Which Side of the Cross - Lesson 14

Alright, we are on Lesson 14 of Which Side of the Cross You Live On, We Live On. So for Lesson 14, we're in the section we've been through, Identification and Grace, and we'll end the last part of this year under Faith. We're talking about Grace. I was reading The Hungry Heart this week and start off with that. It was what, 725?

Between the activity of the old man and the accusations of Satan, we often find it very difficult to believe and understand that God is lovingly and legally on our side, both now and forever. One of the great secrets of growth is the looking upon the Lord Jesus as gracious.

How strengthening it is to know that He is at this moment feeling and exercising the same love and grace towards me as when He died upon the cross for me. I have got away from grace if I have the slightest doubt about God's love for me. So when you think about the same grace that was demonstrated on a cross right now, we're living in that. He has the same grace, that same love for us right now.

I thought that as we go through this class on grace, A lot of times with all the distractions and everything we think things have changed and all this, but His love is eternal, His grace, His system is every bit as powerful and surrounding us as when He offered us Christ through His death, burial, resurrection and the gift of salvation. Again, we realize, we've talked about in the last classes about It was not grace on the cross.

That was payment. That was judicial. The offer of salvation is by grace. You have been saved. How? By grace through faith. So let's move on here. Question one. Does living under grace mean do as you please? Why not? We don't have any laws, right? We're under grace. Some in my family seem to do this, that under grace you're able to do anything and don't bring any laws or any rule or authority because that is not living under grace. knew about people like that, who said, I wonder, Gray, should we sin like crazy now? Yeah, we're not under law, let's sin, yeah.

He said, what, may it never be. We have some of those discussions within the family about that. When some father decides to bring something up and then I have, well, we're under grace, so you can't do that. So, can we do whatever we want under grace? Because we're not under law, right? We're under grace. So if we're not under law, does that mean we can do anything?

Don't let your liberty become a license. There you go. Others? Don't offend your weaker brother. See now we're getting to things and we're not under laws. So are we under this anarchy? Do we just do whatever we please? Principles. We're now under, not strict laws, but we're under principles. He's laid out several principles under grace. So it's not just you live as you please, or do whatever you want, because we're now not under law. And again, Paul looked at this, and this was not an uncommon thought. Since we're under grace, does that mean we can sin all the more? Because grace covers all that. Should we sin more? Because grace covers it all. Paul knew this and said, no, it may never be. That's not what this means. Now that we're not under law, we can just go crazy. So what's brought up in current days, Paul was also faced with back then.

People were doing the same thing. And we've taught, actually, in teaching grace, this is one of the things that really It comes up almost every time we teach grace is, well, does that mean I just sit back and do nothing? Do I just, I can do as I please? We always get this because we confuse the liberty we have as total unrestrained whatever we do. Is that like riding a motorcycle? As we discussed. Trying to think how that goes. Yes.

But, you know, when I had a family, I didn't have a body. Every time I owned one, I ended up in an accident. You know, but now that I'm free, I don't have. I've had a few close calls. So I don't know. Maybe I should sell that thing. So I'm trying to see under under grace, you can own or buy a motorcycle. Is that that we're trying to try to get to where we're going?

It's like, yeah, yes, you can. Yes, you can. Yes, you can. You could end up dead. Yes you could. I could go in the whole line of that one. I was never allowed to have a motorcycle when I was a child. So what did I do? I got dirt bikes when I was older. I've been thinking about that a lot.

Alright, so we're not, under grace you can't do, it's not an Anarchy, where you just do whatever you please, uncontrolled and whatever. So we go to number two. Are there definite commands under grace? So if we're not under law, but we're under commands, is that the same thing? Yeah, basically we have under grace. principles that are laid out and they kind of do some positives I guess and some negatives.

Were you going to say something? John? It looked like you were going to say something. When you're finished. I think I'm walking off a cliff here. So there are positive and negative and I guess Vern describes them as logical imperatives. where it's logical imperatives where if this is true about you logically this is the way you should function. It's not the old law where if you did this you get this. It's a different operating system where under law it was thou shalt do this and this will be the exact payment, punishment, whatever. Under a principle, a logical imperative is if you are living in Christ, this is how it should be manifested. Logically. So those are the commands.

So now you ready to? Darby said on The Hungry Heart on July 28th, he said, all the Lord's commands to me are according to the new nature I already have. He is my life and all His words are the expression of that life. Therefore, when His words are given to me, they only give me the authority to do what my new nature likes to do. And that's the manifestation of Christ.

And Paul lays out lots of things about our living. And we'll get into a lot of those different things as we move on through this. Because it comes up all the time. And we're going to touch on some of this. There's some things under grace that can be very, very hard to understand. And we'll get to those as we get into some of these questions. And I think I may even have some apologies on some of this as a dad. So there are some commands that are positive and some that are negative. We'll look at in Colossians 3, 9, and 10.

Again, do not lie to one another. So is that a law? a logical command, a logical. It's answered in this, since you laid aside your old self with its evil practices and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him. So we have a new life. So in that new life, is it logical for us to be lying? No, it's a logical imperative.

If we have a new life in Christ, you don't lie. So the principle is, if you have a new life, should you be lying? No. It's not a command that if you lie thou shalt. It's because you have a life in Christ, will you be lying? No, logically you shouldn't.

So, there's also some positive ones. That was more of a negative one. In 1 Thessalonians 5, and I went 14 through 18, We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone, see that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for another and for all people.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. So those are positive commands, positive things under grace that we're to do. Rejoice always. Wow. This is part of also, I've done a whole bunch of stuff in faith. Do we believe this? Do you rejoice always? No. But it says rejoice always. In everything give thanks. Do you give thanks in everything? When the car blows up, when I have $4,500 in car repairs, do I give thanks? So under the law, I mean people focus on the law to keep the law. And under grace now, do we focus on the principles or just Christ and His life that lives through us is going to, His life is going to produce the principles?

Yeah, and that's where I actually had some good discussions with my son-in-law about this. The object of your love is what you focus on. The object of our love is to be Christ. And as we do that, our focus is on Him, and that's who we are, because our life is in Him. Once you do that, you begin to manifest that in your life. And these principles will be either easily followed or as I breathe. That's what I do because I'm in Christ and that's my life.

So it's not in the old economy of the law where you had if that, you know, if this, then that. Where this is more a life. It's not a a legal system or legalism. So it's very different. So yeah, it's a manifestation of Christ. And again, it's the verse about transforming, the renewing. That's what's happening. And as you do that, the manifestation of these things becomes more, I don't want to say, it's just responsive. That's how you do. Because that's who you are.

So I don't know if that answers. I was just wondering, because we were talking about under grace we follow principles. But I think you were trying to say also that in the Greek these are literally commands. Yes. I'm trying to figure out... Logical commands. If this is true about you, then this is how you respond. I got you. It's not that if I do this, I will get this. It's not kind of an equal sign. If this is true about you, this is a logical outpouring or manifestation of that truth.

I think there's another element here and that is, we discussed it way back when we started in on grace, is that we don't know anything about grace. We're totally ignorant about what it is and how it works. So here are some commands. logical imperatives that God says don't lie to one another or rejoice always or whatever they are and they're educational to us and like oh well that's what the life looks like. So I learned them but I also learned that at the same time God does not expect me out of my own energy to implement rejoice always.

He says to me Joanne was saying, Darby said that these commands are to the new man who is capable, but if I'm ignorant about them, I don't know how it works. Right. And so the learning process, the learning curve is pretty steep to learn grace and how it works. Well, I get into spiritual growth.

We don't know everything. As a baby, do you know how to do calculus? I mean, someday you might. Do you know how to do even addition at one year old? No. But you know the basics. I'm hungry. You know, those different things. But as you grow in that, you grow in the knowledge. And what? Grow in the knowledge and grace.

Does it, the, 1 Peter 3, 2 Peter, 1 Peter 3.18. growing the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

So it's a growing process. No, we don't know everything right off the bat. When you became a believer, did you know everything about what you had in Christ? No, not at all. I think as we get into the faith part, it's a growing process. As I look through just tons of verses about faith, it's, why don't we believe this? And there's so many verses in here. It's like this, rejoice always. What do you mean about that? Rejoice always when the car blows up? Kids are screaming? Whatever.

But as you grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus, these things are slowly manifested in you. And I think the key is, again, the object of your love. If Christ is our object, again, I think the focus becomes different. When the trials come, when everything else comes, if our focus is on Christ and knowing who Christ is, the manifestation becomes more like breathing.

And so when the trials come, they aren't devastating. When the blessings come, that's great, but they aren't like the super hill. You have a much more gradual path in life. Other comments? If there are specific commands, would they be enough to cover all aspects of living under grace? Do we have everything we know in the scripture? No. Is it right or wrong To watch TV. Should you watch TV? What about that football game? Who went to the football game? CSU-CU game. Is that wrong to go to a football game and cheer?

He goes to that principle first Corinthians 6-12. Don't get ahead of me, Mike. Is it wrong to get involved in politics? Is that covered in scripture? Directly? So are we left in limbo? We don't have a command that says, thou shalt not watch TV on Sunday. What usually happens when these type of topics come up? I know we've all been through it. What usually happens? It depends on what's on. Not that. What usually happens to us when these topics come up? What usually happens? Justification. How? Like what do you mean? You justify your means.

Okay. Or what typically comes if I'm really involved in politics and I'm talking to you about politics I'm just, you know, Trump this, Obama that. What usually your response is? Just to listen. Okay, maybe you. I picked the wrong guy. Usually what typically happens is other Christians come along and give their advice on this or that or how it's supposed to be. It's their opinion on what?

You shouldn't be involved in whatever. That's because that's what I do. Or that's what our church says. You don't ever watch TV on Sundays. That's what our church says. Is that correct? You're a different church. Usually what happens is we get advice or we come up and usually unsolicited, you're in politics, why are you involved in politics? A Christian should never get involved in politics. A Christian should never whatever. Usually we get into that and is that how we should respond under grace? No. We'll get into some topics that will touch home. So, usually it comes up to a believer will suddenly give you advice about how you should do this, you should do that.

Do we have a command in the Bible or in God's word and scripture that says about TV watching? No, but there's one on Facebook. I'm going to get to those topics too about how much time you spend on FaceTime or Facebook. So we're going to touch on that little landmine in a few minutes. No. So there are a lot of things that are not covered directly by commands. So let me see here. So I think I get down to a little later.

Don't we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in making some of these decisions? And what with that? What do we have with the Holy Spirit? His Word. And that's what we're going to talk about, the principles that we live by. We're going to get into some of these. I may get a jump of, well, I'll wait. About living under grace and what that means and how we as believers relate to one another and different aspects of that and how we circumvent grace and try to put law upon people. we try and put it on.

And that's not under grace. One, our responsibility or authority. So, number four. How is a believer to operate under grace? We've talked about this already. How are we supposed to operate? Under principles. Is that risky? Because how do we deal with people who are, ooh, what if they, What if they had a glass of wine with dinner last night? Mmmmm. What about... There'd be two glasses of wine and no dinner. If they had double martini with...

Yeah, we can bust this down as far as you want. So, I mean, again, is it risky? Is this risky, you think? Isn't it much cozier to have laws? You know, if I do this, I'm going to get spanked. If I do this, ooh, I get blessed. Isn't that a whole lot safer system? It would be, except for the fact that the law is the impotence of sin. Exactly. That's exactly what it's meant to do, is to bring out sin. We get this a lot when we teach grace.

I don't like this freedom that I have. It's a lot better to have some rules so I know where my boundaries are. Grace, when you first look at it, the unmerited, unlimited blessings and this, where are the rules? Give me the rule book. We don't have a direct rule book for X, Y, and Z. We have principles to live by.

And that sometimes people think is very risky. So, we'll get on. Five. Would God allow a believer under grace to live by his individual judgment? I'm going to love this answer. Think about this. I want a lot of people to respond on this one. Would God allow a believer under grace to live by his individual judgment? I'd say no. No? How about no's? Who knows? Yes's?

So now as soon as he raises his hand you know. Oh yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yes he does with individual, with caveats I'll put. We'll get into, later we'll get into some delegated authorities, such as elders and other different things.

But individual judgment is brought in. Does that give you concern or do you think that's crazy? How else would we learn? Well, the thought is individual. Ooh, that's me, that's self, that's... Yeah. And that's typically the response, is that Individual judgment is involved, because is it the same for you and me on every situation? No. So, there is individuality.

And God brings you up through different processes through life, and different conditions, and different whole life experiences. So what may be a weakness for you may be a strength for you. So there's individuality in this and individual judgment or individual workings of the Holy Spirit, I would say, too. Individually within every one of us. We're not all Charlie Browns. It says to self-judge. Self-judge?

In the scriptures. Yeah. And that's used before the Lord's Supper, is to individually look at yourself and why you're here. Are you doing it because you want food? What's great about that verse is that God says, the writer says, you should judge yourself. But if you don't, he'll judge you. That is so gracious. It really is, because you're not left If you make a mistake, God doesn't just say, okay, you're going to suffer the consequences. No, He'll bring you around, which is a gracious act in His power. Yeah, He gives you the liberty. Yeah, He sure does. And again, we're going to touch on a lot of that under grace, the liberty that we do have.

So, what does living under a set of principles assume for a believer? If we're living under principles, what does that assume? One that we know. I said that you're a spirit-filled believer living under grace, you're growing spiritually, learning the word, and therefore you can live by principles rather than specific instructions for everything.

That's the assumption, or not the assumption, that's the operating condition of grace. But you don't have to live under a set of rules and laws and a legal system. But under that, it's the facts you know, and that's what you have to be taught, Grace, and how you function under Grace. He treats me like a son instead of a judge.

Absolutely. And again, Basically, you're growing spiritually. The Holy Spirit is convicting you and convincing you of the truths that are in the Word. So under this system of grace, it's based on the knowledge that we have in the Scripture and the conviction of the Spirit, and you individually manifesting understanding that that's your part. His understanding, well, you know, under grace I have freedom, but are we subject to authorities? Yes. Yeah. So, scripture tells us that. That's the principle.

So, we have to know what the Word says, and then it's the Holy Spirit convicting us and convincing us of that, and that's our growth, our growth in Christ. As we do that, what happens to us? We're conformed to the image, we're transformed in our mind, And then the manifestation of Christ is, I don't know, I don't want to say more evident, but as you grow, these principles are manifested. Because that's who you are.

So what if applying the principle is left up to the believer and he doesn't apply it? So, do we put a law upon them to put them under some form of legalism? So, if the principles left that to me and you're not doing it, yeah, I could go through a whole list with him. So, do I put a law on him? You tried. I know, never worked. Authority might. And we'll get into that.

But this is an area where there's no area where I have greater freedom than outside the specific commands of the word or living under grace. And I said this is where the understanding of grace becomes very difficult for many believers. This is where the old man that is sin-natured goes crazy.

So, Galatians 5.1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

So, if the principle is left up to the believer and he doesn't apply it, what's my response? What am I to do? Am I supposed to say, Mike didn't do this so he needs to Not have the two glasses of wine and no meal. Is that what my responsibility? Under Grace? It's God's responsibility. God's responsibility? To work on each of us to change us. What did I do if I say Mike don't do that? What did I just do? Put him under law. What? Put him under law. Put him under law. Do law and grace go together? So can I put a law on him? No. What is our tendency? Our very tendency is to put a law on you. Again, we have liberty under grace. We have freedom.

I think if you see somebody actually in a sin, like I was just thinking Galatians 6, 1, Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. So watch yourself or you also may be tempted. So I think part of our discerning or judgment, whatever, is to see if it's an actual sin against God or a huge burden that They're just stuck in and then come along gently as compared to telling them they're watching TV or they shouldn't go to a Broncos game and that's kind of a gray area. You know, it's a personal decision, I think.

Because there are specifics of drinking and drunk, but you know, two glasses of wine, is that drunk? I mean, there's a lot of things. And what this will get into, and I think we'll get into it later, is the actual authorities. God has, under grace, delegated several different authorities. Elders. Do they have authority? Yes. Do parents have authority? Yes.

So even under grace, we have authorities and principles that if you see a brother and it's got to be multiple, you know, several, and brothers who are strong, or brethren who are strong, help the weaker brother. There are specific guidelines, not for me to say, two glasses of wine, but if you see him drunk, repeatedly, then that's, there is scripture, are we commanded to be drunk? No, we have principles that were, do not be drunk, or do not drink to excess, or whatever the, Exact word. But we have guidelines there. It's in the gray areas that are the real... You just said it.

What about TV? What about football? What about going to movies? Have you gone to an R-rated movie? Is that something that I, as a believer, tell you? No. We'll get into a lot of that. Then this gets into some things. But there are principles to help and to assist. We get into things where older men are to help younger men. Older women direct younger women. There's parents train up your child. Different things.

So there are authorities that you do have the ability to say, You shouldn't be doing this. That's not acting as who you are in Christ. So there will be those things, but it's the gray areas that we touch on that really kind of blow up. What gives me the right to say anything to you?

We'll get into that. The point of the interesting verse that Ingrid mentioned is that he did it spiritual. So how do you judge? We all think we're spiritual. We all think those other guys aren't. So we have the right to say something, not necessarily every time.

Which, under grace, I think the person who identifies the problem is learning how and when to walk beside somebody. and recognizing that God is in control of the circumstance and maybe you're made aware of it for your edification, but maybe at the same time you're not the one to do the talking.

Exactly. You know, I've said this many times, I'm pointing at you, I've got three fingers pointing back at me. And he brought you into that situation so you would learn, not, I mean, I would learn, rather than you. Or both of us. The other thing I found is that I'm most offended when you do something that I have a problem with. And that's it. And so your reaction is to jump on me about something that bothers you. And under grace, is that anywhere where it should be? No. And so... Well, we'll just touch on this for next week to get to it, but it's what Mike was bringing up.

Principle number one. There are like four principles, and this is, Macaulay had laid out four principles, I believe, under grace. And this is one of the first ones he identified, and I think it is the guiding factor about what's going on in your life. And it's 1 Corinthians 6, 12.

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. It's the second half of that that is the key. We'll look at the first part, that all things are lawful to me. So what does that mean? All things are lawful for me. I can do anything I want? Is that what that means? Legally, yeah. Legally, yes. Legally. So, does that mean I can kill somebody? Can I murder somebody? Specific command. Specific command. Can I steal from somebody? Can I rob a grocery store? Nobody's answering that one? I can rob a grocery store? Are you kidding me? Are you? Yeah, you've cut back. And the murdering is down to just one or two a week. Yeah, that's good.

So that's dealing with specific commands. So is that what he's talking about here? Or is he talking about those things that do not have direct commands or direct direction under scripture. These are the things that are not covered under direct commands or direct directions like do not murder, do not steal. Those are specifics. So these aren't really dealing with those. It's dealing with the things that are not covered so to speak.

So, the principle is, and the main thing is, I will not be mastered by anything. Think about that section of this verse for next week. Because that's the key, that's principle number one. So look at 1 Corinthians 6, 12, and think about the last part. I will not be mastered by anything.

Alright, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the system of grace that we live under. We have the liberty, the freedom. We're not under a legal system. We're not under a strict legal system that has cause and effect. We have principles that you've laid out for us. We have delegated authorities to help us and to guide us as believers. And we just thank you for the freedom that we do have under grace.

And the key, I think, is the object of our faith, Christ. And as we focus on Christ as the object of our love as Christ, the manifestation of these principles becomes more evident in our spiritual growth, in our path of spiritual maturity. We thank you that you have given us both the Word and the Holy Spirit. Again, we thank you that we have the word because grace is not evident in the world. Grace is taught through your word and through the conviction and convincing of the Holy Spirit. So we thank you for that. We just thank you that we have such liberty in grace. So Father, we just want to give you thanks for this time to open up your word and we pray for the next meeting with Vern just to have him accurately bring forth the word and just prepare our hearts to receive it. We thank you for all these things in Christ's name. Amen.