MISCONCEPTION:
You are saved by grace, through faith, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.
THE TRUTH IS:
The above statement is true, but only half true. What many do not realize is the Apostle Paul wrote some of the things he wrote in a hard-to-understand way, so he would trip up those who were false teachers, who were not called or taught by God personally. These untaught and unstable people would distort the true gospel to their own destruction. The Apostle Peter knew what Paul was doing and he mentioned it in 2 Peter 3:16.
You are born by grace, you continue to live by grace, and when the time comes for you to be called by grace, then you must respond to that calling. God doesn’t need you, but you need God. God calls you to hear His truth either by opening your mind and drawing you with His Spirit, or by sending one of His servants to wherever you may be (John 6:44-65). Should there be no man of God around, the Lord will teach you Himself as you live for Him daily (John 6:45; 2 Tim. 2:7; 1 John 2:27). Now, the Lord Jesus is that Spirit which resides in us when we live to obey Him (1 Cor. 3:16; Acts 16:6-7). Notice while reading John 14:16-18, Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” If Jesus sends His servant, you should receive him, because when you do, you have received Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:40-42; John 13:20).
In Jesus’ day, as well as today, only those who were receiving their chance for salvation knew the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Mark 4:11; Matt. 13:11). The knowledge of this profound mystery is given to us by grace through God’s Spirit. The mystery of the kingdom of God includes the answers to the following questions:
What is the kingdom of God message?
How do you enter the kingdom of God within?
How do you repent?
How do you do God’s Will?
How do you overcome?
How do you glorify God daily?
How do you worship God in spirit and in truth?
How do you keep and perform God’s Ways?
God is not calling everyone to know His truth today, because this is not the only day of salvation (Heb. 3:7-8; Rev. 17:14). Consider these verses from God’s word: Acts 2:39, 47; 13:48; John 13:18; 5:21; Romans 11:7. When you are called by grace, God tells you the truth so that you may no longer live a disgraceful life before Him. God grants you the ability to repent by knowing His truth and allows you to know His Will so that you can be released from being held captive by Satan into doing his will (2 Tim. 2:26). In plain language, God allows you to know His Will so you can repent and know the truth. By knowing and living this truth, you become released from your old satanic nature of the flesh which represents Satan’s will, and thus you become reconciled to God by His grace (Rom. 16:20).
For more on this subject click on one of the following:
GRAIN OF TRUTH: Am I Saved By Grace Through Faith?
Bible Study: Understanding Grace
Bible Studies on the subject of Grace