Moment of Truth: Casting Down Lies #40

“Grace doesn’t depend on you. It depends on God.”

Now it is true that God grants grace in His time, not ours, but the saying above that pastors use is definitely not in this context.

God help the pastors to stop misleading the people. I heard this big fat lie once again on Christmas day 2018 from a well-known preacher who kept telling this to his congregation—and the world—that their good works don’t matter and God doesn’t give grace for that.

*SMH

If there’s one thing you must get from the word of God, please understand, your goodness and obedience matters after salvation. It absolutely matters and causes you to abound in grace, which is the favor of God. In fact, good works and obedience ALWAYS mattered.

If you believe that grace is simply “unmerited favor,” then yes, you probably believe that lie, which leads Christians to be weak, ineffective, and lukewarm because if your good works and obedience don’t matter, you’ll walk around calling yourself a sinner instead of a what God made you—a saint working out your salvation with fear and trembling through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the word of God. Yes, you are a slave to righteousness, which is right-doing and you must be prepared.

[1] Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. [2] And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. [3] They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: [4] But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. [6] And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. [7] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said unto the wise, “Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” [9] But the wise answered, saying, “Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” [10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. [11] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” [12] But he answered and said, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” [13] Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. – Matthew 25:1-13 KJV

This parable is about the anointing that sits upon the disciplined who stay prepared and watch for the Lord.

Immediately after, Jesus tells another parable about increasing money known as talents. Here’s the point of that parable:

[26] His lord answered and said unto him, “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: [27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. [28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. [29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. [30] And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 25:26-30 KJV

This servant is unprofitable because he hid the riches of God and did not multiply it.

Notice that the first parable is about a devout readiness for the Lord. The second parable is about increasing the knowledge of God’s word to others; making disciples. These cover the commandments.

Next, the scriptural passage below explains that after you are born of the Spirit of God, God chastises you. By the way, if you are not corrected by God, you are not His. He corrects you harshly until you understand and fear Him. The correction is so that you will produce, repent, and follow holiness or else you will fail the grace of God. Now, if pastors are telling you that your production doesn’t matter, they are helping you to fail the grace.

[11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
(Ex. i.) [12] Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; [13] And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame
(Ex. ii.) be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
[14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: [15] Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God
; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you , and thereby many be defiled; [16] Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau,(Ex. i.) who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. [17] For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. [18] For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, [19] And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: [20] (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: [21] And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) [22] But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Ex. i.) [24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. [25] See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. (Ex. i.) For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven: [26] Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.’ [27] And this word, ‘Yet once more,’ signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (Ex. iii.) [29] For our God is a consuming fire. – Hebrews 12:11-29 KJV

Therefore, “let us have grace” by not being foolish continuing in sin—not letting our lameness get healed (See Ex. ii.)—but rather because of our obedience to God by chastisement (See Ex. i.+4) we will have grace wherby we can continue in fear and godliness (See Ex. iii.) —because faith, if it does not have works, is dead. And if faith is dead, so is your grace. Thus, works affect grace.

I’m telling you, preaching Lie #40 is part of the end-time grace of God turned into lasciviousness1 Lustful uncleanness spoken of in the book of Jude that consists of one page and one chapter before Revelation.

[15] I know thy works, <== that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. [16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, [Chastisement] that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, [Sanctification] that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, [Heal the blindness] that thou mayest see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. – Revelation 3:15-19 KJV [Jesus says].