When I started to read, I had assembled all my religious tools to destroy it – crossing out major sections and then tearing it up – I was committed to destroying it. However, I got to the chapter on the gift of no condemnation and while reading the pages there was a click, the light went on in my mind and my eyes opened up. I crumpled up on the floor in tears. I was crushed and then ecstatic – with such joy and appreciation I began to reread the new covenant, listen to messages by these grace preachers and read their books. After 3 years I nearly went back to operating under the law, but after 7 years I became secure in grace. I was very glad to encounter the verse “Grow in grace” as now I really needed it.
Yes, I had to start again and in the process offload a bunch of error thinking. The reader may be thinking that I don’t understand what you are saying and I am ok. I encourage you to continue and I can assure you that just about everything said here (98%) will be verified in the New Covenant. I am not perfect, but I am getting there by the grace of God.
“For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break).” Rom 4:15 NLT.
When I saw this verse for the first time about 5 years ago, I was stunned, but I knew it had to be true since it was God’s word and not food for debate. I read it over and over, meditated, thought on it and then began seeing corresponding changes in my life – without trying to make it happen. It became effortless. The more I meditated on grace, the more relaxed I became, and rest became a reality as I wrote down all the verses on grace. The hype, performance or need for recognition took a major drop. I could no longer deny that performance shows up through the way a person speaks or behaves. Hebrews 4 declares “There is a rest for the people of God” and this theme of Righteousness, Faith and Grace is the engine that gets a Christian life working smoothly in spite of all the upsets. Just like an engine coughs or cuts out, so a born again person will experience a gap of uncertainty and be frustrated until he discovers grace and finds the rest of God. Many believers appear to put on Righteousness, but only after they have sinned. However, this jacket of His Righteousness is put on at salvation and stays on. If it is my righteousness, it is works and I keep on putting it on to cover my sin/mistake. What a performance of guilt. “God’s promise of entering His rest still stands.” Heb. 4:1 So God’s rest is there for people to enter…there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. Heb. 4:6,9. So let us do our best to enter that place of rest. But if we disobey God as the people of Israel did (a type of law performance self-effort) we will fall (not into hell, but away from grace and into works-righteousness). Heb. 4:11.