We need the grace of God; but we need to work too

Many radical grace preachers will say, "How can you say that? We are saved by grace and grace alone. However, if you believe in doing self-effort and teach the law of doing good, even if you do it for the Lord, you are still under the law."
I will tell them, Did I say that we are saved by the law? No. Of course, we need the grace of God; but we need to work too.

a. There is still work after the creation of man in the garden of Eden
At least I know that, from the beginning, Adam was in the garden of Eden by grace; the garden was a gift from God. It is grace from God. Adam did not work for it. But, did God tell Adam that, from that day onwards, everything would be given to him by grace, and therefore, he did not need to work anymore? No, on the contrary, God gave him grace so that he worked even more:

• Gen 2:15 KJV  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

b. There is still work after the foundation of our salvation in the gospel
When Jesus came, did He change it and gave us grace so that we do not have to work anymore? No, He would never change the will of God with the gospel of grace. Yes, Jesus Christ is the Rock of salvation given to us by grace (Isaiah 9:6):

• Mat 21:42 KJV  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
• Eph 2:19-22 KJV  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  (20)  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  (21)  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  (22)  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
• 1Pe 2:3-6 KJV  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  (4)  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,  (5)  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  (6)  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

But the 'houses' that are to be built on the rock, on the corner stone, or on Him, is not given by grace. We must still work and build our 'houses'. If we don't work or do anything, we are not building our houses on the Rock; we are building them on the 'sinking sand':

• Mat 7:15-29 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?  ..  (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  (25)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  (26)  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  (27)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.  (28)  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:  (29)  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

"But now", many argue, "we are under the new covenant. Everything must change. Everything is given by grace now. The gospel that Paul preached has changed the law. We don't work for the kingdom of God anymore. We do not teach people to do good or do anything for God too. We just enjoy Him. When we just think of Him without thinking of doing anything, we have everything and we will prosper.."
I will tell them, What you preach is in total contradiction with what the Lord teach in Mat 7 above. If you think that the gospel that Paul preached could overwrite what Jesus preached or God commanded, something is wrong with the gospel that you preach or Paul preached. Do you think that you or Paul is greater than God or Jesus? Please think, If Jesus, the Lord and Master of Paul, would still keep the words of God the Father, do you think that Paul is greater than his Master and that he can do otherwise? 

• Joh 14:23-25 KJV  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  (24)  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.  (25)  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 
• Joh 12:47-50 KJV  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  (48)  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  (49)  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  (50)  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. 

c. There is still work for the Church of God in the end time and in the prophecies. Yes, there is still work or doing the commandments of God in the new covenant. The Lord confirmed it again in the letters of John and the book of Revelation

• 1Jn 2:3-7 KJV  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  (4)  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  (5)  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  (6)  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.  (7)  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
• 1Jn 3:18-22 KJV  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  (20)  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  (21)  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  (22)  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (Contrary to what the radical grace preachers said, keeping God's commandments will never condemn us; it will give us the confidence toward God ..)
• Rev 12:17 KJV  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. .. Rev 14:12 KJV  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. .. Rev 22:13-15 KJV  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  (14)  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  (15)  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

 
We need to work because we know the commandments of God
But many radical grace preaches will argue, "Yes, we know that we need the grace of God, and we need to work too. But do we need to know the commandments of God? NO, this is nonsense. Grace has changed everything. There is no more law in grace or in pure grace. In the Old Testament, we keep the commandments of God, which are do's and don'ts or the Ten Commandments, but in the New Testament, we keep only the commandment of Jesus Christ, which is based on grace and the finished work of the Lord on the cross - it is no more do's and don'ts like the Ten Commandments. It is the commandment of Jesus to be loved by Him and to rest in Him.. If you insist that we must do something, it is just to love Him and to be loved by Him because John said:
1Jn 5:1-3 KJV  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  (2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  (3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
I will ask them, Did you read the Bible verses above as God's people or as the worldly people? When John said, "When we love God, and keep His commandments" above, obviously he meant two different things. Yes, we must love God and it is a commandment, but we must keep His commandments too. John has said clearly, We don't just love God !
I will ask them, If there is no more commandment of Jesus to do anything, what is the commandment of Jesus? To rest and do nothing in Him? Or just to live like before, eat, drink, and prosper ? No, Jesus would never ask us to rest and do nothing, He wants us to work and do more for others:

• 1Th 4:9-12 KJV  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.  (10)  And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;  (11)  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;  (12)  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Many will still argue, "Of course, we know that we have to work, or else none of us should not eat. Of course, we know the words and commandments of the Lord. In fact, none of us are lazy. But we don't have to teach them to work or preach about the commandments of God to do many things. We don't teach or preach the commandments of God with many do's and don't. We just need to teach the people to love."
I will tell them, Please read 1Th 4:9-12 above again. We don't need to be taught of God to love, but we can certainly keep encouraging the believers, beseech them, and command them, that they may do more and more for others:

• 2Th 3:10-13 KJV  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  (11)  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.  (12)  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.  (13)  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Keeping the commandments of the Lord is to do God's commandments and teach them
I will tell them, If you know the commandments of Jesus Christ, you will know that His commandments  are not just to rest, do nothing, and think of Him only. Keeping His commandments is not just to think of how He has kept all the commandments for us so that we don't have to do any commandment. Keeping His commandments is to do the commandments of God and teach them. It has two parts - doing the commandments of God and teaching them. Obviously, Jesus commanded us to do both when He said: 

• Mat 28:19-20 KJV  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
• 2Ti 4:2-5 KJV  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  (3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  (4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  (5)  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
•  Heb 6:10-12 KJV  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.  (11)  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:  (12)  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
• Rev 2:2-5 KJV  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  (3)  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  (4)  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  (5)  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

So, how can there be condemnation and bondage if we keep and teach the commandments of God? When we have the laws and commandments of God, we have the confidence that we are forgiven too:

• Rom 8:1-4 KJV  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  (3)  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  (4)  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
• 1Jn 3:21-24 KJV  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  (22)  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  (23)  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  (24)  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
• Jer 31:33-34 KJV  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (34) ..  for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
• Heb 8:10-12 KJV  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: .. (12)  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
• Heb 10:16-17 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.

So, how can there be confidence of God if we do not have the laws of God in our thinking, minds, and hearts, or if we do not think of doing and keeping His laws or commandments? No wonder, most radical grace followers are living in constant fear, condemnation, doubts, and confusion, and they need to keep listening to their own favourite antinomian preachers and become addicted to it. They cannot live without it when they do not have the law of God in their minds and hearts! They may profess that they are the believers who know the Lord, but the Lord will profess that He does not know them. It's because the Lord know that they would never do His words or the will of His Father. They are the lukewarm believers. They are only believers; not His followers:

• Mat 7:20-23 KJV  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
• Rev 3:15-17 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  (17)  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

So, if anyone says that he has no condemnation and that God cannot judge him because he has no more law or no more commandment of Christ to do or keep any commandments, he is deluding not only himself; but others. Yes, he may boast that he has more grace, more prosperity, more success, more favour, more fame, more righteousness, and more victory over sins; but he is lying with his own doctrine. Yes, he may be a believer. However, he is just a lukewarm believer; not a true follower of Jesus Christ. When he is not a follower or a doer of The Word, he could be the antichrist too. He may oppose all the words of Jesus and remove them from the hearts of other believers:

• 1Jn 2:21-29 KJV  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  (22)  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  (23)  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.  (24)  Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.  (25)  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.  (26)  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.  (27)  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.  (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.  (29)  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

What do the antinomian preachers preach in the end time?
Many will say, "Of course, antinomian preachers will preach lawlessness, terrorism, and hatred."
I will tell them, No. Can you find any preacher who preaches lawlessness or ungodliness openly in the internet or in your country? No, you won't find anyone 'preaching' lawlessness or lawless crimes convincingly and openly and drawing the majority of the people, including the Christian believers. Some may argue that there are already many 'antinomian preachers' in the websites and they are training people on how to do lawlessness. I will tell them, No, they are not the preachers. They could be the insane, the radical, the foolish, or the uncivilised; but they are not preachers. Antinomian preachers will not preach lawlessness, like them. But antinomian preachers know how to preach, seduce, and draw many people away without preaching lawlessness openly. They do not preach lawlessness like it is lawlessness; however, they would preach and seduce like the antiChrist:

• 1Jn 2:21-26 KJV  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  (22)  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  (23)  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.  (24)  Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.  (25)  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.  (26)  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

Please pause for a moment. Does it make sense for John to write to the believers or Christians who know the Lord to be careful of the radical preachers, the insane, or anyone who preaches lawlessness or practises lawlessness? No. Instead, John warned about those who will seduce us. It means that the antiChrist, the lawless one, or the real antinomian preacher, is not someone who preaches lawlessness or practises ungodliness openly; or else he can never draw any believer to himself. He can draw many people, including the believers, to himself because he preaches like Christ and he replaces many things taught by Christ with more humanly appealing doctrine or wisdom. Hence, he may preach many things of God eg. love, godliness, righteousness, prosperity, blessings, and grace of God. However, he can preach them in such a way that he will oppose all the laws of God; but everyone, including the pastors and the believers, would agree with him totally and blindly. The sad thing is that many blind religious followers of God have unknowingly become the followers of the antinomian preachers even though they may keep denying it.

• 2Pe 1:5-10 ISV  For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge,  (6)  your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness,  (7)  your godliness with brotherly kindness, and your brotherly kindness with love.  (8)  For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (9)  For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins.  (10)  So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail.

Please look at the Bible verses above again. Do you see the Lord's command for our our effort, our work, or our walk in life to please God and to obey Him too? Let us focus on 2Pe 1:5 above which says, "For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character .."  
So, can we falsely accuse Peter that he is preaching self-effort based on this Bible verse too? No, there is nothing wrong with our self-effort, our every effort, or our all efforts, to do good and kindness with love in the Lord too. If Peter can teach making every effort to do good, to do kindness, and to supplement our faith with moral character (building), what's wrong if we and the churches of God teach God's laws and commandments to build moral character in a believer's life too (with tangible moral modification, change in our character, or fruits of repentance)? Will this make the churches behaving like the hypocrites or the Pharisees who wanted to just confess their sins and be baptised without any fruits of repentance? No, if we would teach and allow the people to repent like the Pharisees, we would be no difference from them:

• Mat 3:5-10 KJV  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,  (6)  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  (7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:  (9)  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  (10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Yes, we cannot keep God's law; but God's grace will empower us to keep His laws. We do not want to earn God's favours with our effort; we just want to please God with our efforts to obey Him and do His will:

• Rom 8:7-8 KJV  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
• 1Th 4:1-5 KJV  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.  (2)  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.  (3)  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:  (4)  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;  (5)  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
• 1Sa 15:22-24 KJV  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  (23)  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.  (24)  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

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