The Basics
Nathan Leal - July 12, 2007

Today, many Christians are taught that "grace" is God's main concern for the church. We hear that we are under "grace" or that the "grace" of God is sufficient for us. We are in the age of "grace". We have all heard these terms but what do they mean?

Well, in a nutshell, the "grace" of God is the forgiving power and love that God has given us, even though we do not deserve it. This is through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and our free gift of eternal life. It is a precious and unspeakable gift.

It also includes His loving kindness and provision for us. Through grace God forgives us. Through grace God provides for all of our needs.

Today's Church hears about this part of God, over and over. This teaching is very popular among TV preachers and in the Mega-churches that we see overtaking cities across America.

i.e. - "The grace of God will provide your needs." "The grace of God will make you happy."

Unfortunately for many, this is all that they hear. In this one dimensional version of God, many Christians only know God as a grace giving "Santa Claus Genie" up in Heaven who will; overlook our sin (because of grace), bless us, prosper us and make us rich. All that we have to do is; think it, command Him to do it, or not ask Him at all and He will do it anyway!

I actually had a person tell me, "The grace of God will forgive you even if you take the mark of the Beast!"

To the true saints of God I ask, "What is wrong with this picture?" Is this a true description of Almighty God?

Of course not!

There are many out there who have told me, "The end time message about an angry God is wrong. We should just concentrate on the "love" of God!" Or in other words, the "Grace of God"

But what does the Bible say?

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:23,24 (NKJV)

According to Jeremiah, God is not only a God of "Grace" (loving kindness) but also of "Righteousness" and "Judgment". To know God means that we understand that there are three attributes of Him. He expects "righteousness" from us. He can also become angry and execute "Judgment"!

Today's shepherds have dropped the ball on this teaching on the fullness of God. They concentrate on God's grace or loving kindness but do not talk about "righteousness" or "judgment". It is not a popular topic to tell people that God hates sin and wants us righteous or that He becomes angry and executes "judgment" on His wayward people.

God is a Holy God. He is a Consuming Fire!

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"
Hebrews 12:14

The righteousness of God demands that we live righteous and holy, or else we will NOT see Him.

Also since God hates sin, He judges and disciplines His children when they need it.

"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12: 5-11 (NKJV)

So we see that according to scripture God does execute judgment because He loves us. We also see that the result of His discipline ( judgment ) is righteousness or holiness.

This three part concept of God ( loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness) from Jeremiah 9:23,24 can best be visualized as a three legged stool.

Each leg of the stool would represent one part of God:
1. Loving kindness or (grace)
2. Judgment
3. Righteousness

To try to bring Christians to maturity based on only one leg of the stool would result in a stool that will not hold up. The example also holds true trying to only use two legs.

To fully understand and know God, we must learn all three of these areas and nothing less.

God has desired that the Church would seek His righteousness and His grace to be forgiven of being lukewarm. But instead, we are seeing the opposite occur. The church has no hunger for His righteousness or His Word. Hence today, there is a famine in the land for the true Word of God.

As a sidenote, please understand that when I say the "church", I am talking about "most" of the church. God has still reserved a few remnant churches in the land. If you are attending a church that still has the whole Word spoken, Praise God! If you are not attending a remnant church. Pray and ask God for guidance!

To him that has ears to hear, seek God
The time is short.

Judgment is coming!

Nathan Leal

July 12, 2007