on "Definition
of 'Grace'"
|
Question:Why make such a deal of definitions? For example, why worry about what the word "grace" means? |
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Question:Why make such a deal of definitions?
Answer. In my youth I would hear gospel preachers
preach, "We don't deserve God's love nor His
grace." That sounds correct. right? Then as time
passed, preachers had developed a definition of the word "grace"
adopted from denominational error.The
word "grace" became to be defined as "an undeserved favor of
God". But has this not actually redefined the word itself? Question:Would we allow our pulpit preachers to define "baptism" as
"dipping, pouring"? Example 1. A
religious sacrament marked by the symbolic application of water to the head or
immersion of the body into water and resulting in admission of the recipient
into the community of Christians. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/baptism Example 2. "By immersing the individual in water or by
pouring or sprinkling water on the individual, as a symbol of ..." http://www.yourdictionary.com/BAPTISM Question:Would we allow our pulpit preacher to define "faith" as
"placing one's trust in Jesus Christ"? Example: faith
means placing one's trust in Jesus Christ with a certain minimal core of
understanding being necessary Question:Would we allow our pulpit preacher to define "salvation" as
"accepting Jesus into our hearts"? Example: "I
know I'm saved. I've been saved a long
time. I asked Jesus into my heart when I
was five years old. " all Heartsong Presents
books and all Steeple Hills books
[I've perused hundreds]. Question:Would we allow our pulpit preacher to define "psallo" in
Ephesians 5:19 as "playing a piano"? Example: "psallo embraces the use of a mechanical
instrument."
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/829-psallo-and-the-instrumental-music-controversy Yet, we have
allowed them to proclaim that we do not deserve God's favor nor can we earn or
deserve His favor. 1.This false doctrine causes confusion
and division. We are to
"speak the same thing" (1 Corinthians 2. Based on this
false meaning of grace, no one
could ever be deserving of receiving God's favor and it leaves no room
for personal change and conversion.E.g., Why would one want to repent? Indeed, why would he have to? This false
teaching of an "unmerited and un-deserved" grace of Christ teaches a sinner to
accept more deception about means of salvation, that he can still be accepted
by God, and can still continue in his sins and his fruits of iniquity, Is this not a horrible
abominable lie that has permeated throughout today's Christendom.
After all, if God's grace is un-deserved, there is nothing one would have to do
(since he "could not do") to deserve to receive God's favor. 3.This doctrine makes God a respecter
of persons.This grace that is taught and accepted to
mean the undeserved or unmerited favor of God, is
a traditional, heretical teaching, and in reality, teaches God to be a
respecter of persons in His choosing of His sons.At least pure Calvinism is consistent. Men and women of
old came to understand true repentance, obedience, and
accepted the Word (Acts 2), a saving faith, in order to receive God's
grace. 4.This doctrine reduces the significance of the gospel plan of salvation. Paul, speaking
of his life in Acts 20:24,
said that it
was "To testify
the Gospel of the grace of God";(i.e., the "good news of the grace of God."It was the good news of Christ's mercy [by
the way, no where does grace mean "mercy"either. Does He not offer
mercy to those in His favor]. Would Paul have
received the grace of God IF he did not deserve it? He was humbled by Christ through 3 days of
blindness and was converted to a total change of life by repentance.When Paul sought relief from his persecutors,
God's answer was "My grace (favor) is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians
12). Would an unappreciative God have
been any cause to give Paul encouragement? 5. This doctrine removes motivation for
a faithful life. Christians are commanded to grow in the grace
of God and His knowledge. But a stop growth
is placed on Christians by the "undeserved favor" of God as taught;
so they become bankrupt spiritually instead of growing in God's favor. 6. This false teaching offers false
security in thinking that one will always be saved regardless of repentance from sinning. Hence, Calvinism becomes logical when it
boldly asserts the impossibility of apostasy; others will just let it wash
their conscience with the thinking that God's "grace" will cover their
multitude of sins. I often hear the
remark, "I'll do thus and so and let God's grace take
care of the rest." Mark 7. It makes Christians lazy.No wonder the church can't
get enough workers. This false
teaching is associated with Calvinistic teaching of salvation as a free gift (using Romans 8. It encourages Christians to sin. Such a doctrine encourages disobedience
(sinning). Paul answers this in Romans 6
by asserting that that would make God's grace abound to cover or to include
more sins. He said that "God
forbid" against this doctrine (Romans 6). Romans 6:1 "Are we to persist in sinning in order that the grace
extended to us may be the greater?" ( 9. It causes us to misinterpret Hebrews 13:5:"for He hath said, I will never
leave thee, or forsake thee. Although this is true, yet this is conditional upon the individual
staying with Jesus. Man freely decides to
obey and he can freely decide to disobey. Same
book: Hebrews 5:8,9-- "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
Hebrews is talking to disciples. Hebrews 3:13,14: "but
exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast to the end." 10. It causes people to take advantage of the longsuffering of
God (2 Peter 3:9). God waits
for us to repent (to stop sinning). "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." We ought to
speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter
For example, why worry about what the word "grace" means?
The importance of Biblically defining words such as "GRACE"
:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Christianity
