Grace— the Foundation of Intimacy With the Trinity.

Grace is the sum total of our Spirituality.  Everything we have by way of divine power, resource, presence and provision is courtesy of grace.  Everything we know of the nature of Abba, every ounce of divine wisdom distilled in our souls, every step of maturity taken in concert with the Spirit, every Word of challenge, comfort or encouragement from the heart of God was given us in grace, received by us in grace, after having been communicated to us {you guessed it} by grace!

It’s a soul-freeing aspect of Life in the Spirit to know that as Abba’s Children we’re not under the harsh light of the Law, but rather the shadow of mercy and grace— Romans 6:14-18.  Jesus’ Followers are bound by something higher, deeper and stronger than any Law ever uttered... the Royal Law, the Life of Love— Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28; John 13:34-35; and James 2:8-13.  In Ephesians 5 Paul wrote, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved Children [The picture, the imagery here, is of little children who feel safe and secure in the love, acceptance, and protection of their parents, seeking to emulate and imitate them.  Paul’s saying this is precisely how it should be for you and I as the Children of God.]... and live a life of love, just as Messiah loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,” vv. 1-2.  “Just as,” meaning ‘exactly like’ your “Messiah,” meaning you and I are to follow the footsteps of the One who “loved” us enough to give up everything on our behalf and “sacrifice” Himself “to Abba” in our place.

“My Command is this,” said Jesus in John 15:12: “Love each other as I have loved you [Selflessly, sacrificially ...with blood, with sweat, with tears.].”  And what does this look like in praxis?  Well, Gentlemen, Ladies, Kings and Princesses: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,” v. 13.  And there it is.

In Galatians 5:13 Paul wrote: “Do not use your freedom [‘Your liberty,’ which is the primary issue under grace— ‘freedom,’ not bondage.] to indulge the sinful nature [the ‘sin within’], but through love serve one another.  For the entire Law is summed up in a single command, ‘Love your neighbor [‘Love the other, any other’] as yourself,’” v. 14.  So, the Apostle repeats what the Master has stated over and over again in the course of His Mission: the totality of divine revelation comes down to this issue right here— our willingness to love the others, the different from, the opposite of, the weird, the wild, the wonderful.  And as a critical component of this, to let ourselves be loved …in the midst of our mess— not cleaned up, tidied up, washed up, dried up, polished up or prettied up; but here and now, alive and kicking, naked and exposed.

The Royal Law, the Life of Love, is a universal reality, a Code of Honor encapsulating Life in the Kingdom of Grace.  The Law of Moses, on the other hand, belonged to the nation of Israel in an Age when Israel was His Chosen Nation as a witness to the world.  It has never been given by God to any other nation besides Israel.  Furthermore, it wasn’t transferred to the Body and Bride of Christ in any way, shape or form; and any pastor, church, or organization functioning under the Law as the means of salvation, spirituality or service is doing so outside the dictates of Scripture, making themselves as Paul said in Philippians 3:18 “enemies of the Cross of Christ.”  The Truth is: Ignorance may be bliss, but it’s definitely not victory!  Can I get an ‘Amen’ for the glory of grace?

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296 | hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – where the Word and the Spirit are one.