Amazing Grace
That Saves and Prepares You for the Kingdom
As the upcoming prophetic events unfold in these last days, the Almighty Creator and Savior through righteous indignation, will pour out judgments on all the rebellious inhabitants of the earth. “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil” (Isaiah 24:5-6, Matthew 13:41). Yahshua (Jesus) was making it clear that both the wholehearted and half hearted hypocritical believers will coexist in the kingdom and will be separated at the end of the age. The deceived multitudes sadly include many Christians who have a self righteous empty form of religion who are actually defying and rebelling against the truth. Through their ignorance and disobedience they are unknowingly joined with Satan in his continual war against the Holy One’s sovereign rulership, word, and commandments. It is important to emphasize this vital Scriptural explanation and warning, it is written, “the person who does anything defiantly, … that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord Yahveh and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off” (Numbers 15:30-31). Continual rebellion by choosing our own will over the will of God is considered despising His word and blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Apostle Paul’s words speak clearly to the redeemed remnant, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires … and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22,24). Those who confess faith in our Savior, yet continue to live in the “old self” nature are defying, despising, and insulting the Spirit of truth and grace. Yahshua (Jesus) died to cover our sins, to redeem us as spiritual “born again” “new creations” who have the indwelling Spirit, “the Helper”, who prepares us to be found righteous for our King and His coming kingdom (John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 14:26). When we continually defy His Holy Spirit, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation” accomplished by Yahshua (Jesus) when He was nailed to the “tree of Calvary” to pour out His lifeblood to free us from our sins and their eternal wages? (Hebrews 2:3, Acts 5:30)
The Messiah is “full of grace and truth.” The blood redeemed have mercifully received “the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (John 1:14, Ephesians 1:6). “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yes, we are saved by grace, by the same grace we continue to “work out our salvation”, crucifying our flesh in order to live in the Spirit with victory over our ever present sin nature (Philippians 2:12). Most grievously however, due to Satan’s cunning strategies and the compromised gospel message, true grace has been diluted, cheapened, and completely misunderstood as a license for self indulgence and sin. The great apostle Paul (Shaul) described what the real meaning of grace is, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yahshua [Christ Jesus], who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed [disobedience to the holy commandments], and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds [originating from the Holy Spirit] (Titus 2:11-14).
Our Savior made it clear that many who call Him “Lord, Lord” will never enter His kingdom because they did not submit to His holy will, word, and rulership (Matthew 7:22). Yahshua (Jesus) emphasizes the consequences of self-serving defiance and rebellion against the Spirit of grace - the Holy Spirit, “these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” “… Assign [them] a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 19:27, Matthew 24:51). Anyone who intimately knows, loves, and fears our God and Savior understands these words, as sharp and powerful as they are, can not be powerful enough to sufficiently express His holiness and the dreadful consequences of “taking lightly such a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). It is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (1 Peter 1:16, Hebrews 12:14).
Yahshua (Jesus) said, “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). It is required that we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” through humble obedience (Philippians 2:12). As long as we are in these bodies we must be vigilant, alert, and sober. We must continually “keep watch” on our unruly self-nature and “judge ourselves”, keeping our flesh and strong self will under the control of the Holy Spirit, who gives us the grace to overcome our fallen sin nature (1 Peter 5:8, 1Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 5:23). It is written, “Be sure that your sin will find you out” and “testify against” you (Numbers 32:23, Jeremiah 14:7). “The fear of Yahveh God, gives us wisdom”, leading to fervency in prayer, asking our Father to convict us of our sins and the many ways we compromise His Word, oppose His perfect will, and “grieve His Holy Spirit” (Psalm 111:10, Ephesians 4:30).
The Almighty says, “Humble yourself”. Apostle Paul cautions us, “if you think you are standing firm, take heed that you don't fall!” "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” “Yahveh lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground” (James 4:10, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Matthew 23:12, Psalm 147:6). Those who are not “humble and contrite of spirit and tremble at His word”, will inevitably perpetuate the same sins over and over again, giving Satan the victory in their lives (James 4:10, Isaiah 66:2). “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear Yahveh [the Lord] and turn away from evil” to uphold righteousness or your sins will become “intentional”, which is “despising the word” of the holy God and grieving and “insulting the Spirit of grace” and truth (Proverbs 3:7, Numbers 15:30-31, Hebrews 10:29). Sincere repentance is not only the confession of our sins that are covered in His sacrificial blood, but this humble act must be accompanied with complete change of heart and mind. We cannot remain passive, we must become vigilantly proactive to “fight the good fight of faith”, resist, and turn away from the enemy of our souls, beginning with our own self-sin nature, in order to seek, embrace, and uphold biblical righteousness (1 Timothy 6:12). “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another…” (Galatians 5:17). The flesh is our enemy. Yahshua (Jesus) died to free us from the self sin nature, if we continue to sin we are not only “insulting the spirit of grace” but we become an enemy to the cross (tree) of Yahshua rather than exalting the precious blood that redeemed us to become a spiritual “born again” holy “creation” (Hebrews 10:29, John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
It is written, “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Romans 3:23, Hebrews 4:16). We are all so prone to sin and have great need to pray for the infinite mercy of our Savior’s grace to “go forth and sin no more” (John 8:11). Yahshua (Jesus) is the “Son of David”. Yahveh called King David “a man after my own heart”. May we learn to wholeheartedly pray as David did by acknowledging our sin nature and its many ever-present downfalls. It is written, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation” consecration, purification, and holiness (Matthew 1:1, Acts 13:22, 2 Corinthians 7:10).
Prayer
May King David’s heart felt prayer become our sincere heart cry:
“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight … Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me [with Your sacrificial blood] … and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise … The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” “Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.” (Psalm 51:1-7,10-12,15,17, Psalm 19:13)