Functional Grace

As also in all the letters, speaking in them concerning these things, things hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable are twisting, as with other scripture, toward their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16)

Equilibrium is defined as a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces; powers, or influences.[1] A pendulum is a good example of equilibrium, when a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting position it is subject to a restoring force that will accelerate it back toward the balanced position. The pendulum was used as a standard of length and for measuring time. Historically the church has struggled with the functional versus relational, like the force applied on opposite ends of the pendulum. We hear of the relational driven purpose in our quest to seek and do God's will, but we also read of the functional; think on these things, do these things; faith without works is dead. Functional is used to contribute to the development of a larger whole, thus Grace is a functional one, the force of God's love on one side and His instructions on the other, this brings equilibrium, equal action of two different influences.

But we seem to swing from one end to the other. Throughout history we have not understood the importance of equilibrium in our quest to live for God. We do not have to look far to see legalism at play, in the Bible we look at the time of Jesus and his woe to the Pharisaical system that advocated following the law for righteousness. We see the great reformation in opposition to the church's legalism, treatment of people, and hypocrisy. Salvation by Grace not of works was the founding principle and battle cry to combat works for relationship. Like the reactive forces pushing back the pendulum, we swing from legalism to Grace, functional to relational. And we fail to understand the objective. 

German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer described a time of what he called cheap grace. He wrote that "cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ." In contrast to this cheap grace is what he called costly grace: "costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." He goes on to write that because of cheap grace the church gave into fascism, our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving... But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard.[2]

If faith without works is dead then it would be non-functional. Grace is a free gift and comes through faith which is by the author Jesus and his works. If Grace requires faith and faith requires works then it is a functional Grace; works contribute to the development of a larger whole. John writes that spiritual maturity of a child is that they know the Father and their sins are forgiven. We have many children in the church. When there is no motivation to continue on to adulthood we settle for following the rules of a culturally scripted Christianity run by children. By such I am measured and promoted, still a child. In Bonhoeffer's time he argues the church was passive in this sense which allowed Hitler to come to power. Maturity should not be measured only in how we follow the rules but also in the fruit of our work. Paul describes in the epistle to Ephesus that we are as soldiers preparing for war, putting on the armor of God, standing firm, by such we should have battle scars. I risk much if I move on to become a young man in Christ, which is as John writes distinguished by knowing Jesus the word and by becoming strong through spiritual warfare, overcoming the enemy.[3]

To become mature I must be transparent which risks isolation, judgment, condemnation, and separation from the very church that is suppose to be supporting and building me up as a soldier in Christ. The very hint of spiritual warfare in your life tends to bring judgment from friends, we see this with Job. The church teaches to skip maturity in favor of fitting in. If my life is not deemed as perfect and I am transparent, I am often judged as not being spiritual. Just as a child growing his identity in his Father's Grace, our spiritual growth should be greatly encouraged and sought after. This maturing into adulthood, growing strong by abiding in the word of God and battling in the spiritual realm should be encourage and praised. When they get knocked down we lift them up back into the battle. I should prize battle scars, not some pretense of maturity. If I go from child to deacon, teacher, pastor, or father... without first being a young man in maturity I discredit the church and God's will. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.[4]

This kind of battle smells of napalm in the morning, incoming fire. Those around us should expect this, they should be in the battle too. Leaders must lead from experience, or we all become casualties of war. Battle hardened young men build the backbone of the church, founded in Christ they have advanced on the road to maturity in Christ. They have figured out who the enemy is, how he fights, and what his tactics look like. They ask the right questions; why and who? They are not rebellious, they are strong and seek the kingdom of the King. They bring purpose, clarity, and persistence which energizes the body to perform its purpose. It is relational, the passion comes in the purpose, the functional, we fight for the King of Kings, as He is Good! Equilibrium is found in the battle, in the suffering as Christ suffered. The persecuted church would agree, they fight for the kingdom while the cultural church fights itself inward, unlearned and unstable, without combat experience, headed toward destruction. One doesn't have to go overseas to join the persecuted church.

Discipline is defined as training in the values of God. Training gives us the values to place as a foundation, actual warfare lays the stones, they become our values. This is the principle of a battle hardened soldier. Young men who choose to follow Jesus in the narrow way, battle hardened and experienced, having fought in the trenches, they choose to disciple others in the way of Jesus. If legalism is an attempt to discipline without Grace then cheap grace is an attempt to discipline without function or instruction. We value what He values, thus our character reflects his character of grace and function. History is the judge of the pendulum shift of Christianity, we swing to legalism and under its condemnation and death we cry Grace! We then under a cheap grace see the lack of discipline, discipleship, and obedience, thus we cry, more rules! And we again swing to the other side, continuing back and forth thus never achieving equilibrium. We have forgotten what forces are required to keep the pendulum in its equilibrium position. Legalism occurs when we loose the influence of Grace, cheap grace occurs when we loose the influence of Godly instruction.

God Sent His Son - Crowder - Passion 2013