Chapter 1

the spirit of grace The Lord has surely poured tremendous grace upon this ministry. He has taken us through the fire but has always proven His faithfulness. We have seen the works of our God and have known the power of His Word. He has revealed to us the mystery of Christ, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

The Lord has caused us to enjoy greatly the supply of apostolic order. He has proven to us that it is the only way the truth of the Word is revealed and installed in the church. With that said there are many who preach Jesus but do not, however, have the correct perspective of what they minister. Many indeed have received truths, but it is through apostolic order that those truths are set into perspective.

THE PERVERSION OF GRACE

Grace is one of those doctrines constantly ministered in the church world. There are some, however, who pervert the gospel; preaching grace as the provision for sin.

There is a false doctrine many teach called Once Saved, Always Saved. It seeks to devour the Body of Christ, by allowing Holy Ghost filled, sanctified and saved Sons of God to make provisions for sin. The doctrine focuses on removing the penalty of sin. It teaches that grace is the fact that Jesus has already absorbed all the penalties of sin on the cross that we might not be punished for the sins we commit daily. Some even take this doctrine to another extreme, saying there is no hell, only heaven. rom 6:1-2 - What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Those who are in true fellowship with the Father know that this is a ludicrous doctrine. Nevertheless, it has reigned in the Body of Christ for years. There are so many scriptures that negate the doctrine, yet preachers symbolize and place twists upon the Word of God, when it ought not to be tampered with.

Jude 1:4

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

True grace points us to self-denial, however some have indeed crept into the household of faith and have allowed sin to rule in the name of God. A great woe is upon those who corrupt the right ways of the Lord. Their damnation is just. However, God is merciful unto any man who will open his heart to hear the truth as long as he is willing to turn from his ways.

WHAT IS GRACE?

If grace is not the permission to sin as we please what then is grace? Well, true understanding can only be found in the scriptures. Follow me as we delve into the mystery of Christ.

Grace is God’s influence in the heart which is revealed in our lives: this is truth and it means that grace is much more than Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the world. It is the making of the church, a holy habitation for the Father to dwell among His people.

Hebrews 10:16-23

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

The cross of Christ was the final offering for sin. There are no more sacrifices to be made, and if any are made they shall not be accepted by the Father. Christ is the end of the law that He might establish grace as the only means to the Father. He placed the Word within our hearts at salvation and has done away with the sins of our past. Discern the grace of God. Having put off the old man, our souls can boldly enter into the holiest – the Spirit of God and receive eternal life. The soul is joined to the Lord. He is with Christ, living inside a Living God.

The new man is the new and living way that has been consecrated for us by the death and resurrection of our bodies at salvation. Now Jesus remains within the flesh as priest over the flesh which is the temple of God. Seeing that He is in the flesh we can obey God without fear of sin. To be freed from the bondage of sin and able to live a sinless life; that is great grace.

Hebrews 10:24-26

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Here is where the rubber meets the road. Paul declares that if we willfully decide to sin having received the Holy Ghost and the knowledge of the truth, there is no certainty that we will not be rejected. There are no more sacrifices to be done. Grace cannot save that one who sins willfully. God by His mercy can choose to forgive someone based on His knowledge of that person’s heart, but He is not however obligated to.

Ananias and Sapphira both died after telling a lie. They willfully sinned against God, tempting His grace. It is very obvious that they did not make it to heaven, even though they were members of the faith. Neither grace nor the righteousness of their past could save them in the day of their calamity.

Hebrews 10:27-29

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses ‘law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? I believe this scripture has utterly destroyed the false grace doctrine. It says plainly that there is sorer punishment for those who have rejected the Word of God. We cannot as Sons of God do despite to the Holy Ghost and walk away scott free. But there is indeed a righteous recompense for the deeds done in our flesh.

THE SPIRIT OF GRACE

Hebrews 10:29

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? The Spirit of Grace is the Holy Ghost. Jesus has returned to earth in our time in the form of the Holy Ghost. His life was manifested to take away the sins of the world. However, when we receive the Holy Ghost, He remains in our flesh that we might be partakers of the divine nature. There is indeed not enough teaching on this subject. We never hear sermons focusing on our divine nature. It is almost as if pastors and other church leaders are afraid to say that we have the divine nature of our God. To teach such a thing would also demand that we accept the fact that we are indeed the offspring of God. To embrace that truth would force us to open the door for another truth that declares; ‘as he is, so are we.’

1 JoHn 3:8-10

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him:and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Above we see the purpose of the Spirit of Grace.

1. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil within our flesh, by the putting off of the old man.
2. Having destroyed the old man, he has resurrected our bodies and remained in them that they might never sin against us as the old man did.

Therefore the Spirit of Grace was sent that we might never sin against the Father again. Let us continue to examine the Spirit of Grace in light of the revelation of Christ.

romans 5:12-15

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13 (For until the law sin was in the world:but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

When Adam sinned, the whole human race was damned. It was by his sin that condemnation was brought upon the world. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, established grace in the earth, so that humanity could be saved. Adam’s sin is what separated man from God, however it is the grace of Jesus Christ that has brought us back to God. However, we cannot stop there. Grace continues unto the saving of the soul. If the soul allows the operation of grace in its life, it will one day be saved by it. romans 5:16-17

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

We cannot be justified by our own righteousness or works, but it is the grace of Jesus Christ that justifies us. However, grace does not stop at the death of Jesus Christ; but grace is the life of Christ lived out in our flesh. It is this life that shall save our souls. romans 5:18-19

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Jesus will live a righteous and obedient life no matter which body He is in. He will never sin against the Father. This is the righteousness, peace and joy poured out to the sons of God. It is the souls’ escape from the corruption of this world. It is rest for the soul and the justification for it to live. Grace is the sinless life of Jesus Christ which he lives through our earthen vessels unto the saving of our souls.

romans 5:20-21

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now grace is reigning in our mortal bodies. We are they that have entered into the rest of the Lord. We have ceased from our own labors. We have reckoned ourselves dead that the life of Christ may be revealed in us. Sin once abounded in our flesh even unto the death of the old man. However, we were circumcised with the circumcision of Christ and quickened by the Spirit that the grace of God may much more abound in us. romans 6:1-2

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

God now forbids us to sin. The abounding of grace is the manifest life of Christ within us. Sin stops the life of Christ from being manifested through our bodies. In other words, we cannot say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness. Grace does not abound by our sin, it abounds by our obedience.