Grace

2/1/2004

The New Covenant definition of “Grace” is “PROVISION”—not “God changed His Character and expectations when He changed Covenants, and now He ignores sin and we’ll call that ‘grace.’” Where there was no “Power” to overcome sin and live up to God’s High Calling in the Old “decaying and disappearing” Covenant…in the New Agreement HE HIMSELF WOULD COME LIVE INSIDE OF US, to Teach and Empower and Encourage us into His Image, “in this present age.” “I was with you, I shall be IN you” to “CAUSE you to keep My Commands and Decrees”. The “Downpayment” of the Covenant is NOT that God changed His Mind about what is Holy or Righteous or Acceptable…but that HE GAVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT as PROVISION, for all, “from the least to the greatest” in this NEW Covenant. That ALONE is why the book of James and 1John, chapters 1-3 STILL MAKE SENSE, in this “age of Grace”. If you understand that “Grace” is “PROVISION”—not God changing His Character, then the entire Bible makes sense, and 1Cor.5 and many other Scriptures don’t have to be “ripped out of the Bible” as Thomas Jefferson did (and most evangelicals have done to this day). It ALL makes sense, together, when you define Grace PROPERLY and BIBLICALLY! Provision. Amazing Provision, how sweet the sound!