Love Fulfilled Ministry

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). The righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law (Romans 3:21). This righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Romans 3:22). " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus " (Romans 3:22-24). In this redemption God put forward Christ as a propitiation, an appeasement for our sin, by his blood, this redemption is to be received by faith. Showing God's justice and righteousness, as He is just and justifier of those who have faith in Christ (Romans 3:25). therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law   (Romans 3:28). The law of faith says we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law, If we did it ourselves ...

" Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law " (Galatians 5:16-18). The law of the Spirit of life sets one free, for what the law could not do, God did through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:2-3). Jesus came in the flesh to sentence to death sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:3-4). We walk in the Spirit by faith and it establishes the law and our righteousness in Christ (Romans 3:9-10;22). If we are in Christ then we have a new born again spirit, our inner being is reconciled with God. If Christ is in us, the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness (Romans 8:9-10). Thus ...

" present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2). We live under the freedom of God’s grace, not under the requirements of the law (Romans 6:14). But our bodies are still governed by the law of sin (Romans 6:20;23), for we have the desire to do what is right but if we do not what we want it is no longer us but Sin that dwells in our members and wars against our born again spirit (Romans 7:18-23). To overcome we must  present our bodies as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewal of our minds.   Freedom comes through an act of sacrifice and transformation, " as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lu...

" For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death " (Romans 8:2). When Jesus the word became flesh and dwelt among us, he came in the " likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit " (Romans 8:2-4). What the mosaic law could not do, God did in Jesus. We must also have revelation that we can only overcome the law of sin by the law of the Spirit, by not walking in the flesh but in Spirit. Jesus is our example, he was 100% human and 100% God, (Colossians 2:9), he understands our infirmities, our weakness, as he was tempted in his fleshly body. " So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the de...

" For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me " (Romans 7:19-20). By Grace we are released from the law and sin (Romans 6:14), we are born again, sealed with the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8, Ephesians 1:13). We delight in the law of God in our inner being, (Romans 7:22), we "live under the freedom of God’s grace" (Romans 6:14). However there is another law that wars against my spirit (Romans 7:22-23). This is the law of sin. " I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate " (Romans 7:15). The very fact that these things are not what I want to do proves that the law is good, v. 16. I am in Christ. " For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out ", v.18. So I see that my body is governed by the law of sin, dwelling in my members (Romans 6:2...

" Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace " (Romans 6:14). God sent his son so that Grace would set us free from the requirements of the law (Romans 8:2-3). We are free from the law, we live under the freedom of God's Grace, v.14. So are we free to sin? Yes, Grace abounds much more than sin (Romans 5:20-21). But what fruit did we get from sin? When we were slaves to sin we were free from righteousness (Romans 6:20), but the law entered so that the offense might abound (Romans 5:20), and the wage for this offense is death (Romans 6:21;23). The fruit of sin leads to death.  Grace is the law of freedom, it frees us from the law and sin, "f or sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace " (Romans 6:14).  Through Grace we no longer let sin reign in our mortal bodies, presenting our bodies slaves to righteousness,v.19. This frui...

" Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord " (Romans 5:20-21). Abound means an overflowing, like a river which overflows its banks or bounds. In Computer Science we can put bounds on data structures, like a list, it can have lower and upper bounds. If we put data in and it exceeds the upper bound we surely will cause your computer trouble. If there are bounds then w e must operate within the bounds but m ost data structures  allow overflowing. Such a list without upper bounds is called an infinite list . This is a picture of grace, which is without upper bounds.  When we try to grasp Grace with a human understanding we tend to put bounds on it.  Grace knows no bounds, it abounds to eternal life.  The offense of sin abounds to death, " but the free gift is not like the offens...

" Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows " (Matthew 10:29-31). I saw a sparrow today, it must have got caught in the storm that came through last night. It perched with it's feathers all ruffled, looking not so good. Another sparrow flew up, looking healthy and strong. I thought of Jesus's words. I asked do you really care for this sparrow who has been ruffled by the storm? Before I saw the sparrow I had been thinking of two friends. Both who love Jesus. One still struggles with alcoholism. He was homeless for over ten years, a life not even imaginable, he has cancer and is dying. The second a successful pastor for over ten years, a good father and husband, his wife has cancer. Two people from two totally different worlds, a  paradox to some teachings today,  their paths intersecting a...