Sold Out To the Undiluted Gospel

I am a grace preacher!
  Period.
    There is no other Gospel.
      Jesus is Grace.  He is the manifestation of God (unconditional Love).

Today, in many circles, grace is almost a bad word.  Now, no one really would say grace is a bad word because everyone knows that grace is important and that we are "saved by grace".  How could anyone deny the influence of grace?  Of course grace is important, we all know that.

But...

That's the word that always seems to follow - but.  But what?  "Well, grace is important", they say, "but it has to be balanced".  Really?  Really?  Can you tell me where that is stated in Scripture.  Did Jesus ever put a limit on grace?  How about Paul?  Maybe the early church fathers?  No, grace is never told to be balanced with anything - especially law!

"Oh, but wait, that 'greasy grace' with no balance will just let people sin and take advantage of their 'freedom'".  Ever heard that before?  Ever said that before?  That statement is based in pure fear.  People are afraid of pure, undiluted, unadulterated grace.  It scares the hell out of people.  Maybe that's part of the point.

You see, the reality is this:  Grace only works when it is that scandalous!  Grace must be taken straight with no mixer.  Grace is like water:  When it is completely pure, it is refreshing, renewing and life giving, but when it is diluted, it is something of no value whatsoever.  For example, if I had a bottle of pure spring water that was 99% full and then I added 1% "poop particles" to it, guess what I have?  A bottle of 100% poop particles that you are not going to drink.  You see grace must be kept pure or it is useless, it loses it power.  Grace is not something that we mix with law or religion or duty or work or anything else.  When we do, we nueter the Gospel.

Some people will argue that we must have balance, but let's think about that for just a moment.  Is God a God of balance?  Does love have a balance in its equation?  Does not 1 Corinthians 13 look very unbalanced?

As a parent this is very clear to me.  I do not love my kids with balance - even when they do wrong!  How absurd!  To balance love is to make it conditional.  To put parameters on it is to make it sterile.  Love is neither.  I don't love my kids when they do good only.  I love my kids even in the midst of their failings and shortcomings - even in the midst of their rebellion.  Why?  Because they are my children.  My love is NEVER conditional to my children.  I love them.  Period!

We are so afraid that loving people unconditionally and allowing grace to operate without restriction will somehow produce bad behavior.  But guess what?  It does exactly the opposite.  What we dwell on is what we become.  What we think we are, we will do.  When I try to balance grace and love with conditions, then the conditions become my focus and thus my obsession and then, ultimately, my ruler.  When I focus on behavior, I will live trying to "do" the right thing.

But, if on the other hand, I focus on the unconditional love of God and His never compromised grace towards me, my focus is on Him and His goodness rather than my "doing" or efforts.  When my focus is on Him, guess what I begin to naturally act like - Him!

Writing to the Galatians Paul said this:  "Our liberty in Christ offended them; these spies had one agenda, to enslave us to their legalistic bondage! We want you to know that we are sold out to keep the Gospel undiluted for your sakes; had we compromised the message ever so slightly to accomodate their opinions, the whole Gentile world would have felt cheated! We see such a future for the pure Gospel in you" (Galatians 2:4-5 Mirror).

You see, an attack on grace; the attack on unconditional love, is nothing more than religion trying to enslave us from the freedom for which Christ has set us free.  The Gospel is undiluted!  It is pure!  It must be drunk straight!

It doesn't matter what people "label" you or that they accuse you of being one of those "grace people", don't worry about accusations, Grace is best enjoyed when it is served up alone.  Join me as one who is "sold out to keep the Gospel undiluted for your sakes".

Today, don't let anyone steal your joy by trying to enslave you to balancing grace.  Don't do it.  Not today, not ever.  Take your grace straight.  Keep your Gospel undiluted.  And watch the life of Jesus flow through your life more and more each day.

Liberty and freedom are your inheritance.
  Pure Grace provided it for you once and for all through Jesus Christ.
     Enjoy!
        And remain sold out to the undiluted Gospel!

Cheers!