Power of God

The True Grace of God

January 31, 2014 By ELLIOTT NESCH

Grace is not a hug. Grace is not a substitute for repentance. Jesus Christ was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). A grace without truth is not a properly balanced and biblical grace. With Peter’s mention of “the true grace of God” (1 Peter 5:12), it must be that there is also a false grace.

Most importantly, the Scriptures tell us that we are saved by grace. “We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved” (Acts 15:11). Paul said,

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Again, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7); Salvation is by grace, and faith gives us access to this grace by which we are saved. “We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

We cannot earn or merit our salvation by works or obedience, but salvation is a free gift of God. Paul said, “God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” (2 Timothy 1:8-10); “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt” (Romans 4:4); “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace,” (Romans 4:16); “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11:6). Grace actually enables us to believe. In Acts 18:27, we read, “he [Paul] greatly helped those who had believed through grace.”

Many Dispensationalists make a distinction between the Gospel of grace and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. They argue that the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached to the Jews and will be preached again in a future “great tribulation” but now we preach the Gospel of Grace. In their own words: “A remnant of the Jews will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Today we preach the Gospel of Grace.”1 Another said, “This good news to that nation was the ‘gospel of the kingdom,’ and should in no wise be confused with the Gospel of saving grace.”2

Are there really two different Gospels? This may sound good on the surface, but Paul understood the Gospel of Grace and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to be one and the same Gospel. Paul said,

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. (Acts 20:24,25)

Notice how Paul used these terms Gospel of the Grace of God and Gospel of the Kingdom of God interchangeably and synonymously. Paul never referred to more than one Gospel. This Gospel of the Kingdom is the Gospel of Grace and has everything to do with our salvation.

True grace is the power of God unto salvation. Paul the Apostle said, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). If we are truly under grace, then we are not under sin. The power of grace destroys the power of sin. The measure of which we are truly under grace corresponds to the measure which we are loving God and keeping His commandments. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dispensationalism, Faith, Free Will, Grace, Hyper-Grace, Martin Luther, Obedience, Power of God, Sin, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Works

Restoring Power to the Gospel

November 13, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

Restoring Power to the Gospel by Elliott Nesch

Topic: Power Of The Gospel

Scripture(s): Romans 1:16

Description: In this sermon, Brother Nesch shares various testimonies of the power of the Gospel to transform lives. We cannot be ashamed for the Gospel that can powerfully change any sinner. We are all called to be witnesses for the Lord we cannot add to the Gospel with our words or eloquence. We must preach repentance towards God and faith towards Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Apologetics, Emergent Church, Evangelism, Faith, Forgiveness, Free Will, Gospel, Grace, Healing, Hell, Holy Spirit, Hyper-Grace, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Love, Miracles, Power of God, Repentance, Revival, Salvation, Sermons, Sin, Suffering, Testimonies

Hyper-Grace = Lawlessness

March 16, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

The Bible talks about the “true grace of God” (1 Peter 5:12) as opposed to the false grace being preached so prevalently today by and for professing Christians who will not surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that the grace of God may be received in vain. Therefore, Paul says, we “beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). Many in our day have done this and turned the grace of God into lawlessness:

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4)

Too many pastors and teachers are defining grace as nothing more than God’s unmerited favor, and that toward unrepentant sinful living. But grace is so much more than God’s unmerited favor, and a Christian may overcome all sin through God’s grace.

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

In other words, if you are truly under grace, sin will have no power over you. This is the evidence of the grace of God upon a person’s life.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. (Titus 2:11,12)

This is the true grace of the God that brings salvation. It is not just unmerited favor. No, the grace of God is the power of God for us to become new creatures that Christ can live inside. Jesus cannot dwell with sin. Any other grace is false grace that will not bring salvation. If it doesn’t teach you to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present evil world, then it is not the true grace of God.

Michael Brown describes the latest version of the message of Hyper-Grace as follows:

- Nothing you do will negatively affect your relationship with God.
- As a believer, you never need to confess your sins to God or repent of your sins.
- God doesn’t see your sins; He always sees you as perfect through the blood of Jesus.
- You can follow Jesus effortlessly. (source)

Does this sound familiar to you? The Game, a well-known rapper, speaks of having the “old me” or “the real me” or “the me I always was” still in existence while having faith in Christ. This fruit of Hyper-Grace allows people to think they are saved new creatures when the old man has not been put to death. Paul the Apostle tells us to “put off” the “old man:

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:20-24)

In other words, when we repent and receive the forgiveness of sins in Christ, the “old me” dies and all things become new in Christ who died for our sins. That means we put off our former ways of life. But the Game says he’s still “thuggin’” and still smokes chronic and drinks and goes to strip clubs. On his album cover, The Game portrays “another Jesus” as a gang-banger with a rag on his face, a gold chain on his neck and marijuana leaves in the background. “I’m calling it ‘Jesus Piece’ cause last year in August I got baptized and so I’ve been going to church, but I still been kinda doing me out here,” he told Connecticut radio personality Jenny Bloom. “I still love the strip club and I still smoke and drink. I’m faithful to my family, so I wanted to make an album where you could love God and be of God, but still get poppin’ in your life.” (source)

This is the ultimate fruit of Hyper-Grace. While many professing Christians may not come out of a gang and drug background and whose lives may not appear to be as exceedingly sinful as The Game, they have embraced the same Hyper-Grace Gospel which will result in the same blasphemous fruit.

Many within evangelical Christianity have adopted such a twisted view of God’s grace that can only result in false conversions and powerlessness toward sin. Perhaps you don’t use the grace of God as an excuse to go to strip clubs, smoke and drink, but do you take advantage of the grace of God to excuse other sins such as hatred, unforgiveness, contention, anger, selfish ambition, gossip, impatience, bitterness, lust, or covetousness? If so, then what’s the difference between you and The Game? Dear brothers and sisters, don’t receive the grace of God in vain.

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