Romans 6:14 Sin is
no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the
law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.
John 1:14 The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory
of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Galatians 5:18 But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Romans 8:12 Therefore,
brothers and sisters, we have an obligation--but it is not to the flesh, to
live according to it.
Romans 7:4 So, my
brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that
you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that
we might bear fruit for God.
by Charles R. Swindoll
My hope has been to create an appetite for grace that is so
strong nothing will restrain us from pursuing the freedom and spontaneity it
can bring—a longing so deep that a new spiritual dawn, a "grace
awakening," if you will, cannot help but burst through the wall of
legalism. Since I am a Christian minister, much of my involvement and exposure
is in the realm of the church and Christian organizations. It has been my
observation that even here most folks are not free; they have not learned to
accept and enjoy the grace that has come to us in Jesus Christ. Though He came
to set us free, it saddens me to say that many still live behind the wall of
bondage. Regrettably, the stones of constraint are everywhere to be found.
Instead of being places of enthusiastic, spontaneous worship, many churches and
Christian ministries have become institutions that maintain a system of
religion with hired officials to guard the gates and to enforce the rules.
In vain I have searched the Bible, looking for examples of
early Christians whose lives were marked by rigidity, predictability,
inhibition, dullness, and caution. Fortunately, grim, frowning, joyless saints
in Scripture are conspicuous by their absence. Instead, the examples I find are
of adventurous, risk-taking, enthusiastic, and authentic believers whose joy
was contagious even in times of painful trial. Their vision was broad even when
death drew near. Rules were few and changes were welcome. The contrast between
then and now is staggering.
The difference, I am convinced, is grace. Grace scales the
wall and refuses to be restricted. It lives above the demands of human opinion
and breaks free from legalistic regulations. Grace dares us to take hold of the
sledge of courage and break through longstanding stones. Grace invites us to
chart new courses and explore ever-expanding regions, all the while delighting
in the unexpected. While others care more about maintaining the wall and
fearing those who guard it, grace is constantly looking for ways to freedom.
Grace wants faith to fly, regardless of what grim-faced officials may say or
think or do.
There is a "grace awakening" loose in the land.
Will you become a part of it? While you take your turn with the sledgehammer
and pound away, a host of us are standing near, and some of us may be half a
world away, cheering you on. Don't think of it as a lonesome, isolated task.
You are breaking through to freedom, and no one is more delighted than the Lord
Jesus Christ, who has promised you His grace. Never forget His words: "If
therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Stay at
it. By the grace of Almighty God, the new movement will someday sweep across
every continent and the longstanding wall that has kept people in bondage for
centuries will come tumbling down. And we shall all, at last, be free indeed.
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