NEW REFORMATION OF GRACE
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Part 1 of the Reformation is over, Part 2 begins today. We are privileged to be living in an amazing time for the Church and the Kingdom - a time such as God's people have never known before. 500 years ago the Holy Spirit gave Martin Luther a revelation of salvation by grace alone. This revelation was the catalyst that brought about freedom from the false doctrine of salvation by works and religious law keeping. The revelation of salvation by Jesus' grace alone (God's unearned, unmerited favor, blessing & enabling) brought mankind out of the "Dark Ages". Sadly history shows that this revelation of Jesus' grace was not completed as the Church Reformers continued to teach a mixture of grace and Law. This has resulted in those saved by grace now being forced to live by a new set of external rules and regulations beyond the Scriptures - in it's extreme form this was known as "Church Canon Law" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_law .
This emphasis on imposed external rules and regulations instead of being lead the Spirit and the Word, brought believers, saved by grace, into the bondage of a new form of performance orientated, obedience based, highly structured Christianity that gave rise to great strife, dryness, hardship, division and even war that killed hundred of thousands giving real credence to the Biblical truth that the ministry of the Law is a ministry of death (2Cor.3:7).
Because of this continuing lack of revelation of the fullness of grace we still see great confusion and multiple conflicting doctrines hampering the growth of God's people, the Church, and the sharing of the good news to a hurting and lost generation.
The good news is that God is now rectifying this lack and error. This is a time of amazing scriptural revelation flowing out of intimacy with Christ and the teaching of the Holy Spirit. This new reformation is revitalizing an ailing Church. Those that continue to mix Law with grace will see a fading glory and a fading local church (2Cor.3:13-14).
For the first time since the Apostle Paul, the the Holy Spirit is bringing the Church to the understanding that not only are we saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, but we are called to live by the grace of Jesus as God's beloved children and ambassadors. Correctly understanding God's wonderful gift of Jesus' grace is crucial for the effectiveness of the Church in this present age where the increasing influences of Law based, violent, religions and impossible government bureaucracy are afflicting mankind.
Without a revelation of the grace and the love of God it is impossible to know the truth (John 1:17)(1 John 4:16) of God's purpose for mankind and for us, His Church, to fulfill our mandate in this age. Grace and truth are inseparable!
The grace revolution starts within each one of us - an individual revelation of intimacy with Jesus and His grace - this will first change our hearts so that we can then share the good news that will change the world - all for His glory!
Be blessed Garry. www.gracelovetruth.com Follow us on Twitter or FaceBook. This link is: New Reformation of Grace