Can the magnificent grace of God be understood without a clear comprehension of the high standards of life which God requires from those who are students of the word of God? Within the fellowship of sincere believers, the standards of Christian activity are primarily centered on a high and consistent moral behavior pattern. This is consistent with the teaching of many that believers in Christ must attain to high ideals, exercise noble character, and respond obediently to dutiful service. Moral behavior patterns are consistently demanded, but , many are entirely separate from the believer’s permanent position in Christ. These moral calls are directed to a weak human spirit, and, by themselves, they are not God’s standards for a life that is to be lived under His amazing grace. It is clearly possible for the natural man to learn and then to do that which is right and good; not only because he must, but also because it is his choice to do so. The natural man is in possession of a human spirit that includes the means and ability to make choices to behave well. In behaving well, he can be honest, reliable, diligent, kind, loving, self-controlled, courteous, self-sacrificing and can encourage the best from his fellow man.
All of this is because he embraces these virtues and is esteemed by them. On the flip side man can and does learn to resist the baser things of life by the exercise of sheer will power which emanates from the natural man. All of these virtues are admired by many, and believers would be much more impactful if they exhibited more of these admirable qualities; however, these qualities, as noble as they are, do not measure up to the high standards of a believer’s life under Grace.
One of the primary purposes of grace is to produce in the believer a life that is saturated with divine viewpoint. A divine viewpoint life far exceeds character development and the doings of humanity. It is a viewpoint that naturally flows from the intake and application of God’s living word. There is first an inhaling of the word of God by faith. Then flowing from this reservoir of Bible information there will be an exhale of what has been deposited within the human spirit. All that comes from the word of God may properly be defined as divine viewpoint. It is God who gave the word, and it is He who is the source of our understanding.
Much that is good may come from humans and their expressions may be from the most noble qualities of the natural man. Two people may contribute dissimilarly to the welfare of others. One may be the expression of a purely human life, to gain favor with others, in a sense of fulfilling an obligation or because of pleasure or self-satisfaction. In the case of the other, it is because the love of God has been shed abroad in the heart. In each case the outward expression is the same, but to God there is a vast difference. One is a life of self-determination and is for personal gain. The other is in dependence upon God and is a result of the admonitions of grace. Many of the false cults place great emphasis on the higher qualities of human conduct and deceive many. One is human viewpoint; the other is divine viewpoint. One is acceptable to God; the other is denied by him and will be classed as perishable wood, hay, and stubble.
What did the Apostle Paul say about this kind of conduct?
“And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 3:13).
The life of grace produces an outward manifestation that displays a right attitude toward our sovereign God.
Outward expressions of an obedient life under grace can’t always be separated from a high-quality human life, but there are many manifestations of a believer’s life that are beyond the intricacies of the natural mind. The believer is privileged to be under the control of the Holy Spirit, and a life under His influence produces a far higher level than the finest teachings of the best philosophers and the most recognized moral instructors. The benchmark under grace is so high as to render comparison impossible, except by contrast, with even the highest standards of the most recognized world religions. They are even higher than the requiring standards of the God inspired Mosaic Law.
All of the standards regarding conduct under the law were summed into two commandments, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”; and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:37, 39). This love for God is limited to a human level. This love is only as good as it can be from its source, and this source is from a limited and finite human being. It is expressed from a human heart, soul, and mind. To love our neighbor as oneself is only human because the love of self is from limited humanity.
All of the standards of a life under grace are summarized by Jesus Christ in these words; “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The Apostle Paul expressed this word of truth thusly, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:2). The love of Christ for the believer is a perfect love from a perfect Savior and was even unto death. When the call to the believer is to love as Christ loved, he is asked to love with a love that is beyond himself and rests in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
Please notice the admonition is to think, behave, and live on a high plane; nothing less will do. The very thinking of a believer under grace should be in harmony with the will of God and must not be limited or bound by the selfish human will. How is this possible? The believer is to measure and evaluate his thinking so that it conforms to God’s will. You may ask how can I as a limited human being behave or even think on such a high level? Consider a few guidelines, just for you, that come directly from the word of God and present a challenge to look higher and live better! “Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them” (Matt. 7:12). “In humility of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant” (Phil 2:5-7).
The believer’s mindset, including every thought, should be in conformity with God’s holy will, “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
If every thought is brought into obedience of Christ, there will open before you the right way to approach and a wrong way to avoid. Our conduct has its source in our thoughts. Within our minds are all of our learned behaviors or beliefs. Our choices spring from this learned behavior and in general determine the way we will go. The word of God places a challenge before the believer to go the right way and deny the wrong. “Stand at the crossroads and look, ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremian 6:16)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into many temptations” (Jas. 1:2).
“But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13).
In being thankful for all things and to rejoice at all times are not human characteristics. They are on an exceedingly high level that is taught only by grace.
“Forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). This is perfect forgiveness because God’s forgiveness is for Christ’s sake and is “according to the riches of His grace; wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (Eph. 1:7, 8).
The natural man may develop great discipline in giving or in forgiving. But both of these can only be brought about by God’s work of grace in the soul of the believer. Notice how it is described in God’s word:
“How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yes, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying for us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8: 2-5).
To give liberally, with great joy, when in deep poverty and suffering affliction is not the standard for the natural man, nor is it defined under the law: it is only for a life that is privileged to function under grace.
Paul’s prayer for the believers in Ephesus was that they “might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). This prayer includes ALL believers, and it is to be the norm for all who serve under grace. When the Apostle Paul joyfully accepted suffering and persecution that the life of Christ might be made manifest in his body, it was a powerful demonstration of the fullness of God’s grace working in him.
This is a manifestation of the standards that are learned and taught by grace and grace alone. No moral code can demand them, and neither can the Mosaic law. In the Christian way of life there is no room for careless or loose cavalier living. The standards of grace permit no license to violate any moral codes because they are on an infinitely higher plane. The believer whose thoughts are aligned in obedience to Christ and who is filled with all the fullness of God by the controlling power of the Holy Spirit does not casually break the moral laws of God.
Meaning and spiritual production in a believer’s life is accomplished as the Holy Spirit controls the life and is not quenched or grieved. The law which is defined as the letter does not give meaning, purpose, and definition to our spiritual lives. “For the letter killeth, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6).
It is HE that is the one by whom came grace and truth that declared, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
His word is absolute truth and in absorbing its truths it will be determined that God’s truth is all truth and to follow His word will lead to eternal life that is resident only in the Son of God who paid for all sins on the cross and calls on you to believe in Him with all of your Heart, body, soul, and mind.
“The Lord gave the word” (Ps.68:11).
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). “Blessed is he that readeth” (Revelation 1:3).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
