The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"Do Not Frustrate"
"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:21).
If human beings could live in any manner acceptable to God and according to His righteous standard, the Lord Jesus Christ would never have had to die on the cross of Calvary. Surely God would have devised some other way to redeem us than sending His Son to a cruel cross of suffering, sorrow, forsakenness, and death. No other way existed, however, and thus we affirm with the Apostle Paul that "neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Because apart from Christ, we "have no life," He had to give up His life to atone for our sins, and then give us His life in order to spiritually birth our hearts as the temple of His vibrant presence (John 6:53). The righteousness that could not come even by the "holy and just and good" law of Moses abundantly comes to us the grace of the Lord Jesus (Romans 7:12; Galatians 2:16). We become righteous in relationship and standing with God through our Savior, and also become enabled to bear "the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Philippians 1:11). Christ's life given, first in dying for us, and then in living within us, provides our only hope for being "accepted in the Beloved" and for walking in a manner acceptable to the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6; Galatians 5:16).
Believers must seek at all costs to not "frustrate" this grace. That is, we do not "neglect so great salvation" by seeking to live as if the presence and power of God were not at hand, and in heart (Hebrews 2:3). Every task before us offers opportunity to live by the Spirit of Christ within us. God's grace beckons us to believe that we do not live alone, nor that we must function in merely human terms. Christ rather lives in us that we may "live through Him" (Galatians 2:20; I John 4:9). We must fulfill rather than frustrate the grace of God by availing ourselves of its effectual working. We do so by faith, that is, we trust our Lord to lead and enable us in all things. All things. Every aspect and matter of our experience so involves the grace-given presence and power of Christ that we may "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).
Are there matters of life wherein we have been, or are living as if we are merely ourselves, as opposed to ourselves indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus? If so, let us in this moment end our frustrating the grace that came to us by a cost we must not ignore. Regardless of the nature or measure of our challenge, the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus transcends all by an infinite measure. "Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world" (I John 4:4). We must understand the matter as simply as possible: Christ died and arose that we may live through Him. The truth applies to every matter of our existence, both now and forevermore. May God grant much grace that we do not frustrate His grace, but rather fulfill its presence and purpose whereby we avail ourselves of a gift far too costly to ignore or neglect.
"I will dwell in them and walk in them."
(II Corinthians 6:16)
"For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you."
(II Corinthians 13:4)
Weekly Memory Verse
For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
(II Corinthians 13:4)
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