Creflo Dollar - The Spirit of Grace - Part 3
Well, if you have your Bibles this morning, if you'll go with me to the book of St. John chapter 8, St. John chapter 8, and we're gonna begin at verse 30. And I'm gonna continue to talk about the spirit of grace, the spirit of grace, and hopefully you'll really see the significance of what we're celebrating today. I wanna re-establish a foundation before I go in to where we left off. I left off with a radical statement that you had the week to think about, and then we would add more to this. St. John chapter 8 and verse 30. Jesus here is getting ready to talk to some Jewish people. And if you understand that most of the Jews, if not all, it was a covenant extended towards Jewish people to train under the law and to be taught under the law that came by Moses.
Verse 30, "As he spake these words, many believed on him," Jesus. "Then said Jesus to those Jews who were under the law". That's the implication here. "Then said Jesus to those Jews who were under the law, which believed on him, If you continue in my word," you who are under the Law of Moses, "then are you my disciples indeed; And if you'll continue in my word, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free". Now, that's a powerful Scripture because if people can understand that freedom is available, and Jesus says that freedom will come as a result of you knowing the truth and continuing in it. I'm telling you it's something that we need to share with the world, because there are lots of people that are in bondage. There are lots of people who don't know freedom, and Jesus says the truth will make you free. Say that out loud, "The truth will make you free".
Well, for the most part, as Christian people, we have concluded that the truth, then, must be the Word of God, but the Word of God in general, just, it's gotta be more specific, more detailed than that, more precise than just the whole Word of God, because I know a lotta people who are in the Word of God and they are not free. So, we've got to find out precisely what is the truth that Jesus said to those Jews would make you free. So, he's saying to the Jews, "You guys are under the law. And if you'll continue in my Word, you're gonna find some truth that's gonna make you free from the law". In context that's what he's talking about, freedom from the law. Well, let's dig around a little bit and find out what this truth is that will make you free from the law.
Go to St. John chapter 1, verse 14 and verse 17. St. John chapter 1, verse 14 and 17. All right, in verse 14 here's what it says here. He said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth". Now, the Word was made flesh. Who's he talking about? "And he dwelt amongst us, and we beheld him, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father". Who's the only begotten of the Father? And notice what it said about Jesus: Jesus was full of... Grace. And truth. Now, notice it's not grace that's one entity and truth that's another one. "And" is a conjunctive word which is used in our English language to connect phrases and clauses, so whatever is on one side of the "and" is in relationship with what's on the other side of the "and". And I need to let you know that grace is the truth. Jesus full of grace and truth. Grace is the truth.
Look at verse 17. "For the law was given by," who? "But grace and truth came by," who? You can't give what you don't have, right? So, the law by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, so here's what he was saying in John chapter 8. He said, "If you continue in my word, you'll be my disciples indeed; and you'll know the truth". In other words, grace is the truth. You'll know grace, and the grace that you know, grace which is the truth that you know, will make you free from the law that came by Moses. Grace is the truth that will make you free from the law that came by Moses, the law that says if you do good you'll get good, the law that says if you do bad you'll get bad.
Now, I'm not against the law, except I'm trying to prove to people that you're no longer, as Christians, you're no longer relying upon the law for guidance. You're no longer relying upon the Ten Commandments as your guide in life. Jesus has come to give us something deeper than what Moses gave. Jesus came to give us something greater than what Moses gave. See, the law was given to bring people to the end of their self-effort. The law was given so that there could be very clearly stated that when you do wrong, the law now will just label it as wrong. A speed limit lets you know that that was wrong. But the problem with it is that the law also created sin consciousness. And so, what happens is Christian people are so sin conscious, when real freedom comes, you can't enjoy it because you're sin conscious.
I was in Germany. Like I said in the story, I'm riding on the autobahn. You can go as fast as you wanna go. I can't go fast because my conscience, my speed limit law conscience is now stopping me from enjoying going faster than what the speed limit says. So, there are so many laws that you've learned as Christians, and Jesus said, "You no longer need to make yourselves subject to the law. Now that I have come and now that you are saved, I have something better and greater than the law that's gonna help you do better," because the law by itself could never make you righteous. Under the law you had to do these five things, these ten things in order to be made righteous, and you could never keep 'em consistently. Eventually, you would break one or the other, and the Bible says in James if you break one, then you're guilty of the whole things. So, it's like who can do this? And then ya give you more laws, and you keep 'em for a minute, but eventually you break it.
And then, you start feeling bad, and you condemn yourself, and you say, "Who can do this"? And God understands that, so he says, "I sent my son Jesus to bring you something better so that you'll be able to have victory," hallelujah, "without the law continuing to be your schoolmaster". So, the schoolmaster, if you are born again, has been fired. Are you listening to me? All right. Now, here's the part we don't get. The grace of God has been given to the Christian to replace law. Now, before you get saved you need law 'cause you're not under grace, so law still has a purpose, to help those who don't believe and receive Jesus and made him Lord of their life. But when grace has come... say out loud, "Grace has come". And Jesus is grace, amen? Say, "Jesus has come". Say, "Grace has come". But when grace has come, you no longer need the law. But I wanna introduce the administrator of all of these changes.
Go with me to the book of Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 29 in the Amplified, let's look at it in the Amplified first. Hebrews 10:29 in the Amplified. Lemme say this, let set this foundation first, and we'll be good to go. Is everybody with me so far? Got it, all right? All right, look at this. Hebrews 10:29 in the Amplified. "How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit".
Now here's what I want you to get. "The [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessings of God)". I needed to show you this because of this comment. The Holy Spirit imparts grace. Wow. So, everything you try to accomplish under grace and you're trying to accomplish it without the Holy Spirit, you have to recognize you need the Holy Ghost to be successful in your life mission, and the Holy Ghost imparts grace. So, who imparts grace? So, you need the Holy Ghost, right? I said you need the Holy Ghost, right? It's not enough for me to teach on grace, but you need grace imparted in you. See, I can say some things and probably said some things already that your brain is wrestling with, but it takes a revelation of grace to be able to live it out. And the Holy Spirit is going to minister grace and impart grace on the inside of you, so when you know that you know that you know, nothing else will ever be able to take it out of you because he is the administrator of the grace of God. If you understand that say, "Amen".
Now, 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2. These Scriptures are so important for you to see in order for you to hear what I'm getting ready to say. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 9 and 10, and let's read it out of the King James and then the Amplified. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 King James and then Amplified. The King James says, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him". How many love God? All right. Now watch this. Verse 10, "But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God". So, we're getting ready to go from the cheaper to the deeper, okay? But you can't do it on your own. You need the Holy Ghost, all right? Now look at this in the Amplified. "But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye hath not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (and made and keeps ready) for those who love Him".
There are some things that God has prepared and God has kept ready, and God has kept some things in secret for you. Verse 10. I don't know about you, I wanna know. I said I wanna know. You got something you got in secret for me, Lord, I need to know what it is. Some of you trying to figure out the will of God for your life. Some of you trying to figure out how to do that, how to do this, and God says that he already knows. And verse 10, he said, "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit," so that's how it's gonna come. "For the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [and the divine counsel and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny]". There are some things that school's not gonna be able to teach you, college is not gonna be able to teach you, university is not gonna be able to teach you. He says, "I got some stuff that I want you to know about". He says, "I've hidden it for you, kept it for you, and the Holy Ghost has the assignment of revealing it to you".
Turn to your neighbor and say, "I'm going somewhere". All right, now, look at Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1. The giver of grace, so he's gonna reveal some things to you. He's gonna show you some secrets that you don't deserve to know, but that's why he gives you grace, to let you know, "I'm getting ready to show you some hidden things, some hidden truths". It's beyond man's scrutiny and examination. There's some stuff about you you don't know yet, so don't give up on you. There's some things you possess you don't know yet, so don't quit yet. See, the devil is working overtime to try to get you to give up, cave in, and quit, but the Holy Ghost has not been hiding things from you, but he's been hiding things for you. Don't quit just yet.
All right, Galatians 1:11-12. Now watch this. Galatians 1:11-12. He says, "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man". So, Paul is talking about the gospel of grace, and he says he didn't get this revelation from men. Paul said, "What I'm preaching about grace didn't come from a man". Look at verse 12: "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ". Paul said, "What I am teaching, I got it by revelation of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost".
There are some things you don't understand about this Jesus. It's gonna take a revelation to deliver you from the religiosity of church so you can really understand what has happened and the authority and the power that you walk with every day of your life. I tell you it is beyond man's seminary. It is beyond the scrutiny of man. God is getting ready to show you the authority that you have. You just don't know how powerful you are. You'll no longer be defeated by a cookie or a pill or some weed. It can't defeat you no more. You'll no longer be defeated by the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. All the things that have been able to get you down so far, I announce to you this morning that your day of deliverance is at hand. You're about to discover something about yourself that's getting ready to take you to the next level.
Honey, you thought you were a bum until you found out you're a saint. You thought you were broke until you found out you were rich. You thought you were worried all the time until you found out that there's a peace that passes all understanding. Get ready, the year of the Holy Ghost is at hand. Hallelujah. So, when Jesus ascended, the Holy Ghost came, and one of his major works in our lives is to remove the veil that has obstructed our view so our eyes can see, so our ears can hear, so our hearts can fully comprehend the specific special plans that God has meticulously prepared for the church and prepared for each of us. Now, watch this very carefully. This is about to get really radical now. I wanna take you to three Scriptures and then show you where the Holy Spirit comes in that.
1 Timothy chapter 1:9. If you are born again, if you've made Jesus the Lord of your life and by faith you believe you are the righteousness of God, then you are righteous, and you believe it by faith without your works to make you righteous. All right. Now watch this. 1 Timothy chapter 1:9, "Knowing this, that the law," which came by Moses, "is not made for a righteous man". How many of you are righteous by faith, all right? Now listen what it just... can you read? Put that up on the screen. I need you to know I'm not making this up. "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man". Watch this. Why have we been coming to church all these years and been trained in the Law of Moses if you've been born again? Now, the law still has significance, and the law is not bad, mmm. The law's good for what it was sent to do. All right, put that back up. I wanna show you something. The significance here, he says it's not for a righteous man.
Somebody say, "That's me". Now, if that's not you, if you're not born again, it is. He says the law is for the lawless. The law is for the disobedient. It's for the ungodly. It's for the sinners. It's for unholy and profane. The law is for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers and for manslayers. He says the law still has significance. Verse 10. He says the law is for whoremongers. The law is for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. He says the law is for everybody that's still sinning and don't believe because they've not yet subjected themselves to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. So, the law is there to still let you know that what you doing is wrong. It's not there to make you righteous. It's there to condemn you, to bring about guilt, to let you know that... here's what the law does. The law shows you what's wrong with you but doesn't do anything to correct it. That's what the law does, so when you look at the Ten Commandments, it shows you you a lie. It shows you you ain't no good. It shows you you're a whoremonger.
Listen, you no longer have to debate whether or not this is sin. It shows you that that's wrong, and that's what it does, but it doesn't change anything. You're never gonna become righteous by keeping the Ten Commandments. I don't care if you did watch "Ten Commandments" last night, "Moses," Cecil B. DeMille. Half of that stuff is wrong. Quit trusting drama for your Bible reading. That ain't how that happen. You know, when they came outta Egypt they, in fact, they sang a sad song when they came outta Egypt. "Whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa". That ain't how they came out. And then, you know, they were carrying sick people and, "I'm still blind, I'm still blind". That is not how that happened. The Bible says he brought them out with silver and gold and not one of them was feeble or sick. He brought 'em out and healed every last one of 'em. That's how they came out, so they came out shouting and jumping.
What would you do if somebody turned some silver and gold unto you? A'ight, the second one, Romans 6:14, 'cause I know some of you having problems right now. Messing with your law. The issue is you think you okay 'cause you kept the Ten Commandments, and then realized there were 600-and-something other commandments. And so, while you might not have broken the 10, you've been wearing the 600-and-some out. So you need Jesus. Turn to your neighbor and say, "You need Jesus". Turn the other side and say, "You need Jesus". And then, point at yourself and say, "Me too".
That's the whole point of the law, was to bring you to a point where you recognize you can't do this by yourself. You need a savior. Why do you need a savior? I mean, it was hard to keep all of that. Legalism is rough. Legalism is hard. Do you know one of the laws of the 600 was don't eat pork? How many y'all celebrate Fourth of July? How many y'all like them pork ribs? Goddog it, you're guilty of breaking all 600-and-some laws. So, I mean, who can do this? And so, what Jesus did, Jesus showed up, kept all of 'em, and said, "I know y'all can't keep 'em all, but I can. And so, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take your place and invite you to come inside of me. And if I kept 'em all, you kept 'em all. Come on in. Come on in".