Jesus of Nazareth died so that man could be empowered to obey God’s Law and live in holiness, thereby qualifying for salvation. Romans 8:3,4 summarizes this situation perfectly: “For what the (stone etched) Law could not do, in that man could not obey it through his own fleshly power, God, by sending His Son to earth as a flesh and blood man, proved that man can obey the Law by the power of the Holy Spirit abiding within him” exactly as Christ did. Why was this necessary? “So that the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW could be FULFILLED (manifested) IN US,” not abolished, as we are told from pulpit and podium, from t.v., radio, the internet, the printed page and movie screens. God made available His Holy Spirit because 1) all men have sinned and 2) man cannot overcome sin (obey God’s Law) by his own power. Why is this true?

“Because the carnal mind (of man) is enmity against (hostile to) God, for IT IS NOT SUBJECT (OBEDIENT) TO THE LAW OF GOD, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE” (vs 7). In Acts 5 we find the story of Ananias and Sapphira who had become Christians, had received the Holy Spirit, had been baptized, had grace made available to them, etc. Then they sinned (lied), and were immediately killed at the word of the Apostle Peter. What happened to God’s promised grace? It was denied them due to their sins. God offered His Spirit to them through His grace. They lied and died for REJECTING HIS SPIRIT, HIS GRACE AND HIS SON, which is the inevitable result of sin–breaking His Law. Read Hebrews 6:4-6 twice, slowly.

To REPENT of sin means not only that one is sorry, but that one will, through the power of the Holy Spirit, overcome sin as Jesus overcame sin. This will allow the overcomer to sit with Him on His throne in the earthly Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21). One must, through the process of maturity, will resist Satan’s temptations, will STOP SINNING. This PROCESS is called CONVERSION. This is a maturing process. As Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:18, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can “GROW in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Note that He must BE our LORD now so that He can BECOME our SAVIOR later. Those who are “under grace” are either learning how to overcome sin or have overcome sin and are walking in holiness (conversion). Concerning the maturation process, read Hebrews 5:11-6:6.

Carnal churchman has his own definition of grace, which he equates to salvation which, he contends, he has already received. Grace, he declares, allows him to surrender to Adam’s supposed sin gene without fear of punishment from God. He is told by his hirelings that the fix is in; the law is no more; next stop: heaven where a mansion awaits his arrival. None of which is Biblically true. Read the following passages: Matthew 19:17/ Romans 7:12 and 25/ James 2:10/ First John 2:3 and 4. Note that these passages were written long after Jesus had died and the New Covenant Church had been established. Sin is the transgression (breaking) of the Ten Commandment Law of God (1 Jn. 3:4). If there is no Law, there is no sin. Without sin, there is no need of a Savior and Jesus died for nothing.

I have a question for “all grace–no Law” advocates. Would God allow the violation of His Law because of Christ’s death when it was the violation of His Law that necessitated the death of His Son in the first place? The above Scriptures answer that question with a resounding “NO.”

Living under grace means living in humble obedience to God’s Law written in man’s heart (mind). This means one overcomes Satan’s temptation to sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus set the example for man to follow (1 Pet. 2:21,22). If we call ourselves His friends and brethren, we must follow His example (1 Jn. 2:6; 3:6). As did Jesus, man must obey God’s commandments, which is the only way he can live under grace.

God’s grace is free and unmerited. Man does not deserve such an incredible gift. Man deserves eternal death because of his carnal response to (rejection of) God’s Law. We must remember this: If we refuse to change our lives (be converted) and walk in holiness, God will not extend His grace to us. Let us all “walk in newness of (converted) life” so that we, as His Very Elect “firstfruits,” can rise to meet Christ in the air upon His return to earth, enter His earthly kingdom and live there with Him forever. Read The Kingdom of God. Key word–Kingdom.

In summary: Grace is what makes salvation an option for mankind. Faith is the belief that obedience to God will produce salvation. The Law is what one obeys that proves one’s faith in the grace of God. None of the three, taken in isolation, will produce salvation. Relative to eternal life, grace=why? faith=what? and obedience=how? In Romans 5:21 and 6:22 we find two statements that reveal the UNBREAKABLE RELATIONSHIP between grace and salvation: “GRACE REIGNS THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO SALVATION.” “NOW, BEING FREE FROM SIN (NOT TO SIN), … YOU PRODUCE FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, THE END OF WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE.” Grace, therefore, enables us to walk in holiness which is necessary in order to receive salvation.

Explanation of God’s true saints being called His “firstfruits.” In the Holy Land there came a time each spring when fruit trees produced an early crop of fruit. This harvest was very small, very sweet and very expensive. Later, in the fall, there came a much larger fruit harvest. The same principle holds true today in God’s true church. The few who make up His church (Mat. 7:13,14; 22:14) at the end of the world’s final age which began on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. Since that day God’s firstfruits have been qualifying to be in His early harvest. There will later come a larger harvest of souls. God’s firstfruits are very few in number, very sweet (holy) and very expensive (Christ’s death). Notice that they are the FIRSTfruits, not the ONLY fruits in God’s harvest. Read The Three Resurrections. Key Word–Three. L.J.

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