We've so often misunderstood the things of grace that it's taking time for God's people to understand grace again. We've been granted all of the blessings of the Father by grace and by Jesus.
When we were born again, all the things of heaven were already conferred upon us without our needing to do anything on our own. I didn't have to do anything to be Americans because I was born into being an American. All of the blessings and liberties America offered, were mine because of my birth here. I didn't need to do anything to inherit the promise of God other than being born again. When I was born again into the Kingdom of God, everything in the Kingdom became mine because that's where I was born.
We've inherited everything heaven has,by His grace, because we are citizens of heaven. Through our new birth and our becoming heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus, all these things became legal for us and conferred to us. Even though these things are all ours by grace, they must still be received by faith. Romans 3:24-25 (Amplified) says that, "(All) are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy) through the redemption which is (provided) in Christ Jesus." Verse 25 goes on, "Whom God put forward (before the eyes of all) as a mercy seat and propitiation by His Blood (the cleansing and life giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received through faith). This was to show God's righteousness because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment."
We see from the above scriptures, that we are born again people who are justified, made upright and in right standing with God by His grace. All who get born again have already been made righteous and just by His grace at the time of our new birth. In Verse 25, Paul says that this is to be received by faith. So, what if you get born again and still won't dare referring to yourself as being justified or righteous? Are these gifts of His grace not yours? Of course, they are. But, because you still won't accept them or put faith in what you have, it will hinder your ability to come before God or pray effectively.
All of these gifts of grace were ours in our new birth, but many of us still won't accept this grace of God today. Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us (grasp the fact that we) have (the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." Verse 2 says, "Through Him also we have (our) access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we (firmly and safely) stand, and let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God."
I know many Christians who still struggle with righteousness, with justification and acceptance before God. Grace has provided entrance into His presence and glory, but if we don't put faith in that grace (even though it's been given), then we still stand apart from our Father. We fight to be accepted by God and fail to realize we have already been accepted. We strive to become righteous by our own works and deeds and fail to receive by faith, the righteousness grace has provided in Jesus.
We continue walking more in the condemnation of who we were rather than what grace and faith in Jesus has caused us to be. We still struggle with feelings of unworthiness in God's presence, not realizing Jesus has made us worthy already. Our faith has been placed more in how we "feel" about it rather than what God says about it. My righteousness is not about how I feel, but faith in what He has said. If God says I am righteous, then He should know what righteousness is.
We see what God has done (through Jesus) for those who would accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in 2Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified) which says, "For our sake He made Christ (virtually) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become (endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of) the righteousness of God (what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness)."
Grace has provided, faith has accepted, God has approved and man has entered into the throne room of His grace. Without our putting faith in this grace, man will stand afar off and not accept what has been granted him. Not only have we believed what we thought over what God said, but we have cheated our Father out of the very thing He sent Jesus to do. And, that is to bring His children back home to Him. By grace, we can now come back to the Father, but because we won't believe what He said by faith, we're still afraid to approach God.
Some might would argue about grace or faith, but both are gifts of God given to us for Him. Even though grace has provided the way into God's presence, we still fear and tremble at His invitation to enter. We're still so afraid God is angry or displeased with us because of our past. Our faith still struggles with His goodness and grace. We need to come to the place in our lives, where what God says means more than how we feel. If God said it, then He meant it. And, if He said it, then it's already settled. Now, it's up to us to, by faith, trust Him in it.
Romans 10:1-3 (Amplified) is a perfect example of grace providing and faith not receiving. Verse 1 says, "Brethren, (with all) my heart's desire and goodwill for (Israel) "or for the Church today" I long and pray to God that they might be saved. Verse 2 says, "I bear them witness that they have a (certain) zeal and enthusiasm for God, but it is not enlightened and according to (correct and vital) knowledge." Verse 3 ends, "For being ignorant of the righteousness that God ascribes (which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thought and deed) and seeking to establish a righteousness (a means of salvation of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God's righteousness)."
We find in our own lives, that if we don't submit to His righteousness by faith, then we set about to establish our own righteousness. We struggle against God's grace rather than being in His right standing, we find ourselves in our own standing. We still trust our emotions rather than His Word. And, because I don't always feel righteous, I must not be righteous. We exalt and trust our own emotions more than we do God' Word. Our emotions and feelings change a hundred times a day. His Word stands and abides forever and is forever settled in heaven. Do we stand and put our faith in His righteousness that abides forever? Or, do we want to trust in the emotions that led us to be messed up in the first place?
Without faith in God's grace, we fail to receive and walk at peace with ourselves in Him even though it's still ours. We still stumble about whether or not we're going to heaven. When you received Jesus at your new birth, then you've already been granted (by grace and faith) to be seated with Him in heavenly place in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Can you, by faith, accept what grace has provided you in Jesus? Can you, by faith in His grace, come boldly into God's presence? Can you, by faith in His grace, know that God hears you when you pray and that He will answer you? Can you, by faith in His grace, receive everything God has given us in Jesus? Can you, by faith in His grace, believe you are no longer unworthy and a sinner and walk in God's grace and mercy as righteous by faith?
Do not dishonor the Blood of Jesus by false pride and emotions. Honor Him by receiving (by faith) what He, through grace, provided by His cross and His resurrection.
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