We find the perfect example of the degrees of grace and faith in Romans 14:1-2 (Amplified). Paul spoke to the church in Rome about unclean and clean meats and food. He spoke the "holy days" under Law, that some still ascribed to even though they were now Christians. In Verses 5-6 Paul said that one day, whether or not we deserve it or do not observe it, it is to the Lord that both people honor God in it.
In today's Church, we find some won't eat pork because it's considered unclean (this is true under the Law) and others believe that under grace, it's permissible to eat. Paul said in Verse 14, "I know and am convinced (persuaded) as one in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is (forbidden as) essentially unclean (defiled and unholy in itself). But (none the less) it is unclean (defiled and unholy) to anyone who thinks it is unclean."
Under grace, we have liberty to eat or not to eat, according to the faith of others. Romans 14:2-3 (Amplified) say that, "One (man's faith permits him to) believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one (limits his) eating to vegetables. Let not him who eats look down on or despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize and pass judgement on him who eats; for God has accepted and welcomed him."
We find varying examples of faith in grace in today's Church too. Such views aren't wrong because those who follow them, do so to honor God. Grace extends much farther than most Christians dare to go. Paul goes on to say to those who go against their faith in such matters, will put themselves in a position that allows condemnation unto themselves because they think they have sinned against their faith.
Grace and faith must work together in all we do or we give the enemy a foothold for condemnation and guilt. When I speak of grace and faith as being the power twins, I'm referring to accepting by faith what grace has made available. This grace has been extended to everyone and the limits of grace are boundless and sufficient for every need at the throne of grace according to Hebrews 4:16.
We find some Christians will observe Christmas and honor God on that day. We also find some Christians who choose not to observe it because they believe it's a pagan holiday. Both are honoring God in what they're doing, but both must do so in faith. If we go against our own conscience because of another, then it's not faith and will allow grounds for the devil to torment you in it. Both are right in what they do, because every day is a day that God has made and should be used for His praise and glory.
I've found in my own walk with my Father, that some view me as "strange" because of the liberty I walk in. I never knew the rituals and regulations that some Christians were taught or raised in. I was born again into such a total state of grace because of this and I never knew anything else. I had never read the Bible or attended church much for any reason. When the Lord saved me and came to me, I then began reading His Word. With no religious background, I had no other choice or reason to not believe what He said in His Word.
God's grace carried me into a place of actually leaving my old self behind and embracing the new man He made me to be. I began seeing what it meant when God said that "Old things have passed away and all things have become new." I took the Word of God at face value and began doing what the Word instructed me to do. I began laying hands on people where I worked and God healed them. If the Word said that, "These signs will follow those who believe," then I knew I believed and so they followed me.
Long before I ever knew the statements others made about how "These things have passed away" or "These things were only for the disciples" and many other such declarations, I was in the flow of God's grace with faith in His grace. The liberty I was walking in was something some came to "spy out" in Galatians 2:4. Some people were angry, others were in disbelief, and some thought that because of who I had been before, God would never allow me to walk in this place with Him. Being ignorant of religious training, I thought all Christians were walking in this because God made it so available to us all.
It was many years later, that I learned what I'm sharing with you now. Grace has been extended to all who will receive it, but it must be received by faith. If your faith condemns you or your knowledge of the Word prohibits you from accepting what grace has done, then you will never walk in it. 2Peter 1:2-3 (Amplified) says, "May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in (the full, personal, precise, and correct) knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord for His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that (are requisite and suited) to life and godliness, through the (full personal) knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His Own glory and excellence (virtue)."
We find in Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) that, "For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through (your) faith. And this (salvation) is not of yourselves of your own doing, it came not through your own striving) but it is the gift of God."
Although salvation is offered to all men who will believe, by God's grace, if we don't put our faith in this gift, then it will not work for us. Many things grace has provided are never received because we've allowed ourselves to be talked out of it by different means. Grace has provided everything we will ever need on this side of heave and all heaven is and can provide on the other side also. Romans 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For in the gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith (disclosed) through the way of faith that arouses to more faith as it is written, the man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith."
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