The Church today is somewhat like drunk men walking down the "right" path. With all the doctrines and interpretations that create division they're no longer walking in the center of the road, but like drunk men end up in the ditch. Still going forward in the right path, they all walk in the same direction but on opposites sides of the road. Neither in the center, neither aware of their location in the ditches, and both stumbling in the dark unaware of the truth. One is calling out to the other across the road to the opposite ditch saying, "my way is the right way". The other, vice versus.
Take for example the grace teaching compared to the good works teaching. One says it is all about good works, the other says it is all about faith and grace. What if the Holy Spirit was speaking while the others were yelling at the other declaring their ways? What if the Holy Spirit was telling both the individuals that they were both equally wrong but equally right? What if the Holy Spirit was in the center of the road saying "you are suppose to be walking with me, let me lead you"?
What do I mean by this? Well take both doctrines into consideration. Good works is right, because we were created in Christ "for good works" (Ephesians 2:10). And grace is right because we were saved by grace through faith and not by works otherwise you will have a reason to boast and also grace would no longer be grace but instead a debt owed to a worthy worker (Ephesians 2). Both doctrines, if not balanced "Spiritually"(by the Holy Spirit), are in danger. Danger of what? The works of the flesh! Good works could easily, so easily, be more of a campaign of trying to get God's attention through the flesh; "Look at me God, look at everything I've been doing", very much like the faithful brother of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). On the other hand the Grace teaching could be so out of balance that holiness is no longer preserved. A lack of repentance, or lack of fear can easily be obtained and God's statutes easily forgotten. Grace is so important and it the foundation in which we stand in Christ, but it is not a "get out of trouble Scot free" card. The Grace of God teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12 NIV).
I am not talking about a compromise of integrity and trying to find a happy medium somewhere in the middle that we can all agree on, I am actually saying there needs to be an adjustment of mindsets, humility (defined) and a "CHANGE" of belief. What is the adjustment? The adjustment is in the middle of the road, He is crying out for you to be led by Him. You see we can do good works all day long but the Holy Spirit is in the center of the road asking you to obey Him, because He has strategically placed the works in the center for you next to His side where you belong. And Grace is needed but it is found in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Grace isn't a teacher yet the letter to Titus says that it teaches us what is right and how to live our lives, so who do you think teaches the truths about Grace? The "One" in the middle of the road, the One that Jesus said will guide (teach) us into all truth.
So the scripture gives us the answer when it says to be led by the Spirit. It declares that if you are led by God's Spirit you will not fall in anyway, you will not do the works of the flesh at all, you will not gratify the sinful nature within. You are not under the obligations of the law, in which most work based theology is focused. The good works have become an added man-made Christian law within itself. But instead the Holy Spirit will produce the good works (good fruit), the fruit of the Spirit within your lives (Galatians 5), and what will happen is that they will flow freely. Remember Ephesians states that you are "HIS WORKMANSHIP" created to good works, "which he has prepared in advance" (Eph 2:10). Being led by God's Spirit you will see and hear the unction of God as He prompts you to do the "WORK" of the Kingdom. Kingdom fruit is everlasting fruit. When burned it survives untouched and un-ruined; pure. It is important that we don't spend our lives building the house made of hay and stubble but instead build with pure gold and silver and precious stones that are eternal. Build what stands against the storm, build what endures through the fire.
Also it is impossible to be stuck on true Grace and not be led by God's Spirit. It is the Grace of God that empowers you to do good works. It is the Grace of God the empowers you with gifting to be used properly in the Kingdom of God. God's grace is not just the washing over of sins but indeed has many wonderful facets to it. It is manifold (1 Peter 4:10) and is diversified. Even the correct and accurate meaning of "gifts" of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor 12 is defined as "graces". Yes indeed, you are right, it certainly does justify you (Romans 3:24). But...it also teaches you to live righteously (Titus 2:12, Acts 20:32, 2 Timothy 2:1). And to end the good works argument, it is the Grace of God that is fruit producing; in its fruit-producing role: "and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth" (Colossians 1:6). It is time to know the Grace of God in Truth. And to end the argument from the other side of the ditch, the Grace of God is the empowering and working element in a Christians life for laboring in the Kingdom according to Paul at the ending of his career. "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). First Paul declared that he labor (good works) more than all the other workers in the field but then he humbled himself before the Corinthians in letter and said that he takes none of the credit but instead it was the Grace of God working in him and through him to produce the good works of the Kingdom. Many other scriptures could I lay out before you showing a more accurate balance of both good works and Grace and how they were never meant to be on opposite sides of the road in a drunken state stumbling in the dark but I will trust that this is enough and it stirs you to know more of the truth.
So what if... what if the Holy Spirit is in the center of the road crying out for you to be led by Him? What if He is trying to illuminate the path through truth? What if the Holy Spirit is lighting a path where a stranger, a neighbor, that is badly beaten and and bruised and in need of healing, right there in the center of the road strategically positions by God Himself? What if this man was recently attacked by robbers, clothes stolen, beaten and left half-dead in the center of the road? What if the Holy Spirit is saying to you priestly Good works opinionated man to leave your own agenda of good works, law abiding self, to be in the center helping this man? What if the Holy Spirit was calling out to you, Grace declaring lazy Levite, to get off the dark stumbling path of unrighteousness to help this poor man in need. What if...what if the Holy Spirit is trying to get both your attention to come together and be one NEW MAN, a SAMARITAN who doesn't pass the naked left for dead man, on either side of the road, but instead produces a graceful good work led by the Spirit in the center of the Road.
Luke 10:29-37
New International Version (NIV)
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Colossians 4:5-6 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
Ephesians 5:8-21
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Walk in Wisdom
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Written by: Rich Cohrs
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