Have You Fallen Away From Grace

“…continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43)

Whether you think that only those who believe the gospel in this life will be saved, or as I, believe that all will eventually be saved after their resurrection when they believe, one thing we should have in common. This salvation from death, this resurrection to immortal life….is purely and solely by the unmerited favor (grace) of God. We do not choose it, we cannot earn it, and we will not be rewarded with it because of any good works that we do.

We first came to a knowledge of this unmerited favor by hearing the gospel of our salvation. We believed the good news, if at all, as a result of the gift of “faith” granted to us by the "grace" of God …

“…it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH, and this is not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:5-9)

There are many good Christian people who sincerely believe that it is their commandment to go into to world and win people to Christ...in other words save people. That is not our commandment or role. Any commandment we have from God has to do with sharing the good news of unmerited salvation, not doing works that result in getting saved.

We will be rewarded for telling people the truth about salvation as a result of unmerited favor. And the truth is that God will save mankind when resurrected and “seated” with Christ Jesus in the “heavenly realms”, all by His unmerited favor - grace.  Our actions in this present life will only be acceptable to God and rewarded if we  believe and “continue in the grace of God”.

So do not let religious doctrines of men change what you first believed about your salvation. I have found that all of the doctrines of men add works in some form to that grace which saves. Those who teach such doctrines have “fallen from grace” to another gospel, which is "no gospel at all".

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel —which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ…You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace…” (Galatians 1:6-7; 5:4)

They were falling away in Paul's day, and people have been falling away from the gospel of grace for 2000 years.  It would be nice if the institutional churches would repent of its failed works, help those around them, and as far as salvation is concerned - “continue in the grace of God”…but don’t hold your breath until that happens.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:1-6)

All of us are addicted to something. And those who have overcome an addiction to medication, drugs, or alcohol are some of my heroes. They would not realize or know, but what I saw in their struggle and victory has helped me with my own addiction.  Are you ready for this?  My addiction to church. I guess you could call me a recovering "churchaholic".  I am not making light of addiction or trying to be funny.

Sometime after moving back to Sayre in 1977 I became addicted to church. I am not talking about my relationship with God or Jesus, my place in the Body of Christ, or my love for the Bible.  I am talking about organized, programmed involvement in a local church. It was some 20 or 25 years later that I realized what had happened to me. By that time I was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher and a lay preacher.  I taught Sunday night and Monday morning Bible studies, sang in the choir, and did part time preaching. And for five years I had served on the national board of trustees of the largest evangelical mission organization in the world.

I worked my normal job five days a week and then spent Saturday preparing for Sunday.  On Sunday (at the height of my addiction), I would teach Sunday School, rush to a local church in the area to preach in their Sunday morning service, conduct a nursing home service Sunday afternoon, return to teach my church evening bible study group, and then rush again to a nearby church to preach their evening service.  I would get up on Monday morning and lead another bible study, and I would return to church on Wednesday night for choir practice or whatever my church wanted me to do. Many times I used my vacation time at work to go to some church camp, retreat, or mission trip somewhere in the US or abroad.  I will NOT be rewarded for that time - just forgiven.

I was high on this ritual.  I felt good and fulfilled only when I was participating in these church related activities.  I was hopelessly addicted!

And then my Father God intervened - lovingly, graciously, and mercifully. I was preparing for some activity at my computer. In the search engine, I typed the word "hell," and from that time forward God began the five year process of delivering me from my addiction to church and the false doctrine I had assumed was the truth.

He eventually set me free from religious ritual.  Free to live life every day producing genuine fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, etc.  And free to have a new and real appreciation for my loving and gracious heavenly Father, and for His Son Jesus, and their Word.

Most importantly, I now have time for my wife, my kids, and my grandkids.  And golf.  For the first time, I am sharing the true Gospel - the really good news of the GRACE of God! Not in temples made by hands.  But on Facebook and a blog on the world wide web of all places. Manmade doctrines had kept me addicted to church programs and rituals. God knew that for me, the GOOD NEWS could only be found by first becoming addicted to the ritual found in the “law."  It was necessary in order to find the JOY of "grace and truth."  This good news is simple. It is really all you need to know and share.

God loves you.

He is not mad at you.

You are and will be saved.

Thank Jesus.

Tell people about it!

When God gave me the faith to believe that simple good news, He opened up the floodgates of the water of abundant life.  And along the way I have discovered His wonderful and detailed plan, found only in the Bible.  It details how God eventually wins the love and adoration of all His creation.  And He becomes ALL in ALL, not just the few addicted to church.