The two sides of "Cheap Grace"

To begin, I will define the words "grace" and "cheap" as I am looking at them here:

Grace: freedom from sin: in Christianity, the condition of being free of sin

Cheap: poor quality, inexpensive, worth little, undeserving of respect, dishonorable, offensive

Unfortunately, there are some who claim to be Christian and yet camp out on one or both sides of “cheap grace” as explained below. According to the Word of God, both are deserving of the Hell our Lord and Savior suffered through His Cross for us.

The first side of Cheap Grace:

“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 4) -nkjv

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Gal 5:13) -nkjv

The other side of Cheap Grace:

"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." (Gal 1:6-9) -nkjv

"accursed" in the original lanquage means "a person or thing doomed to destruction"

Please don't get onto me for being so abrasive. I didn't write the Bible, God did. I just believe it and speak it as it is. Paul was inspired by God to repeat himself twice for some reason...eh?

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Gal 2:21) -nkjv

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? (Gal 3:1-3) -nkjv

When I began this study of the two sides of “Cheap Grace“, I tried to separate the two with two different explanations. But I found they were so closely related in nature --as expressed in God’s Word-- that I could not divide two sides of the same coin. Maybe you will see what I mean here.

Those who say they are of the Lord Jesus Christ will prove it by their inner desires and outward choices to depart from iniquity. In the case of a truly born again believer it will not be because they “have to” under some rules, regulations, laws, and definitely not because of externally conforming to “the watchful eyes of others” . If you think you NEED any of those, then you may NEED to ask God for His Grace. For through subjecting yourself to those means of attempting to live right you have fallen from Grace, and you will find it is impossible to achieve His righteousness in these ways. With this kind of fruit you are proving that you don’t really know the Grace of God in Truth yet. For Christ imparts, through His work of the Holy Spirit, the will and desire to do what is right without the rules, regulations, laws, or the watchful eyes of others being necessary at all. Yes, God can and does use other believers to confirm what He is saying in our heart if it is in line with His Word. But Christ's righteousness is NEVER-EVER produced by this and it is NOT always necessary to have others near at all times when you KNOW God's Grace in Truth. Listen to this:

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13) -nkjv

“In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.” (Prov 16:6) -nkjv

In the ABSENCE of Paul and with the PRESENCE of “the fear of the Lord” we are to yield to the work of Salvation as God ALONE produces both the will for and the doing of good at all moments of our life --for His own pleasure and plan-- whether we are ALONE or not. Legalist attempt to steal this pleasure from God and this is why God absolutely HATES any form of legalism, for “in vain” they are using His Great Name. They are teaching, in effect, that “Christ has died in vain” when they attempt to be justified by their own good works or behavior and insist that others to do the same.

“But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.” (Is 64:6) -nkjv

The word “righteousnesses” simply means “righteous acts”. And this is clearly very, very “Cheap Grace” to think that “filthy rags” will save you or anyone else from the Hell due to all of us because of our own sinfulness. It is an extreme error and gross sin in and of itself to say that you can live and do right by your own legalism as it is displayed before “the watchful eyes” of other sinful men. And all the while legalism ignores the Glory of God due to Christ ALONE for His work on the Cross in which Christ completed our Salvation. And any form of strict adherence to law in Christianity is denying the work of the Holy Spirit in and through believers. Grace ALONE produces genuine love. We abide in Christ by faith ALONE and works follow by His Holy Spirit's Power and influence working in us. Christ’s resurrection and ascension resulted in the release of His Holy Spirit from the Most High of Heaven, as the Son of God presented His own Blood at the Mercy Seat. And now He is once again seated on the “Throne of Grace” and is now making intercession for us and imparting this Divine Power of Grace to us for everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Christ's mercy was given to us to reveal His Father’s Glory to all Creation in due season, for God so loved this world of sinners that He gave us His only Son to redeem us back to Himself. And the thieves of this Grace and Mercy will one Day look upon Him --whom they have pierced again through their legalism-- and mourn in their shame for having self-righteous pride and blindness as they see only their fleshly self-glorifying works as displayed in the watchful eyes of other mere men.

The Devil came to steal, kill, and destroy. Steal God's Grace from man's heart through legalism, kill the work of the Holy Spirit by having men deny it’s power through "a form of godliness", and destroy the lives of those who could otherwise know the freedom found in the Grace of God in which they reflect the Life of Christ productively to God's Glory ALONE. Christ came to give us Life and Life more abundant through His Holy Grace and Power.

It was said of the faith of our father Abraham:

“And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Rom 4:22-25) -nkjv

“Imputed” here means that it is a fact that Christ’s “rightness with God” is granted to us as well, for the payment of our debt of sin towards a Holy God is PAID IN FULL!

When we are truly saved by and living in God’s Grace, we will be filled with the fruits of righteousness found in Christ Jesus.

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:9-11) -nkjv

There is no way we could be "without offense" when we're without God’s Grace, for it is Grace ALONE which produces “the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ”. We are as filthy as ever --and more so-- when we think we can please God in our own good behavior. You may please the sight of some men but it is a stench and an offense to God, for you have denied His only Son’s Work on the Cross and counted it as in vain.

Believers Bible Commentary speaks of Gal 2:21...
The grace of God is seen in His unconditional gift of salvation. When man tries to earn it, he is making it void. It is no longer by grace if man deserves it or earns it. Paul’s final thrust at Peter is effective. If Peter could obtain favor with God by Jewish observances, then Christ died for nothing; He literally threw His life away. Christ died because man could obtain righteousness in no other way—not even by law-keeping.

Accept God’s FREE gift of Grace as it was paid for by “The Highest” price possible and the ONLY WAY possible. And realize that His Righteousness can only be known by faith in the work of Christ. The work He has completed on the Cross and the work He is now performing on the Throne of Grace through intercession for you. Live by faith with a holy fear of God as you see His love and mercy and you will not need any form of legalism to keep you in line, for against such Holy Life inducing Grace there is no need for law.

Grace is not to be cheapened by willfully sinning so that it may abound. And Grace is not to be cheapened by legalistically denying the Divine Power Christ produces which grants believers the will and strength to do right to the glory of God.

HIS WORK...NOT MINE!

I think of some times in which I fell short of God’s best in my life as a believer. Like an occasion that I lost control of my temper and said or did something that wasn’t of the fruit of the Spirit but more like a mess in the flesh. I MUST have the True Grace of God to turn me back and cause me to agree with God that this was wrong and unlike Him, to know His promised cleansing by faith and let His Spirit empower me with His good fruit so I may live in such a way that glorifies Christ. This was HIS WORK NOT MINE!

So just who got the glory for getting me out of the mess? Not my own works. So then, what is one to do if they aren’t taught of God’s Grace under any circumstance of missing the mark of God’s high calling in our life, yet they have the law thrown in their face with full force of condemnation to every possible wrong? How oppressive! Such heavy bondage! We all know we are prone to wrongdoing as Paul said:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Rom 7:15)

Yet he exclaimed:
“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:24-25a)

It would be no wonder if those naively subjected under some form of legalism started to lose their minds a bit, for no human can live under the power of legalism without something breaking inside in a very unholy way. We are not designed to reproduce the image of God without God...without His Grace! It is impossible!

The virus of legalism can not stand the voice of Grace for the pride in legalism is cut down by the fact that God ALONE gets all the glory for Grace. In legalism the law makers are highly praised --and they love it so-- for they produce laws as they see fit and demand others to follow. In Grace, God is so highly praised and exalted for His Mercy on helpless and hopeless sinners as HE SAVES and KEEPS them from sin. Perfection will not come until we have left this mortal tent. But meanwhile Grace progressively creates in us an ever increasing likeness of Jesus in our lives where He ALONE is glorified and we find that we are sinning less and less as we abide in the Holy productive Vine of His Righteousness and Strength. And this is by faith ALONE through Grace ALONE through the cleansing power of His Living Word ALONE.

So I encourage you to get ALONE with God as you draw your strength from His Grace to help you in all your times of need.

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:14-16)

God Bless your time with Him!

The Grace of God sets “the called” Apart...

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said,“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. “For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” (Exodus 33:13-16)

God’s Grace IS His Holy Spirit’s presence with God‘s approval. If you do not have the Holy Spirit, you do not have the Grace of God. And no people could even slightly begin to do the work of the Holy Spirit without the Holy Spirit, no matter how hard they try to mimic it through the will of the carnal mind and the work of the flesh using all the Scripture they can muster up to attempt to impress the naive.

It is the Grace of God which sets true believers in Christ Jesus apart from all other humans on the earth. If you do not have the Grace of God in your heart, you are not a born-again Christian in the eyes of the Living God. Many claim to be “Christian” but lack the Grace to prove it. Grace is in stark contrast to legalism or licentiousness. The Grace of God is the active presence of His Holy Spirit in someone’s heart and life working from the Mind of Christ. His Grace contains all we need to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. And God receives ALL the glory because we can not do what only He can.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ep 2:9)

“Lord, You will establish peace for us,
For You have also done all our works in us.” (Is 26:12)

This Grace is only given because of the work that the resurrected and ascended Christ has finished on His Cross and it is His Holy Spirit which does all our works which God has pre-ordained before time. It is nothing of our doing which has made us deserving of this Grace. This Grace is given to all types of people. All races, all cultures, all colors. God is no respecter of persons as He chooses the poor and the rich, the great and the small, the intelligent and the simple. Yet it should be said at this time that according to God’s own words, NOT MANY of those we deem as having great assets like wisdom, riches, or fame will enter the Kingdom of God by Grace --the ONLY WAY possible-- for they have chosen to rely on those things God gave them. Yet they often will not even acknowledge that God gave them all they have in that.

When Moses said “if I have found grace in Your sight” he was showing to us how those who are the chosen of God appear to Him from Heaven’s sight. We have found or “attained” grace from God. The NT says in the introduction of Jesus Christ brought to us from the beloved Disciple John:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of GRACE AND TRUTH. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” And of His fullness we have all received, and GRACE FOR GRACE. For the law was given through Moses, but GRACE AND TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:14-18) -emphasis added

The Apostle Paul said:
“But BEFORE faith came, we WERE kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would AFTERWARD be revealed. Therefore the law WAS our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But AFTER FAITH has come, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR.” -emphasis to show God’s eras through time

You know you are living by grace alone when you live through the power of the Holy Spirit. For legalism attempts to “live the life” without God’s Grace to help, as it is full of condemnation and bondage. And licentiousness attempts to have men give up and give in to the power of sin because Grace in the Holy Spirit is not there to teach us and give us the victory which His Divine Power has given to believers in Christ.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ep 2:8-9)

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” (2 Pet 1:2-3)

Legalism and licentiousness both work to block “the knowledge of Him who called us” from being known through knowing the Person of Jesus Christ. “Another Jesus” made by men will never help, as it is void of the True Grace of our Lord and Savior. Where you find no Grace you find no Holy Spirit. Where you will find no Holy Spirit you will find no Grace to help in times of need.

I look forward to sharing more on the Grace of God the next time here on HAVEN OF GRACE.