The True Nature of God Part 3

Another example of asking the wrong question involved a good friend of mine named John. He prayed about college for a long time and received a scholars.h.i.+p to Oklahoma Baptist University. He felt totally confident G.o.d told him to go to that school. Then, not long after he began attending there, G.o.d told him to leave and go to Seagoville, Texas, where I was pastoring a church, and just sit under the ministry and gain some maturity.

John really had trouble with that. He said, "G.o.d, this isn't right. I've got a full scholars.h.i.+p. I've made all these plans. I've prayed and I know You told me to come here. Now six weeks after I arrive, You're telling me to leave the scholars.h.i.+p, leave everything, and go down there to nowhere?" nowhere?"

Seagoville's not actually the end of the world, but you can see it from there! So my friend wrestled with that for three or four months and finally one day when he was praying he said, "G.o.d, if this is really You, why didn't You tell me before I came?"

G.o.d said, "John, out of the two choices you gave Me, Berkeley or OBU, OBU was the best of the two. But if you had asked Me where I really wanted you to go, I would have told you." You see, sometimes we don't always give G.o.d enough options when we pray, or we ask the wrong questions.

So I was praying, "G.o.d, which is right, once saved, always saved or saved-lost, saved-lost?"

He said, "Neither." Then I began to study the Scriptures for myself. I could go into a lot more detail, but I'll give a brief discussion of the answer here.

Finding the Balance the Balance .

I believe that both teachings have a truth. Once your spirit has been born again, it is eternally redeemed. Your spirit has been sanctified, perfected forever, and that spirit cannot sin. Therefore, a sin does not send you to h.e.l.l.

Sin does not violate or invalidate your salvation. You do not fall from grace in the sense that you commit what religion calls an unpardonable sin, lose your salvation, and have to "pray back through" and be born again once more.

The Bible doesn't teach being born again, again. again. It teaches being born again once! There is only It teaches being born again once! There is only one one new birth. You can't be born again multiple times. The Scripture in Hebrews 6:4-6 makes this crystal clear. new birth. You can't be born again multiple times. The Scripture in Hebrews 6:4-6 makes this crystal clear.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,And have tasted the good word of G.o.d, and the powers of the world to come,If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of G.o.d afresh, and put him to an open shame.

These verses are saying that if you do reject salvation, it's impossible to renew it again. There is no such thing as being born again, becoming lost, and being born again once more.

The terminology may vary, but some people use the term "pray through" when they talk about their salvation. They are born again, but they believe they've fallen from G.o.d's grace and feel feel if they were to die in that condition they would go to h.e.l.l. So they "pray through" until if they were to die in that condition they would go to h.e.l.l. So they "pray through" until they feel they feel they get their salvation back. they get their salvation back.

I hope you love me anyway for saying it, but that is bondage! This is a heresy that has condemned a lot of people and it is not of G.o.d. Scripture makes it clear you do not get saved, lost, and saved again.

On the other hand, I don't believe that once you're saved, you're always saved without any other possibility. I believe it is possible to be saved and then lost - but not saved, lost, and saved again.

The reason I believe this is that it is not a sin that d.a.m.ns you to h.e.l.l. If it was, which sin would it be that is going to cause you to lose your salvation? Again, most people would say, "the bad ones." But if sin made you lose your salvation, any sin - even overeating or gossip - would cost you your salvation, and it would be impossible to ever regain it again. Sin does not make you lose your salvation.

The answer that harmonizes both sides is the free will of man. the free will of man. You were not forced to get saved. You got saved of your own free will. And You were not forced to get saved. You got saved of your own free will. And G.o.d doesn't force you to stay saved. G.o.d doesn't force you to stay saved. Even though you can't Even though you can't sin sin your salvation away, you can your salvation away, you can reject reject your salvation by an act of your own free will. You can willfully reject salvation and become reprobate. There are many scriptures which verify this. your salvation by an act of your own free will. You can willfully reject salvation and become reprobate. There are many scriptures which verify this.

One of the scriptures is in Hebrews 6, where it says for those who have done certain things, if they fall away it's impossible to renew them again to repentance. I always heard this taught as a hypothetical case, and that renewing them again to repentance couldn't actually happen, because Jesus would have to die for them again.

But that's not what this pa.s.sage is talking about. It is talking about a person who falls away. They must have had something to fall away from. You can't lose something you didn't have to begin with. The book of Hebrews describes people who have become reprobate or enemies of the faith.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of G.o.d, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?Hebrews 10:26-29 This is addressing people who sin willfully after they've received the knowledge of the truth, but also have trodden underfoot the Son of G.o.d, trodden underfoot the Son of G.o.d, counting the blood of the covenant an counting the blood of the covenant an unholy unholy thing! This would have to be people who had completely turned against Jesus and salvation. These are not Christians who simply fell into sin. thing! This would have to be people who had completely turned against Jesus and salvation. These are not Christians who simply fell into sin.

How Sin Can Lead to h.e.l.l Sin Can Lead to h.e.l.l .

This next point is important, because if you don't give close attention, you will miss everything I've been teaching. If you think you have to maintain a certain level of exterior holiness to maintain your salvation and if you don't, you're going to go to h.e.l.l, then you'll come right back under the bondage of the Old Testament Law, having to perform to earn the blessings of G.o.d, and it will torment you. You'll become your own savior again, trying to receive things from G.o.d based on how good you are instead of what Jesus has done for you. You've got to recognize that both salvation and living the Christian life are totally a work of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

You are going to stand before G.o.d someday, and if He asks you what you've done to justify getting into heaven, you can only point to your dependence on the blood of Jesus Christ, not to your church attendance, your t.i.thing record, or anything else. But you still need to live a holy life, because you don't want to give Satan any power over you. The most devastating result from habitual sin is a spiritual hardening of your heart. a spiritual hardening of your heart. If you go out and openly live in sin, your heart will become hardened to the Holy Spirit and G.o.d's Word. If you go out and openly live in sin, your heart will become hardened to the Holy Spirit and G.o.d's Word.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any ofyou an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from theliving G.o.d.But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.Hebrews 3:12-14 Sin is deceitful and will harden a person's heart toward G.o.d and other people. And the Word of G.o.d tells us it is possible for a person to harden their heart through sin to the point they no longer care about Jesus and salvation. Just as G.o.d did not make a person get saved, G.o.d does not make a person stay saved. It is not possible to "lose" your salvation, but you could give it up you could give it up if you became deceived and hardened enough! if you became deceived and hardened enough!

For example, let's discuss the sin of not going to church. The reason reason you you go to church is not because G.o.d is keeping attendance and will only bless you if you go to church. You go to church to be around people who are going to build you up. If you are sitting home watching go to church is not because G.o.d is keeping attendance and will only bless you if you go to church. You go to church to be around people who are going to build you up. If you are sitting home watching TV, TV, you aren't going to hear the kinds of things I'm teaching, and your heart is going to slowly become hardened to the things of G.o.d. you aren't going to hear the kinds of things I'm teaching, and your heart is going to slowly become hardened to the things of G.o.d.

When your heart, through the deceitfulness of sin, becomes hardened, you become dull and insensitive to the leading of G.o.d. You start straying further and further away from Him and His protection. Obeying His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit would no longer be important.

Any particular kind of sin or combination of sins can harden your heart. If a person continues to practice sin, they will be lured deeper and deeper into that sin, and their desire to seek and know G.o.d will become less and less. Also, the pleasure that sin offers will get a stronger grip on the person, making it harder to give up.

In an extreme case, a person could get so deceived by sin that they finally reject all conviction of the Holy Spirit and tell Jesus to get out of their life. That is a very serious - but possible - result of a believer who willfully lives in sin.

Ultimately it is possible for believers to harden themselves to such a degree that their conscience is seared. They no longer perceive what they are doing in a proper light. They can even think their sin is all right. They're entrapped in sin, and Satan begins to tempt them to renounce their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their sin won't send them to h.e.l.l, but their sin will put them in a place where they are so far removed from fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d that they will be more responsive to Satan than they are to G.o.d. When this occurs, it's possible they could say, "I renounce all this salvation stuff. Jesus, get out of my life! Stop bothering me!" Because they reject the salvation through Jesus Christ, they go to h.e.l.l.

It is not because the sin sin made G.o.d send them to h.e.l.l, but because they threw their salvation away and made G.o.d send them to h.e.l.l, but because they threw their salvation away and rejected it of their own free will. rejected it of their own free will. If they do that, the Bible clearly states it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. If they do that, the Bible clearly states it is impossible to renew them again to repentance.

You are eternally redeemed. You are secure as long as you want to be secure, but you can't go to sleep spiritually. You can't afford to flirt with sin and live in sin, because I guarantee you, Satan will put you in a compromising situation.

If you've been living in sin and you've sold yourself out to sin, it's very possible that you won't be able to draw on the spiritual reserves it takes to lay down your life for the Lord. If someone put a gun to your head and said, "Renounce Jesus, or I'll kill you," you would probably reject the Lord to save your own life. Why? Because right now you are rejecting Jesus for your sin. Maybe you want wealth or s.e.x or drugs so much that you just shove Jesus aside again and again. Eventually you could renounce the Lord altogether.

Sometimes people are so shortsighted, they don't see h.e.l.l coming. There are people who have done just what I've described. A minister I will call Mark was known to be a great faith healer. I have met people who were healed through his ministry in miraculous ways. The son of a friend of mine knew Mark personally and says he believes Mark was born again, had a real calling on his life, and moved in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit. But because of the wealth, fame, and prestige he could get, Mark turned away from G.o.d and renounced Him for what he could gain in the flesh. He talked about how he now didn't even believe there was a G.o.d! If this is true, Mark would be an example of a person who renounced his faith and became reprobate. Thank G.o.d that's a rare occurrence.

Conditions for Missing Heaven for Missing Heaven .

There may be someone saying, "Brother Andrew, I can't accept what you're saying, because if that is true then I have rejected the Lord. One time after I was born again, I became tired of the whole thing and renounced it and turned my back on the Lord and went back into sin. You're saying it's impossible for me to repent, but I know I repented and I know G.o.d accepted me."

For a complete perspective on a situation like this, Hebrews 6:4,5 has some qualifications: For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,And have tasted the good word of G.o.d, and the powers of the world to come.

Not every person can reject Jesus and become a reprobate. You must meet certain criteria. This scripture says that first, you have to have been enlightened. I believe that describes a person who has had G.o.d reveal Himself to him. Tasted of the heavenly gift Tasted of the heavenly gift is talking about the gift of salvation. Being is talking about the gift of salvation. Being made partakers of the Holy Ghost made partakers of the Holy Ghost refers to a person who has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoken in tongues. refers to a person who has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoken in tongues. Have tasted the good word of G.o.d Have tasted the good word of G.o.d is a person who started growing and maturing in the Word, who had revelation knowledge of the Word of G.o.d. Tasting the is a person who started growing and maturing in the Word, who had revelation knowledge of the Word of G.o.d. Tasting the powers of the world to come powers of the world to come refers to the supernatural manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. refers to the supernatural manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

This pa.s.sage is talking about a mature Christian. Only a mature Christian who understands what they are doing can fall away or choose to renounce Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation.

For example, if one of my children had gotten mad at me when they were young and said, "I don't like you anymore. I'm tired of being your kid, and I'm not going to be a Wommack anymore. I renounce you and I'm going to be somebody else. I'm going to run away from home." I wouldn't have allowed them to do that, because they couldn't really understand what they were doing. And the law would have backed me up because they were just a child.

My children couldn't legally renounce me and sever ties with me when they were minors, but if they are thirty years old they can change their names, renounce me, file an injunction so I could never see them, and the law would back them up. There comes a place of maturity where they would be able, of their own free will, to sever our relations.h.i.+p.

When they are grown, my children can't change the fact that they were begotten of me, but they can certainly change any future relations.h.i.+p with me. They have a free will to do it, and they have entered a place of maturity where it's legally possible. They understand what they're doing.

I ran away from home when I was eight years old. Even though I was only three blocks away, I thought my parents were never going to catch me. Although I was already wanting to go back home, I couldn't humble myself and let them know it. So I got myself caught in a barbed-wire fence and I was waiting for them to come get me. I had changed my mind within two or three minutes after I left home. I didn't really mean it. I didn't really know what I was doing.

There are some people who never matured much in the Lord and because of that, they got frustrated, quit living for G.o.d, maybe went back into sin, and did all kinds of things. But they had not reached the place where they were knowledgeable enough in the things of G.o.d for Him to hold them fully responsible. Therefore, they were able to turn, repent, and come back to the Lord. And even as they did not like to retain G.o.d in their knowledge, G.o.d gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. And even as they did not like to retain G.o.d in their knowledge, G.o.d gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

Romans 1:28 This scripture talks about being reprobate, which is a Bible term for a person who has refused their salvation or has renounced their salvation and now has no desire to get it back. According to Scripture, they didn't want to retain G.o.d in their minds, so G.o.d gave them over to a reprobate mind. It is as though they no longer have any conviction or conscience.

Jesus said no man can come unto Him except the Father draw him. (See John 6:44.) So G.o.d just quits drawing them. G.o.d quits dealing with them because they have rejected Him out of their lives.

A person who is truly reprobate has no more conviction or conscience. They know they are going to h.e.l.l and they don't care. They are no longer convicted. There is no longer any repentance in them. There is no longer any remorse in them. They are miserable and have become so hardened that they no longer retain G.o.d in their knowledge at all. So a person who has committed what Hebrews 6 is talking about is not concerned about their reprobate status. They no longer care about G.o.d, Jesus, or salvation.

Someone may be thinking, "Brother, have I ever done that? Have I sinned against G.o.d to that extent? Have I renounced my salvation? Am I reprobate?" You can know you are not lost and without hope simply because you care whether you are or not! You can know you are not lost and without hope simply because you care whether you are or not!

If you are still being convicted by G.o.d, if you still have a desire to repent and come back to G.o.d, if there is any drawing in your heart towards G.o.d, then you are not reprobate and you have not committed that "unpardonable" sin of rejecting Jesus and your salvation.

But I am addressing this because it is possible. There are scriptures that deal with renouncing your salvation, but it is never something that could happen by mistake or accident. And it is never something that happens because of a particular sin. Again, if a sin could cause us to lose our salvation, which sin would it be?

You weren't forced to get saved and you're not forced to stay saved. You have to maintain and hold fast your profession of faith without wavering. And as a mature believer, if you ever renounce your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you can throw salvation away. You cannot be robbed robbed of your salvation, but you can of your salvation, but you can willfully give it away. willfully give it away.

Living Free in Jesus Free in Jesus .

Most of us have not had a correct concept of being righteous, pure, and holy in the sight of G.o.d. We have not understood eternal redemption. We have thought that our spirit was less than what it really was. We have seen ourselves as being defiled and we have come before G.o.d seeing ourselves that way.

It is true that our flesh gets defiled by sin. This is the reason 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But you do not have to confess your sins and be forgiven after you are born again But you do not have to confess your sins and be forgiven after you are born again to stay saved to stay saved or reestablish your relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d. If you did, what would happen if you missed one? What makes you think you've been able to confess every sin that you've ever committed? That thinking implies you had better keep accurate records, because if you fail to confess one sin you'll be headed straight for h.e.l.l. or reestablish your relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d. If you did, what would happen if you missed one? What makes you think you've been able to confess every sin that you've ever committed? That thinking implies you had better keep accurate records, because if you fail to confess one sin you'll be headed straight for h.e.l.l.

No, 1 John 1:9 is dealing with the physical realm. There is a cleansing that takes place when you confess your sins. It restores the quality of your fellows.h.i.+p quality of your fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d, but your with G.o.d, but your relations.h.i.+p relations.h.i.+p is always intact. The problem with sin in believers' lives is, they are submitting themselves to Satan, giving him a legal right to dominate them. is always intact. The problem with sin in believers' lives is, they are submitting themselves to Satan, giving him a legal right to dominate them.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?Romans 6:16 What happens if you have yielded your flesh to sin? What happens if you have given Satan direct inroads into your life? How do you cope with it? You confess it and say, "Father, I confess my sin and I ask forgiveness." You are not asking forgiveness to reinstate your salvation or make your spirit born again, again. Your spirit has been cleansed and born again forever. You are simply restoring your intimacy with G.o.d and kicking the devil out of your life.

If you are born again, G.o.d has forgiven you of all sin - past, present, and future. You may ask, "Brother, how could G.o.d forgive you of a sin you haven't committed yet?" Well, you better hope He can do that, because when Jesus died for sins about 2,000 years ago, none of your sins had been committed yet!

Your born-again human spirit is forgiven of all sins and totally perfect. If we sin, we should confess our sins, but not to get saved again! Confessing our sins restores our fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d, but our relations.h.i.+p was never broken.

You will never question your worthiness to walk boldly into the throne room of grace if you understand who you are in Jesus Christ. No matter how big the problem, how terrible the sin, how grave the disease, or how strong the demon, G.o.d is there for you. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princ.i.p.alities, nor powers, nor tilings present, nor things to come, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princ.i.p.alities, nor powers, nor tilings present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of G.o.d, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:38,39

Chapter 5

G.o.d's Grace for the Believer Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16,17

The Old Testament was just a shadow of things that were to come. According to this pa.s.sage of Scripture, it was not the exact image of things the way G.o.d wanted them to be. The way He dealt with people under the old covenant was not His preference. Somebody may say, "Well then, why did He do it? Doesn't G.o.d do whatever He wants to do?"

I could spend a lot of time on this, but - to put it in a nutsh.e.l.l - not everything that happens is what G.o.d wants to have happen. This is because He gave mankind free will. G.o.d committed a tremendous amount of authority to us when He gave Adam dominion over the earth (see Genesis 1:26,28), and man really messed up His original plan.

G.o.d did not want the transgression in the Garden of Eden. G.o.d did not plan for us to go through the Dark Ages. G.o.d did not plan for the Church to have the Spanish Inquisition or for the people who believed in G.o.d to be martyred. G.o.d did not orchestrate these events, and He does not control everything that happens to us. There are forces in operation in this earth because of the place given to Satan and his human followers, and I guarantee you there have been times when G.o.d has not had His perfect will manifested.

G.o.d's overall will is is going to manifest eventually. G.o.d is going to win this whole battle here on the earth. There's no doubt about that! If He has to raise up a donkey again to speak His Word, He's going to get it done, and Jesus is going to return victoriously. But I'm saying that G.o.d uses people - and people can thwart, prolong, and hinder what G.o.d wants to happen. I don't believe anyone can totally overthrow G.o.d's will from eventually happening, but people can surely hinder it. You can especially hinder His will in your own life. His will doesn't automatically come to pa.s.s. going to manifest eventually. G.o.d is going to win this whole battle here on the earth. There's no doubt about that! If He has to raise up a donkey again to speak His Word, He's going to get it done, and Jesus is going to return victoriously. But I'm saying that G.o.d uses people - and people can thwart, prolong, and hinder what G.o.d wants to happen. I don't believe anyone can totally overthrow G.o.d's will from eventually happening, but people can surely hinder it. You can especially hinder His will in your own life. His will doesn't automatically come to pa.s.s.

People who believe nothing happens except what G.o.d ordains to happen get violently upset when I start preaching this! But I can't understand why they get so upset. If n.o.body could do anything except what G.o.d ordained, then I couldn't be teaching this unless G.o.d ordained me to teach it. So the people who believe G.o.d causes everything to happen contradict themselves by telling me it is not G.o.d's will for me to teach this!

The truth is that not every word said and not everything done is totally orchestrated by G.o.d. Because of that, G.o.d was not able to manifest His perfect will under the old covenant as we see through Jesus. The old covenant was only a temporary way of dealing with mankind, and it was inst.i.tuted only until Jesus came. It is sad to say, but most Christians today make no clear distinction between the old way G.o.d dealt with mankind and the new covenant way.

When the Old Testament Law was given, people were deceived about sin. The human race didn't recognize the depth of sin. G.o.d didn't really want to, but finally He had to say to us, "Look, you need help!" So He gave the Mosaic Law, which showed how bad people really were.

The Law proved people were totally hopeless of ever achieving salvation on their own. It caused them to look totally to G.o.d for salvation, and a type of Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross was given in all the sacrifices of animals in the temple.

However, as I have said before, the Law itself did not reveal the true nature of G.o.d. G.o.d didn't really want to kill a person who was trying to pick up sticks on the Sabbath day. It was not His desire to destroy whole cities through Joshua, but the depths of sin in Canaan were so terrible, He was bound to enforce His perfect standard. He enforced it to the letter to show exactly how deadly sin was. Therefore, there was no way you could misunderstand that sin was not acceptable to G.o.d in any form.

Enforcing the Law gave mankind a part of the nature of G.o.d, that He was holy and no unholy thing could stand in His presence, but Jesus provided the entire and complete picture.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.John 1:17 In the New Testament, Jesus revealed the perfect perfect nature of G.o.d. Jesus addressed a woman taken in the act of adultery, which is much worse than picking up sticks on the Sabbath day, by showing her mercy and forgiveness instead of judging and killing her. That's the true character of G.o.d. Through Jesus, G.o.d was able to manifest Himself the way He really is. nature of G.o.d. Jesus addressed a woman taken in the act of adultery, which is much worse than picking up sticks on the Sabbath day, by showing her mercy and forgiveness instead of judging and killing her. That's the true character of G.o.d. Through Jesus, G.o.d was able to manifest Himself the way He really is.

Jesus brought the true ministry of G.o.d's grace, but most of us haven't renewed our minds to it. We are still trying to serve G.o.d under the system of Law. "G.o.d, if I do a certain number of things, then you're going to reward me and I'll get my answer."

Falling From Grace From Grace .

Whether we recognize it or not, every one of us has had att.i.tudes of law - Old Testament att.i.tudes that have crept into our relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d and made Christ of no effect to us in various areas of our lives. The Bible says we have fallen from grace. fallen from grace.

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circ.u.mcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.For I testify again to every man that is circ.u.mcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.Galatians 5:2-4 "Fallen from grace" does not mean you've lost your salvation! It means you are no longer walking in G.o.d's grace, but according to the Law. In effect, you are walking under your own effort and your own ability. You aren't utilizing Jesus as your Savior, because your own efforts have become your justification to G.o.d.

When believers say, "G.o.d, look what I've done," it makes Christ of no effect in their area of need. It frustrates the grace of G.o.d. It also keeps G.o.d at arm's length in their relations.h.i.+p with Him, because within them is a "knowledge of good and evil." That's a knowledge we have learned from the Law. (Remember Romans 3:20?) When we have been evil or not as good as we're supposed to be, the Law makes us think G.o.d is going to give us the punishment we feel we deserve. Praise G.o.d, through Jesus' blood we don't get what we deserve!

People come up to me all the time and say, "This just isn't fair! How come G.o.d answered somebody else's prayer and didn't answer mine? I want justice!" They simply don't understand the grace of G.o.d. They are demanding justice, but it's because of His mercy they haven't received what they deserve. In a sense, getting nothing is better than getting justice, because if we really got what we deserved, we would all be "hurtin' for certain"!

I used to develop pictures for a photographer, and sometimes when people came in to see their pictures, they would say, "Oh, this picture doesn't do me justice." We would say, "Look, you don't need justice, you need mercy!" Thank G.o.d, He has shown His mercy towards us through Jesus Christ.

There are many believers who say, "Well, I don't understand why G.o.d hasn't healed me. I don't understand why so-and-so got their new car and I haven't gotten mine. I've been doing this and doing that and I've done all of these good things. This isn't fair." When believers say these things, they are simply revealing they haven't understood G.o.d. In fact, by depending on their own works to get what they want, they have frustrated the grace of G.o.d.

The grace of G.o.d through the sacrifice of Jesus is what brings everything to believers.

Ephesians 1:3 says that G.o.d has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. But it all comes by grace through faith, as stated so clearly in Ephesians 2:8,9, But it all comes by grace through faith, as stated so clearly in Ephesians 2:8,9, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of G.o.d: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of G.o.d: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

An answer to prayer doesn't come through our own effort. If we do not understand that, we are frustrating the grace of G.o.d and keeping our need from being supplied! The answer is supplied to us only because Jesus has paid for it with His blood.

Justified by Faith, Not Performance by Faith, Not Performance Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with G.o.d through our Lord Jesus Christ.Romans 5:1 The whole book of Romans is basically teaching salvation by grace through faith - not through your effort, not through adherence to Old Testament Law, and not through your good works.

Paul is saying that when we are justified by faith, then we have peace with G.o.d through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only only way you can really have peace with G.o.d. Did you also know that is the way you can really have peace with G.o.d. Did you also know that is the only only way you can ever really have boldness to enter into the presence of G.o.d? You enter into His presence through firmly understanding the grace of G.o.d and putting your faith in it. way you can ever really have boldness to enter into the presence of G.o.d? You enter into His presence through firmly understanding the grace of G.o.d and putting your faith in it.

If you are approaching G.o.d based on the merit of your good performance, you are going to approach G.o.d very few times. For most of us, the quality of our relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d is based on our performance and that's wrong. If you had based your salvation on your performance, you wouldn't have been saved!

When people realize their sinful condition, whether by the Law or the knowledge of G.o.d's goodness, they start looking to Jesus alone for their salvation. But then after they get born again, somehow they slip into the thinking that G.o.d's going to move in their lives in proportion to their personal holiness. Nothing could be further from the truth!

I have had people come to me for healing and say, "Brother Andrew, pray for me. I just don't know what is wrong. I've been fasting, praying, going to church, studying the Word, paying my t.i.thes, and doing all I know to do, and I just don't understand why G.o.d hasn't healed me." They revealed a lot to me right there, because they showed me they were looking to what they they had done in order to get G.o.d to heal them. They were saying, "G.o.d, look what good things I've done. Aren't You going to heal me?" had done in order to get G.o.d to heal them. They were saying, "G.o.d, look what good things I've done. Aren't You going to heal me?"

G.o.d doesn't heal you because of what you've done. Some of you may be disappointed and think, "Well, now, that's just a shame because I've been doing so good." But if you ever get a true understanding of G.o.d's standard, you would realize none of us have ever measured up to G.o.d's perfect standard! It's G.o.d's grace and mercy which brings us peace, joy, prosperity, healing, and all blessings - based on Jesus' holiness and not our own holiness.

Where did performance-based teaching come from? Believe it or not, it came out of G.o.d's Word. It was a misunderstanding of what G.o.d was doing in the Old Testament Law. In Deuteronomy 28, verses 1 and 2, all the blessings of G.o.d appear to be conditional on the word if. if.

And it shall come to pa.s.s, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy G.o.d, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy G.o.d will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy G.o.d. Verse 1 says that a person has to do all of G.o.d's commandments, not just some of them. If you would just stop and think a moment, you would realize that you have never kept all the commandments of G.o.d. Verse 1 says that a person has to do all of G.o.d's commandments, not just some of them. If you would just stop and think a moment, you would realize that you have never kept all the commandments of G.o.d.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.James 4:17 Sin is more than just doing what you know is wrong. Has G.o.d ever told you to love your neighbor as yourself? I guarantee you haven't walked in that perfectly! You know to do more good than what you've actually done.

If you look at sin from G.o.d's standpoint, none of us have measured up but Jesus. None of us have become sinless in our flesh, in our actions, and in our performance. We're all still missing the mark. n.o.body fulfills Deuteronomy 28:1 and 2 except Jesus - and those who put their faith in what Jesus did instead of in their own performance. n.o.body fulfills Deuteronomy 28:1 and 2 except Jesus - and those who put their faith in what Jesus did instead of in their own performance. This is what Romans 5:1 is pointing out to us. We will only have peace with G.o.d if we are justified by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and not our works. This is what Romans 5:1 is pointing out to us. We will only have peace with G.o.d if we are justified by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and not our works.

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of G.o.d.And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of G.o.d is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the unG.o.dly.For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.Romans 5:2-7 When verse 2 talks about rejoicing in the hope of the glory of G.o.d, the hope of the glory of G.o.d, it is talking about antic.i.p.ating the second return of Jesus, being glorified with Him. Paul is praising G.o.d that one day we're going to be just like Him because we'll see Him as He is: it is talking about antic.i.p.ating the second return of Jesus, being glorified with Him. Paul is praising G.o.d that one day we're going to be just like Him because we'll see Him as He is: Beloved, now are we the sons of G.o.d, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.1 John 3:2 In addition, Paul says we glory in tribulations in this present time. Right in the midst of all of our trials and tribulations, we can glory! Paul is making a comparison. "I'm not only rejoicing about the sweet by-and-by and thinking about what it will be like when we all get to heaven, but right in the rough spots today, praise G.o.d, I'm a total overcomer because of Jesus."

The point he's making is, "Do you remember salvation - that G.o.d died for us? That's the reason I can have confidence that I'm going to overcome in the midst of tribulation, because I know G.o.d has already done all these things for me."