To preach the true grace of God or fake grace (1) ?

The Bible has told us that there is true grace
If the Bible tells us that there is the true grace of God, it means that there is also a false grace or a fake but similar grace ? I was quite surprised to find that the definition of true grace came out from the letter of Peter to the elders or leaders of the church:

• 1Pe 5:1-12 KJV  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: .. (12) By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

Some of you will ask, "Peter was not the apostle of grace. Did he really know the true grace of God ?" I will tell them, Yes, Peter had written to us briefly and clearly before he said and testified that this is the true grace of God:

• 1Pe 5:5-12 KJV  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  (6)  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  (7)  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  (9)  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  (10)  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  (11)  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  (12)  By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

I think Peter knew the grace of God too, otherwise he could not possibly written that this is the true grace of God. I will ask the radical grace or hyper grace preachers who argue vehemently that John and Paul were the only disciples who knew God's grace, Do you think that John and Paul would preach grace which is contrary to the true grace of God that Peter preached ? No, they all preached the same grace in the Lord. You do not have the right to belittle Peter just because he preached grace that is contrary to your radical grace. Peter did not think that grace is effortless; but grace is humble, submissive, sober, and vigilant. In fact, Peter had written to the believers to guard their mind, stay sober, be obedient, don’t be conformed to their former lusts, be holy, conduct themselves in fear, obey the Word and put aside all malice, guile and hypocrisy at the beginning of his first epistle (1 Peter 1 - 1 Peter 5) before he finally said in (v12): "I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand".


The Bible tells us not to work for grace, but to work because of grace
Of course, we are saved by grace, not by works. But that does not mean that everything we do from now on is 'effortless, lawless, and sinless'.

• I don't think it is effortless from now on. Because of grace, we are now the disciples of Jesus, we would take up our cross, we would deny our old self, and we would have more works to do for the Lord too. 
• I don't think it is lawless from now on. Because of grace, we would listen more to the words of the Lord, become more convicted by the Holy Spirit, and keep His commandments.
• I don't think it is sinless from now on. Because of grace, we are still the imperfect people who may still sin, need the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and do repentance. Otherwise, we can just put repentance 'under the carpet' and pretend that we are too righteous to repent.

Grace without any fruit is not true grace
Jesus said, By their fruits, we will know if they God's prophets or false prophets. In another words, By their fruits, we will know if they have preached the truth or true grace of God. Hence, contrary to what many believers thinks, the true grace of God is not effortless from now on; it should be full of the fruits and works of the Lord. They will still argue, "What are the fruits ? What are the things we can call 'fruits' ? Can you please define it and answer us .." I will tell them, I do not have the perfect answer. Why don't you read the Bible and find out for yourselves the things which are called fruits ?

• Mat 3:8 KJV  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
  Mat 7:15-16 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (17)  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 
• Mat 13:7-9 KJV  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  (8)  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.  (9)  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
• Php 1:9-11 KJV  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  (10)  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  (11)  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
• 2Ti 2:1-7 KJV  Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  (2)  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  (3)  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  (4)  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  (5)  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.  (6)  The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.  (7)  Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
• Jas 3:15-18 KJV  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  (16)  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  (17)  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  (18)  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
• Luk 13:2-9 KJV  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  (3)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  (5)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (10)  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.  (If we read the parable of the vineyard in its whole Bible context, we know that the Lord was teaching about repentance: The certain man who had the vineyard - God the Father. The dresser of His vineyard - the Son of God who pleaded with the Father to give the fig tree (or us) a second chance. He told the Father that He will dig about it and dung it (for us to come with 'repentance' ?). If the fig tree would still have no fruit, it would then be cut down. Some of you may still ask, If this is true, why would God judge us after three years, why not after thirty years, three hundred years, or three thousand years ? I will tell them, Probably only God can answer you.)  
• Joh 15:1-2 KJV  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  (2)  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
• Joh 15:8 KJV  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
• Rom 6:20-22 KJV  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  (21)  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  (22)  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
• Gal 5:22-26 KJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  (23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  (24)  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  (25)  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  (26)  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
• Eph 5:9-13 KJV  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  (10)  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  (11)  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  (12)  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.  (13)  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
• Col 1:6-10 KJV  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: .. (10)  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; .. (28) Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:  (29)  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
• Jud 1:11-13 KJV  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.  (12)  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  (13)  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

The true grace of God will teach about the fruits and good works
They will say, "It is ridiculous for you to think that we are still ignorant of grace. No, we believe in radical grace, we always preach grace, and we are grace preachers. How can you falsely accuse us for not preaching the true grace ? We know more about grace  than you know about your laws and commandments.."
I will tell them, I do not claim that I know more grace or better grace than you.
Firstly, I would think that only those who have true experience of grace and continue to remain humble will know the true meaning of grace. It is not just by confession of grace, boasting of grace, or preaching of grace.
Secondly, the Bible did not tell us just to preach about grace and full stop. Have you read all the Bible verses above about the fruits and the works we would do after we have received grace ? It means that we do not preach grace without any fruits. If those Bible verses are written for us to know what are the things we should do to show that we have the fruits, they are written for us to teach to the believers too. However, if we preach against all these Bible verses and deceive the people that these are the works of the law, we would only show others that we do not have the true grace of God:

• 1Pe 5:12 KJV  .. as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

The true grace of God will teach about sound doctrine and the fruits of godly lives too:

• Tit 2:1-15 KJV  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:  (2)  .. (4)  That they may teach the young women to be sober, .. (5)  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. .. (11)  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  (13)  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  (15)  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

The believers who have received the true grace of God will repent and turn from their sins
Most radical grace preachers think that the Old Testament has the word 'grace' in Hebrew. They claimed that certain Godly men like Joseph and king David had received certain form of 'grace'. It was in the form of 'mercy' or 'favour' which they did not deserve because of sins.

• 1Ch 16:7-37 KJV  Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. ..  (15)  Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;  .. (25)  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.  (26)  For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  (27)  Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. ..  (31)  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.  (32)  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.  (33)  Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.  (34)  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.  ..  (36)  Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.  (37)  So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:
• 2Ch 20:21 KJV  And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

The two Bible passages was taken from the Old Testament. 'Mercy' could be another form of unearned, unmerited, or undeserved favour or grace too. Hence, I suppose the Pharisees should know about these Bible passages too. They had read about the mercy, favour, or glory of God under the Old Testament. They might know the importance of the goodness, the favour, the honour, and the glory of God more than the laymen Jews. I would think that they were proud to know about all these things because they thought that they were more well accepted by God:

• Luk 18:11-14 KJV  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Only the believers who are circumcised in the heart and spirit will know repentance
Hence, the Pharisees who were under the law knew about God's favour and honour in one way or another. But why were they rejected by God even though they would always confess and boast about God's mercy (and grace) in their lives ?
Obviously, Jesus would not want us to believe, like the Pharisees, in the way they believed and boast about God's favour, grace, honour, or glory. The Pharisees believed that, under the law, they could receive God's mercy and favour through the blood sacrifice and by the works of the law. Hence, they would use that as their excuses for 'no condemnation' and continued to oppress the orphans and the widows. Although they were confident of God's favours in their prayers and teaching, they did not have any change in their hearts even though they were circumcised in the flesh and did all the works of the law. However, they were not circumcised in their hearts. Hence, they could never understand repentance.

• Mat 16:6 KJV  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
• Rom 2:24-29 KJV  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.  (25)  For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.  (26)  Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?  (27)  And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?  (28)  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  (29)  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Hence, the key is not how much we've followed the Jewish law and done the works of the law; but it is how much we have God's law in our hearts. It is not how much we know the grace of God, but how much we have circumcised our hearts or repented. Under the New Covenant, Jesus would want all of us to change, to know repentance, and to turn from the ways of the Pharisees or the wicked. Otherwise, we are not different from them even though we may think that we have more grace or more favours than them. Under the New Covenant, all must repent. This is the true grace of God.
Under the New Covenant according to the Hebrew writer, we should never sin like the Pharisees who would boast about their blood sacrifice and think that they are always righteous even when they kept sinning against God. If we think like them, we would sin wilfully like them too. We would make the blood of the covenant, the commandments of God, and our repentance, all of none effect:

• Heb 10:16-29 KJV  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  (17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. .. (26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  (27)  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  (28)  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  (29)  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

If we lie wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins too. We cannot just keep arguing that these Bible verses are no longer for us. We would be accountable to God for preaching the wrong covenant or treating the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing or common thing, and use it to cleanse ourselves casually, as though we can just use it to clean our clothing over and over without any repentance or conviction of the hearts.  

to continue ..

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