Law, Plus Grace, Equals Salvation

Oh, I can hear once-in-“gracers” screaming at this title! But before you blow a gasket, you might want to read a little further to see what the title actually means. You may not like the article any better, but you will know what I am saying is solidly scriptural. So here we go!

No one has ever come to know Christ as his or her Redeemer and Saviour without first hearing and understanding His absolute, uncompromising, immutable, unchanging laws! If the law of God is not taught, and people are not solemnly warned that God’s laws must not be broken, then grace unto salvation is an unneeded and mute topic. Without the law, we don’t need grace. Without hearing and understanding God’s moral laws, mankind has no “School Master” to explain to them why they need grace and the necessity of Christ’s death and resurrection (Gal. 3:24).

We have had so much “greasy” grace preached in America today, that there is very little knowledge and understanding of sin! So much “false” love has been taught, that we have made the need of “true” grace an unknown necessity for salvation! In order not to offend people for any reason, we have tolerated their sin and are condoning them and ourselves, right into damnation (Eze. 3:18-19 & 33: 8-9).

You may say, “Alright preacher, what is sin/wickedness? Who are you to say so? And who are you to “judge” and make this decision?” Please understand, dear reader, it doesn’t amount to a pile of cow dung what I believe, or what you believe. As a disciple of, and joint heir with, Jesus Christ, I have been commanded (as all other true, born again, obedient followers of God and His laws as manifested in His Word) to expose, condemn and to have no fellowship with evil ( Eph. 5:11). And if anyone confesses to be a follower of Christ and is living in known sin, I am to not even eat with them! (I Cor. 5: 1-13 – especially study verses 9-12!) It doesn’t matter who these people might be. Whether they are just church acquaintances, friends, or close family members. To fellowship with them makes you a partaker of their sin by silent condolence and tolerance. The “whole” body of believers is then full of leaven (sin). Your silence and tolerance of their sin and your condoning of their breaking of God’s laws, may very well damn them to Hell (I John 3:4 – I Cor. 61: 9-10).

Folks, to say you are a Christian and yet continue to sin (break His laws), makes you a hypocrite! Hypocrites have no place in the Kingdom of God! The truth be told, in most cases, those that call themselves believers but continue to live in sin, were probably never born again and made into a new creation with a renewed mind (II Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15). If you have been truly redeemed, renewed and sanctified, you will endeavor to keep Christ’s commandments! (John 14:15) Of course you will never be perfected in the flesh! But if you say you are in grace and continue to partake of worldly lusts and desires, you are abusing grace and damning yourself! (Rom. 6:1-2, Heb. 10:28-31) You can fall from grace! (Gal. 5:4) And these people fell from grace trying to keep the laws of God! They once believed in grace and obeyed the law, but they lost their faith in grace and changed holy living in Christ to a “salvation” of works!

It is commanded that we obey God’s moral commandments BECAUSE we are saved by grace, not to try to earn salvation! It’s quite clear that living in Christ and endeavoring to be “Christ-like” is our reasonable service! (Rom. 12:1-2) Trusting, loving and obeying God through the grace of Christ is proof of salvation (Heb. 12:14, Gal. 5: 22-26). If you are going to “church”, singing, testifying, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, teaching or preaching, but you have not been born again, renewed and regenerated, you are as damned to Hell as a murderer, homosexual or an idolater. Test yourself to be sure you are in The Spirit of God (II Pet. 1:8-10, Mt. 7:22-23). Be a fruit inspector on yourself! If you are producing the fruits listed in Gal. 5:19-21, you are in grave danger!

Galatians 5:16-18 clearly states that if we are in Christ, we are not under the law’s curse, BUT if we walk in the Spirit we will not continually give into the lust of the flesh, which are contrary to God’s law. We fulfill the law in Christ by His grace.

One more important point in closing. It is impossible to come to Christ for salvation by and through His amazing grace, unless, and until, an individual brings forth fruits (sorrow, attrition, mourning, and a contrite and broken heart for their sin, i.e. breaking of God’s law) meet for repentance! (Mt. 2:8, Luke 13:3, Rev. 21:5) And unless the laws of God are preached with conviction to a lost individual, there is no need of repentance, so no salvation! And Christ did not come to do away with God’s absolute moral guidelines. Actually He “enhanced” them! (Mt. 5:17-22) He internalized them!

Law + Grace = Salvation!

E-Mail Butch Paugh: ctdm@hotmail.com