2Cor 12:9. "my Grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness".

Grace not only is unmerited favor, but God's strength in us to do His commands. His enabling power is Grace. Our weakness cooperating with His enpowering Grace, an active choice we must make.

S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7--2 Peter---PG- 943
The Enabling Grace of God. In His Word God reveals what He can do for human beings. He molds and fashions after the divine similitude the
characters of those who will wear His yoke. Through His grace they are made partakers of the divine nature, and are thus enabled to overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is God who gives us power to overcome. Those who hear His voice and obey His commandments are enabled to form righteous characters. Those who disregard His expressed commands will form characters like the propensities that they indulge ".

When the Bible states we are saved by Grace through Faith it does not mean "only believe",
We also must find out what it means "to Believe.

Sctiptual references:

Rom 2:13 "(For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

[ April 01, 2002: Message edited by: Charlene Van Hook ]

quote:

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March 31, 1890 Genuine Faith Leads to Obedience
By Mrs. E. G. White.

...The obedient do not simply cry, "Believe, all you have to do is believe in Christ;" but their faith is like Noah's and Abraham's, which led them to keep the commandments. They follow the example of Christ, they listen and wait to catch every word of direction from the Captain of their salvation. They respond to the voice that says, "This is the way, to walk ye in it." Every step that Noah and Abraham took in obedience to God's word was a step of victory. A "Thus saith the Lord" fortified Noah in doing his work of warning the world. The testimony in regard to Noah is, "And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him." The path of obedience is the path in which our safety lies; for it is the willing and obedient that shall eat the good of the land. If we keep the commandments of God, we may claim his recorded promises in all their fullness....

We need to come up to a higher standard, to go forward and claim our exalted privileges. We should walk humbly with God, make no proud boasts of perfection of character, but in simple faith claim every promise in the word of God; for they are for the obedient, not for the transgressors of God's law. We are simply to believe the testimony of God, and have entire dependence on him, and all possibility of self-glory or pride will be removed. We are indeed saved by faith, not by a passive faith, but by the faith which works by love, and purifies the soul....

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quote:

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Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." You may believe all the truth; yet if its principles are not carried out in your lives, your profession will not save you. Satan believes and trembles.{2T 160.2}

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Amen! What wonderful promises God has given to those who obey His commands. We have to do more than just believe. Satan believes..he knows the the truth....Our belief must be put into practice..does no good to just "believe" in something. What counts is what we do with the belief we have.

In The Blessed Hope

Avalee

[ April 01, 2002: Message edited by: Avalee ]

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Rom. 6:15 {AG 144.1}

It is the sophistry of Satan that the death of Christ brought in grace to take the place of the law. The death of Jesus did not change or annul, or lessen in the slightest degree, the law of ten commandments. That precious grace offered to men through a Saviour's blood, establishes the law of God. Since the fall of man, God's moral government and His grace are inseparable. They go hand in hand through all dispensations. {AG 144.2}

I have always thought that just believing in Christ and not obeying His commands out of love to Him was just making His sacrifice meaningless. If we could continue in our known sins why would Jesus have to die. He died so I could live the life He lived on this earth. He gives me the power to live that life...if I will cooporate with Him that is. I have to choose to obey. I have to play a part in this too by making a choice to obey or not to obey God's Laws. When this is done out of love to God and our fellowman what a peace you have in your heart.

Three texts that go along with these truths are:

John
14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

NOTE: I like to paraphrase this passage - To believe in Jesus is to behave like Jesus.

Romans
1:5, 6 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Hebrews
12:28, 29 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God [is] a consuming fire.

NOTE: these two text say grace is given to empower us to serve God acceptably, which includes not only obedience, but also righteousness. Isn't that what the unmerited favor is? that is, the gift of obedience and righteousness? Thank you Jesus.

[ April 02, 2002: Message edited by: Mike Lowe ]

The gift of obedience and righteousness, unmerited favor, does not come to us without conditions. They are the free gift to those who cooperate with Him to do His will. It is all Jesus and all us in His enabling power. The two parts make the whole: Is this what you are saying?

There is a false theology of "Grace" that the world believes and it is also coming into our teaching in the church, so this subject really needs to be explored.

God's Amazing Grace---Power to Obey----PG- 253
"Human effort avails nothing without divine power; and without human endeavor, divine effort is with many of no avail. To make God's grace our own, we must act our part. His grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. . . . Those who walk in the path of obedience will encounter many hindrances. Strong, subtle influences may bind them to the world; but the Lord is able to render futile every agency that works for the defeat of His chosen ones; in His strength they may overcome every temptation, conquer every difficulty."

Messages to Young People---PG- 147---
Co-operation with God

While these youth were working out their own
salvation, God was working in them to will and to
do of His good pleasure. Here are revealed the
conditions of success. To make God's grace our own, we must act our part. The Lord does not propose to perform for us either the willing or the doing. His grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. Our souls are to be aroused to co-operate. The Holy Spirit works in us, that we may work out our own salvation. This is the practical lesson the Holy Spirit is striving to teach us. "It is God which worketh in you both
to will and to do of His good pleasure."

Conflict and Courage---PG- 247
His grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. As the Lord cooperated with Daniel and his fellows, so He will cooperate with all who strive to do His
will. And by the impartation of His Spirit He will strengthen every true purpose, every noble resolution. Those who walk in the path of obedience will encounter many hindrances. Strong,
subtle influences may bind them to the world; but the Lord is able to render futile every agency that works for the defeat of His chosen ones; in His strength they may overcome every temptation,
conquer every difficulty."

quote:

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Prepare to Meet Thy God
Maranatha
Page 254

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Amos 4:12

Many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully.

Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth.

I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God.

Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. . . .

I saw that none could share the "refreshing" unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.

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What a wonderful God we serve. The above Words from God tell us that with the Grace of God and our own diligent effort we must overcome all known sin in our life in order to conquerors in the battle with evil.

I looked up the word diligent in the online dictinary:

Main Entry: dil·i·gent
Pronunciation: 'di-l&-j&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin diligent-, diligens, from present participle of diligere to esteem, love, from di- (from dis- apart) + legere to select -- more at LEGEND
Date: 14th century
: characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : PAINSTAKING
synonym see BUSY
- dil·i·gent·ly adverb

The Voice in Speech and Song, page 21, paragraph 1
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" [Phil. 2:12, 13]. The quality of our works is shown by our words. When our words and works harmonize in Christ, we show that we are consecrated to God, perfecting holiness in His fear. As we give ourselves, soul, body, and spirit, to Him, He works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, January 6, 1891, paragraph 8
The spirit and works of Christ's disciples stand out in vivid contrast to the selfishness of the world. His followers give evidence that they are controlled by a will-power that is higher than any human will. In order to succeed in our labors, we must work with God, be moved by his Spirit. Then he will work with us. "Without me ye can do nothing;" with Christ we can do all things. There must be a coming out from the world,--a separation in interest, in spirit, in language, in hopes, in aims. "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

Manuscript Releases Volume Seventeen, page 85, paragraph 1
I am instructed to say to you, "Trust not in self, but trust in God. This is the measure by which we are judged in the sight of heaven--our faith in God. Seek earnestly to work the works of God. Ever maintain the simplicity of true godliness. "He that sinneth against Me," God says, "wrongeth His own soul" [Prov. 8:36]. Study the Scriptures, for there is nothing that will so firmly establish your faith in God or your belief in His truth, as this. If you will have faith in God, you cannot fail of coming out victorious.

The Home Missionary, November 1, 1893, paragraph 12
When one is fully emptied of self, when every false god is cast out of the soul, the vacuum is supplied by the inflowing of the Spirit of Christ. Such a one has the faith which works by love and purifies the soul from every moral and spiritual defilement. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, can work upon the heart, influencing and directing, so that he enjoys spiritual things. He is "after the spirit," and he minds the things of the Spirit. He has no confidence in self; Christ is all in all. Truth is constantly being unfolded by the Holy Spirit; he receives with meekness the engrafted word, and he gives the Lord all the glory, saving, "God has revealed them to us by his Spirit." "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God." The Spirit that reveals, also works in him the fruits of righteousness. Christ is in him "a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." He is a branch of the True Vine, and bears rich clusters of fruit to the glory of God. What is the character of the fruit borne?--"The fruit of the Spirit is love." Mark the words,--love, not hatred; it is joy, not discontent and mourning; peace, not irritation, anxiety and manufactured trials. It is "long-suffering gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such there is no law."

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald--- 02-05-95
Conquer Through the Conqueror

Nothing can be more helpless, nothing can be more dependent, than the soul that feels its nothingness, and relies wholly upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour. The Christian life is a life of warfare, of continual conflict. It is a battle and a march. But every act of obedience to Christ, every act of self-denial for his sake, every trial well endured, every victory gained over temptation, is a step in the march to the glory of final victory. If we take Christ for our guide, he will lead us
safely along the narrow way. The road may be rough and thorny; the ascent may be steep and dangerous; there may be pitfalls upon the right hand and upon the left; we may have to endure toil in our journey; when weary, when longing
for rest, we may have to toil on; when faint, we may have to fight; when discouraged, we may be called upon to hope; but with Christ as our Guide, we shall not lose the path to immortal life, we shall not fail to reach the desired haven at last. Christ himself has trod the rough pathway before us, and has smoothed the path for our feet. The narrow path of holiness, the way
cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, is illuminated by Him who is the Light of the world. As we follow in his steps, his light will shine upon us; and as we reflect the light borrowed from the glory of Christ, the path will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day."

Charlene] God does not take us from tribulation but joins us and brings us through tribulation. As He Joined the 3 Hebrews in the furnace, or Daniel in the lions den, when we choose to follow where ever He leads, He gives us His grace to endure.

ROMANS
5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Unless I'm missing the point, it looks to me as if Paul is saying that grace empowers us to live without sin and to mature in the fruits of the Spirit - rather than to lay aside sinful defects of character.

HEBREWS
12:28 Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

It doesn't say let us have grace so that we can gradually lay aside our imperfections over the course of a lifetime. Do you see what I mean?

What do you think?

Grace is enabling power.
There was a time when our SDA Church preached the law, the law and more law. They left out Jesus, His power to overcome and the complete trust in Jesus needed to claim every promise. The law was taught minus the power of Grace that enables the keeping of the law.
2Cor 12:9. "my Grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness".
Grace not only is unmerited favor, but God's strength in us to do His commands. His enabling power is Grace. Our weakness cooperating with His enpowering Grace, an active choice we must make.
Unquote.

I think, that according to the Gospel of Christ as presented by Paul and James, grace is not God’s enabling power to us so that we may keep and do His law of the 10 commandments, because if it is so, it will stand against “SIN will not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” – Roman 6:14.

Grace is the enabling power of God to empower us “to deny the desire of the flesh” that is against the law of God. SIN of self-love is the root of all our flesh desires, and according to Romans 6:14, by His grace we will be set free from SIN of self-love, because His “love that seeks no self” will be imparted in our heart, a change of character as fruit of the Spirit. By having this “love of God”, the demand of the law was fulfilled in us because love is the fulfillment of the law even though we are not under the law, we are not under the jurisdiction of the 10 commandment to keep and obey it, but our deeds is in harmony with it as love do no harms to his fellowman.

If God empower us to keep the law, He is empowering us to live by the flesh! And that is impossible!

In His love

James S.