Why the Name “Grace Driven People”
Are you tired of people saying, “You need to find God’s purpose for your life so that you can find your place in life?” Have you dedicated yourself to reading the books, charting your goals, planning your weeks and working at the steps and found it unfulfilling and exhausting? Are you wondering if an author’s methods for discovering purpose are completely different than yours and here you are trying to emulate them?
Have you been afraid to ask your peers about their success, or lack of, in finding God’s purpose? Are you willing to set aside the purpose driven life and the principle driven life for the grace driven life and come to grips with the fact that Christ not only died for you but is in you and you in Him?
There are no steps, methods, goals, plans or disciplines applied to the grace driven person. I write to proclaim this life changing message:
Christ wants to live in you, so that He can live through you so that He can live for you. He has become your LIFE.
Grace is the ESSENCE of the whole Christian life, thus the name Grace Driven People!
I believe passionately about one thing in the Christian faith; it’s all about Jesus. What makes this statement radically different in comparison to what many others believe? My articles will detail the specifics of this while primarily highlighting the discord between the Old Covenant and the New. What’s the main difference you ask? In the Old Covenant it’s all about you attempting to satisfy God. In the New Covenant it’s all about Jesus satisfying the requirements laid out for a perfect relationship with God and enjoying His work. You’re asking for examples, I’ll give a few. You are justified, sanctified and glorified because Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12).
How does Jesus go about this perfection process? To answer that question I will be telling you about the exchanged life Jesus provides when we accept Him. This is what Paul specifically spoke about in Galatians 2:20 and throughout the rest of his letters to the church. The Exchanged Life is what happened to all of us when we became “born again” and instantly developed into a “new creation.” Just as we inherited our physical DNA from our parents so to our spiritual DNA comes from Jesus. Our spiritual journey is driven by our identification with Him and the discovery of what it means to be “in Christ.” Our history is intimately linked to His story. We are now crucified, buried, baptized, resurrected and ascended with Him! His character becomes ours. We are hidden with Christ (Colossians 3:3), also clothed with Him (Galatians 3:27) and sealed in Christ (Eph. 1: 13-14). When we find ourselves immersed in His life we discover the friction between grace and works and relish the freedom of being set free from the slavery to the demands of the Law. (Galatians 5:1). What the law demands, God’s grace provides.
I worked many years as a Pastor in non-denominational Christian churches and missed the simplicity of this gospel message. Allow me to share my life with you, in hopes that you too will enjoy the spiritual rest Jesus offered in Matthew 11:28-30. For when we come to rest in the life of Jesus we will find much to talk about and do as we grow in grace.
"…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 Cor 15:10b)
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9a)
" For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age...” (Titus 2:11-12)
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, (by grace, through faith) so walk in Him" (by grace, through faith) (Col 2:6)
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