Grace realized makes you whole, a new creation, in communion with the living God, being changed to be more like Christ, turning away from the things of this world and seeking blessings eternal – with a healthy fear of God and love for others. Grace realized says, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
– Luke 22:42 NKJV
However, the message of grace perverted and twisted by those enemies of truth leaves its victims still trapped in their sin and dead inside – still chasing after wealth, status, honor and the pleasures of this world – with no fear of eternal consequences – with no fear of God and a love of self. That enemy of truth says, “Do what you will, shall be the whole of the law.”
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:3-4 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/jud.1.3-4.NKJV
There are people teaching two different messages at the core of you listen closely. One teaches a relationship with Christ who lives in you – a Holy Spirit that gives you power, love and self control to be delivered from your old life. The other explains away their darkness and depravity by blaspheming the Holy Spirit as being powerless to deliver them into a new life as the light of the world and salt of the earth. There is a fundamental and important difference in these two messages. Mark 3 and Matthew 22 both describe the only unpardonable sin as “blaspheming the Holy Spirit”. And isn’t that the very basis of Faith, our believing that we can be washed clean and made whole – believing not in concept or philosophy, but in the reality of a changed life?
His grace is sufficient to change you. It’s whole purpose is to change you. For His Kingdom to be come, for His will to be done, in your life. Religion is powerless, but the hand of God upon your life is limitless.
let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:10-12 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/act.4.10-12.NKJV
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/gal.2.20.NKJV
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
I Peter 1:13-19 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/1pe.1.13-19.NKJV
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Romans 6:13 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/rom.6.13.NKJV
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/mrk.8.34-38.NKJV
Harold J. Ballinger 