Skip to main content

Grace Reigns

"that as sin reigned, in death, so also grace reigns through righteousness unto life eternal through Jesus Christ, the Lord of us."1

This word for reign has the root word that means king, ruler. Christ is given the name "King of kings" and "Lord of lords." It states that Christ has been given all authority on earth, as in heaven, He reigns, Son of God, who sits at the right hand of the Father, He is Son, has ownership rights to the kingdom, the Father has given this to the Son. If Christ is Lord and sin no longer reigns then Christ reigns, our righteousness is in Christ therefore grace reigns through the righteousness of Christ.

Paul writes that where sin reigns death reigns, and that the Law entered so that the offense of sin might abound. If the Law abounds sin then through the Law sin reigns. Grace reigns through righteousness unto life eternal, abundant life. Sin reigned in death but Grace reigns in life, this is true Liberty in Christ. Grace abounded so that righteousness might reign through Christ. If Jesus reigns as Lord and Grace reigns through righteousness then Grace reigns. So we see this principle where Jesus reigns, as Lord, Grace abounds and righteousness reigns. We also see where the Law abounds sin reigns. 

The Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. Some would want to squash this Liberty in Christ, people will sin they say, but it is Liberty that brings true freedom, not obedience to laws and rules. Yes, we are to respect authority of men, but we are to submit to the Lordship of Christ above all things, He reigns. The institution of man, the corruption of power, the misuse of authority, evil that hides, manipulates, covers up sin, no such evil should we submit to. "Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil."4

Unrighteousness doesn't like counsel. "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety."5 A person or an organization that covers up sin, is not good, "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."5 Evil is like its father, the father of lies, he masquerades as light, dangerous is the person that masquerades as light, that lies and manipulates, that abuses authority to cover sin. And there is a warning for these, anything secret will be known and come to light.7

Grace is good, it likes the light. Jesus is light and in fullness of Grace and Truth. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked..."6  Grace encourages one to come to the light, because in the light is Liberty. Perfect love casts out fear, fear reigns because it has to do with punishment, God's love is perfect, it casts out fear, fear doesn't like light. We are to submit to good godly authority. When Christ reigns as Lord, and where Christ reigns Grace reigns.

"The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, fore-bearing, in gentleness instructing those opposing, lest God may give then repentance unto the knowledge of the truth."7 

An amazing verse. We see this principle; it is God's goodness that leads men to repentance. This is the concept of being wise as a serpent, but gentle as a dove, without gentleness, goodness of God, wisdom is not God's wisdom. This word for fore-bearing (from anéxomai, "to bear up" and kakós, "malice, evil") means literally to bear up under evil, to man up, endure, especially when harmed (treated unjustly). Notice though it is in gentleness we bear up, in gentleness instructing those opposing. 

Opposition is to be responded to with Grace and gentleness with instructions. Christian are not to be timid people, we are to love mercy, seek justice, and to walk humbly with our God. We shouldn't avoid conflict, and opposition but we stand firmly as Paul writes in Grace. This word for instructing is emphasizing their ongoing development necessary to reach their highest (eternal) destiny, so they might repent and come to Jesus. 

Grace tempers wrong, I am recently reminded that when I am around godly men, you can sense it, you know it, and it is gentle and full of grace. Such dispels opposition, it is not demanding and authoritative. The battle we fight is in the Spiritual realm, it is against footholds and strongholds the enemy seeks to obtain. Human logic would say I need to attack the stronghold, take it with force, but God's wisdom is different. It takes it by force not with the same "opposing" force, no, but with a different Spirit, a gentle godly Spirit. It has been a tough lesson for me, as many have opposed me. I fight in the spiritual realm, where Christ reigns and if Christ reigns Grace reigns, to the breaking down of strongholds.

As individuals when we sin, we give ground to the enemy, we give him a foothold, the nature of Grace teaches us that we can Boldly approach His throne of Grace... if we do not learn this, footholds become strongholds. And in organizations when we implement and act to polices, not preached, not brought into the light, when it becomes, "do as they say, not as they do" we give the enemy footholds and when we cover things up, do not repent, we give the enemy strongholds. As Paul writes to the church in Corinth, who among you are qualified to judge, you do the same things. I believe this is the most pressing issue in the Church today, the Church for the whole has not risen to the occasion of the day because it is confused, what is implemented is not what is taught from the pulpit. There is a demonic spirit of authority. How do we fight such? in the light.

Stand in Grace. "Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand."6 Grace stands for truth and justice. Our country was founded upon such Liberty, by men who understood freedom from centralized government and freedom from centralized religion. Evil doesn't seek freedom, it doesn't want things in the light, it likes darkness, bondage, it seeks to dominate you, to control you, to lie and manipulate you so as to destroy you. Paul writes that this gospel of Grace is a safeguard to the influence of the enemy. The solution is to let Christ reign and where Christ reigns, Paul writes, Grace reigns. Grace reigns not as a license to do evil, no, but that we may learn to reign over evil.7

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."8

One Thing

Popular (last 30 days)

The Tripartite Nature of Humanity: Spirit, Soul, and Body

The Tripartite Nature of Humanity: Spirit, Soul, and Body in Biblical Understanding The human being, as depicted in the Bible, is a multifaceted creation, often understood through the distinct yet interconnected components of spirit, soul, and body. While some theological perspectives lean towards a bipartite view (soul and body), which we do see in the Old Testament, a careful examination of the New Testament scripture reveals a compelling case for a tripartite understanding, where each is divided into or composed of three parts. Let’s explore the biblical distinction between spirit, soul, and body. The Body: Our Earthly Vessel The body is the physical form that interacts with the material world. From the very beginning, Genesis 2:7 states, " Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being ." This verse clearly establishes the body's origin from the earth, emphasizing its connec...
Read more

Blessed Are The Forgiven

Blessed! the one whose lawless deeds are forgiven and the one whose sins are covered over, blessed is the man whom sin, the Lord will not consider . * Paul writes David foresaw and spoke " blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered . *  Blessed, is the one whom sin is not considered, this word considered  means "to credit, count, reckon, to set down as a matter of account; regard, think, consider." This blessing comes through faith and according to grace, " also David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God considers righteousness apart from works ." *  The word for  lawless deeds speaks of the violation of the Law and the word for sin  speaks of missing the mark of God's righteousness. Blessed are those who (by faith in Christ according to grace) have been forgiven. In Him receiving the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of His grace . * This fundamental ...
Read more

Spirit of Life

" Indeed, the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus liberates from the law of sin and death ." 1 This word for liberates "I free, set free, liberate" is from a root word meaning free, exempt, not bound by an obligation. As partakers of God's divine nature, being born of Spirit, we are no longer obligated to the sinful nature but to righteousness which is God's nature. When we believe we receive the Spirit of promise, a guarantee of our inheritance, a great testimony that we are His children, it is a Spirit of Life. " Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." 24 The Son came not to condemn the world but to save it. "One trespass   led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. " 6 " He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and wa...
Read more

The Promises of God — The Promised Eternal Covenant

God’s Eternal Purpose Enacted: The Promised Eternal Covenant When Scripture speaks of the New Covenant, it does not describe God improvising after human failure, as though redemption were a divine contingency plan B. The New Covenant is the historical unveiling of something older than history: God’s eternal purpose in Christ. Before there was a world to break, God purposed a world to redeem. Before there was a law to expose sin, there was a promise to overcome sin. And before there was a people formed in time, there was a people chosen “in Him” before time. This is why the Bible can speak in two registers at once. In one register, God promises a covenant in the prophets—an “everlasting covenant,” a “new covenant,” a covenant of peace, forgiveness, and Spirit-wrought obedience. In the other register, the apostles speak of grace “given… in Christ Jesus before times eternal,” and of an “eternal purpose” accomplished in Christ. The Eternal Covenant is the meeting of those two registers: th...
Read more

Lord, Stand By Me

"... present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness ." 1 This word for present means "I bring, present, come up to and stand by," it is parístēmi (from pará, "from close-beside" and hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, stand close beside, i.e. ready to present (exhibit). I pray Lord stand by me which expresses that I put my trust in Him, or I come up to and stand by Him. We use phrases like surrendering or bowing at the cross to explain such a moment, surely it is a coming to the end of ourselves and it is desirable that I find His will acceptable, but it is important to understand that it is about trust, not my will power, the key is that it is in Christ. The terminology the scriptures use is "present yourselves to God," or come up to and stand by and walk with Him. "... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this...
Read more

The Church as Glory and Joy: Paul's Vision of Ministry Reward

The Church as Glory and Joy: Paul’s Vision of Ministry Reward A Theological Essay on Ministry, Servant Leadership, and the True Reward of Equipping the Saints Introduction Distortion of scripture is nothing new, Peter himself warned that Paul’s letters were being twisted even in the first century—some “distort” them, as they do “the other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). Paul likewise warned that distortions would arise from within the church, with people speaking “twisted things” to draw disciples after themselves (Acts 20:29–30). And when the subject turns to money, the New Testament is especially direct. Paul cautions against those who imagine “godliness” as a means of gain (1 Timothy 6:5) and insists that gospel ministry must not be peddled for profit (2 Corinthians 2:17). Peter adds that false teachers exploit others “in their greed” (2 Peter 2:3), and Jude warns of those who “abandoned themselves for the sake of gain” (Jude 11). Paul also wrote some “teach… for shameful gain” ...
Read more

All Who Are Thirsty

“ Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;  and he who has no money,  come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk  without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,  and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,  and delight yourselves in rich food. .." (Isaiah 55). " Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price ." Buy is defined as to acquire the ownership of by giving an accepted price or consideration therefore; to accept or believe as true .[ 1 ] When we buy something we consider the price that we must pay, we accept this and purchase the thing we have considered worthy of the sacrifice we make in payment. W e can not buy, with money or price, redemption from t his tragic flaw we are born into. However Jesus paid the price for us, so we buy or accept through consideration, the Greek word is  logizomai.[ 2] ...
Read more

The Promises of God Series

THE PROMISES OF GOD SERIES Series Introduction The promises of God are not isolated statements scattered through Scripture. They are the unfolding expressions of one eternal purpose, conceived in God before the foundation of the world, revealed through covenant, and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Why The Promises of God Matter explains why they are important to believers. This series functions as a theological hub—a unified framework that weaves together distinct promises without collapsing them into a single category. Each promise stands on its own, yet each flows from the same eternal source and prepares the way for the next. Together they testify to the faithfulness of God across redemptive history. The Coherence of God’s Promises One eternal purpose, planned in God Revealed through covenant Fulfilled in Christ Applied by the Spirit of truth Consummated in glory Each article in this series may b...
Read more

Stay In The Fold

I have other sheep which are not of this fold. These too I must bring in. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock, with one shepherd (John 10:16) Two becoming one speaks that there is only one fold in the new covenant, and being part of this fold is not based upon the fleshly birth but of the Spirit, so both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus will enter the fold where Jesus is the Good Shepherd. A sheepfold is a robust fenced enclosure to protect the sheep gathered within it. Figuratively Jesus uses the idea that we are sheep in his fold. When comparing God's children to a flock or sheep in his fold we see he calls them by their name, and they follow him because they know his voice (John 10:3). When he brings the sheep out [of the fold] he goes before them and they follow him because they know his voice (John 10:4). They will not follow a stranger's voice because they do not trust his voice, but they know the good shepherd will protect them and care for an...
Read more

The Promises of God — The Promise of Eternal Life

There is such a great promise of eternal life to the elect, through faith and knowledge of truth, "to the extent of the hope of eternal life, which God can not lie, promised before times eternal. Now, brought to light in his word at his own timing..." (Titus 1:2) Before time began God made a promise, established it on his oath,  there being nothing greater to  establish it on, but accordingly to  his purpose by which he can not lie.  "just as he chose us in him before creation of the world to exist holy and blameless in his presence in love predestining us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ..." (Ephesians 1:4-5).    For those chosen this promise is very precious and honorable and effective. It is a promise that God will always be with us even to the end of the age. It is a promise he is working out all for good to those called according to His purpose. The promise is fulfilled through "predestinating us for adoption"  and adoption is of the S...
Read more