hindered our own life’s purposes? This is usually where we struggle to trust God.
David, made a really powerful observation:
…Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction…. —Psalms 103:2-4 (KJV)
The Power of Sin to Destroy vs the Power of Grace to Restore
The gospel reveals that the power of sin and iniquity to DESTROY your life, is never greater than the power of God’s love and grace to RESTORE your life!
…But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded. —Romans 5:20 (AMP)
This truth is so apparent in Paul’s life and ministry because he had firsthand experience of the power of God’s grace on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–9). Paul wanted to destroy every Christian and was on a mission to do so. On the road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus.
On the road to Damascus, sin in Paul’s life was abounding, increasing and overflowing.
Every person has a divinely implanted destiny and purpose, and we can never really be fully satisfied unless we live out that destiny and purpose through Christ. But Paul said,
…Yet, though sin is shown to be wide and deep, thank God his grace is wider and deeper still! … but now GRACE IS THE RULING FACTOR. —Romans 5:20 (Phillips)
When you trust in the Lord and His finished work, the whole outlook changes! Even in our greatest failures, God’s grace is more powerful to heal, deliver and restore, than the power of sin to hinder, sabotage and destroy! You’re never out of God’s reach to restore you and fulfill His purposes for your life!
Scripture reveals that God has no “expectations” of us, but rather only has an “expectancy” for us.
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. —Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)
If God had expectations of us, He would be disappointed all the time. But He only has an expectancy for our gifts, callings and ministries. Therefore, He’s never disappointed in us. He only has hope and is excited for us! God is always ready, willing and able to help us get where we need to go in life, no matter how many times we’ve failed.
God Can Recalculate! I’m glad I have a navigation app on my phone. When driving in unfamiliar cities, I put the address of my desired destination into the app, and the voice will guide me where I need to go. If I take a wrong turn or exit, the app will immediately recalculate and get me back on track.
If we are able to devise an app to help us stay on track, how much more is God able to recalculate our failures to help us get where we need to go in life!
And I am convinced and sure … that He Who began a good work in you will continue … developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. —Philippians 1:6 (AMP)
Blessings,
Arthur Meintjes
The validity of the New Testament Gospel message is based upon the crucifixion of Christ, signifying the finished work of the cross.
When it comes to interpreting Scripture, we need to have a Christ- centered view. Jesus, and what He accomplished on the cross, CHANGED EVERYTHING!
When we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, we must understand that Jesus on the cross changed everything by establishing a new and far superior covenant.
…He [Christ] has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is as much superior and more excellent [than the old] as the covenant (the agreement) of which He is the Mediator (the Arbiter, Agent) is superior and more excellent, [because] it is enacted and rests upon more important (sublimer, higher, and nobler) promises. —Hebrews 8:6 (AMP)
This makes it very clear that Jesus’ priestly ministry is superior, and He is the Mediator of a superior covenant than the Old Covenant!
It is a covenant eternally established and ratified between God the Father and God the Son! An Arbiter is a person who has the power and authority to decide what will be done and accepted, someone with entire authority and control. A Mediator is a person who acts as a guarantee! Jesus, on our behalf, has the authority to decide what will be done and accepted. Furthermore, Jesus is the One who is guaranteeing the terms, conditions and legal requirements of the New Covenant are already fulfilled on our behalf! We don’t have to fulfill any requirements to keep the covenant.
Jesus changed everything, and we are safe and sound through Him!
Under the Old Covenant the promises were dependent upon our ability to perform certain requirements. But
the New Covenant surpasses the old because it’s enacted upon far better, higher, nobler and unconditional promises!
Jesus changed everything, and we are safe and sound through Him!
For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. —2 Corinthians 1:20 (AMP)
All the promises of God in Him are now YES and AMEN!
Hebrews says that by a single offering Jesus established the New Covenant, which is superior and more excellent because
our sin was eternally taken away, leaving us to serve God with a clear conscience and a promise that He will never again remember our sin! (Heb. 10:14-17)
The Old Covenant was one of fault finding, but the New Covenant is one of justification by faith! In Matthew, Jesus said,…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5:20 (KJV) Exceed means to superabound in quantity and quality, to be in excess, or to excel!
What Jesus was saying is unless you have a righteousness that is far more superior than the righteousness of the Old Covenant, both in quantity and quality, you will never enter into kingdom living! Paul said that because of the finished work of Jesus, we are made righteous, a righteousness that is far superior to righteousness under the Old Covenant.
The Old Covenant was one of judgment and punishment, but in the New Covenant, punishment and judgment have been satisfied!
There has always been only one way we can have access to God and confidence and peace before Him—by faith in the finished work of Christ alone! It’s essential that we absolutely know that we are no longer under the Old Covenant. We are now safe and sound in a new, superior covenant of grace through Jesus Christ!
One of the biggest deceptions in the world, especially in the Church, is that of performance-religion and self- righteousness. There’s a huge emphasis on maintaining the moral standards of the so-called “Judeo-Christian-value system.”
We hear: “I’m a good Christian.” “I belong to a church.” “I go to a home group.” “I read my Bible.” “I pray every day.” “I give my tithes.” “I try to live a good life and do my moral best.” “I don’t need to be set free because I’m already free.”
In reality, these are the people who need freedom the most.
I haven’t really struggled with knowing right or wrong and good or evil. For me, it was discerning between a life of self-righteousness and righteousness by faith.
Two Sides to Self-Righteousness
There are two sides to self- righteousness, both equally deceptive in keeping people bound.
The first area of bondage that self- righteousness produces is what Jesus called “making the word of God of no effect.” It’s the belief that I have it all together, and I’ve done my part or “better than most.”
Some people actually believe they have it all together and are fulfilling their side of a bargain with God. Jesus said to the Jews who thought they had it all together:
… “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. … Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition ….” —Mark 7:9-13 (KJV)
The Jews taught that there was a way to be righteous by keeping the law, even if it meant they had to bend the law to do so.
But Paul said, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20 KJV).
The law was designed to draw man’s attention to his sin! What Jesus was saying to the Jews was that by bending the law to make it workable, they made the law or Word of God of no effect!
Simultaneously, there’s another side to this truth. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD! Legalism and self-righteousness makes JESUS and His work on the cross of no effect in our lives. If we could keep the law by our own efforts, then we’d have no need for Jesus!
Legalism and self- righteousness create guilt, condemnation, and obligation. One of the purposes of the law was to make people see and understand that no one can be made righteous by keeping the law. The Jews were serving God, governed by rules, regulations and performance, which could never make them righteous before God. They needed to be set free, and so do many people today.
True Freedom:
We can never experience any form of freedom if we are not freed from the deception of performance-religion, legalism, and self-righteousness.
When Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32), He was saying: you will know “The Truth” (Jesus) and what He came to do. And Jesus will set you free from legalism, self-righteousness, and the condemnation and guilt of the law!
When we know “The Truth” about God’s love, we are set free from seeing an angry God who needs to be appeased and demands performance and sacrifice!
In Romans 3:21-25, Paul said:
“But now the righteousness of God WITHOUT the LAW is manifested … by faith of Jesus Christ … upon all them that believe… Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth … To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which BELIEVETH in Jesus.”
This is the freedom Jesus gave us. It’s this freedom we are to celebrate and grasp hold of every day!
Blessings,
Arthur Meintjes
John is known as the apostle of love. Let’s look at some well-known verses in one of his letters.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God….
—1 John 4:7-8
Unfortunately, this scripture has caused much confusion. We think this means that we should love other people so God can love us, and if we love others, it proves we love Him. Then He can love us back. No! This is what I call a dyslexic verse.
This verse says: If you know God’s love for you, only then will you be able to love others, and when you love others, you understand God’s love for YOU! You can only share or give what you’ve received.
I John 4:9 and 10: “In this was manifest ed the love of God toward us (This is how the love of God is shown toward us). Herein is love (this is what love is), not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (parenthesis mine)
When “the love of God” is mentioned, people think they need to do something because that’s what we’ve been taught. But it says the love of God is “toward” us. This is about how He responds to you, not you to Him!
God is not concerned about whether or not you love Him. What is important to God is: Do you know that He loves you? You can put on your mask and say the right things, but God sees your heart. He wants you to know that HE LOVES YOU! Once you know He loves you, loving Him is no problem. Understanding His love for you is what brings peace and changes you!
Most Christians have heard about the love of God, but few believe it. It’s easy to believe that He loved the world. But we question it as individuals. We find it difficult to believe that He loves us in spite of our shortcomings. Our shortcomings and failures actually cause us to believe we are separated from the love of God.
This is my charge to you today. Don’t just listen to what His love is about, believe it. Start persuading your heart of His love toward you today. Don’t wait a moment longer. Your very life depends on you understanding His great love.
Love: The Foundation
The truth that most people seem to ignore is, love is the foundation for everything that God did.
John 3:16 is a wonderful reminder of this.
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)
I John 4:16 tells us that “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
Love is not something God does. Love is who God is. Therefore, no matter what God does, Love is doing it. It makes no difference how or when you come into contact with God, you will be contacting love. There is never a time that God is not love. Have you ever opened your Bible and found that God has changed His mind, said He doesn’t love the world and takes back everything He’s ever said and done for mankind? No! He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever. —Hebrews 13:8 (AMP)
Blessings,
Arthur Meintjes
