The Spirit of Grace - Peggy Sims

Reading Time: 10 Minutes

Drop the Stones

As born again believers we are one with God in spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:17) (John 14:20) and for that reason we live like Jesus lived– filled with the Spirit of grace.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. John 8:1-6 NKJV

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:7-11 NIV

Saved by Grace

This woman was about to be stoned to death and Jesus saved her life! Jesus forgave her sin and removed her sentence of death. The religious leaders saw an adulterous woman but Jesus saw His Bride-to-be.

When Jesus told her to stop sinning it was because He loved her. He wanted her to become reconciled with God by the Spirit of grace. (Ephesians 2:8-10) She did not understand how precious and valuable she was to God until Jesus came and saved her life that day.

The Son of God didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but to save anyone who would believe in Him. (John 3:16-17) Jesus, was the only human that never sinned. He alone had the right to condemn this woman, but instead, He forgave her!!!

The Spirit of grace lives in us and has brought us from death to life. We are not like the scribes and Pharisees who picked up stones but like Jesus who offered her reconciliation with God. When people tempt us to throw stones at the sinner we must remember that at one time we too were condemned to death, but Jesus came and saved us! His Spirit of grace lives inside us so we can offer His gift of life to others.

Why Stop Sinning?

After Jesus forgave this woman, He told her to stop sinning. Jesus preached repentance which means to turn away from sin to be reconciled with God. (Matthew 4:17) Jesus told a man He healed to stop sinning or something worse would happen to him. (John 5:14) God’s Word tells us that there is no temptation we can face that the Lord will not give us the power to resist. (1 Corinthians 10:13) We are no longer slaves of sin (Romans 6:1-7) but empowered by the Spirit of grace to live a new life in Christ. (Ephesians 4:22-24) Remaining in Christ is a choice.

For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies. Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31 NET

Covenant of Grace

Our covenant with Jesus is like a marriage in that we become one with Jesus by His Spirit of grace. Our bodies, soul and spirit belong to the Lord now. We must not allow Satan to ruin our relationship with Jesus! The Lord has already kept His covenant promise for eternity by shedding His Blood and offering us the gift of eternal life. We must keep our covenant with Him by not choosing the desires of this world over Him and His Kingdom. Any doctrine that preaches it’s okay to deliberately keep sinning is not from God. Sin leads us into darkness. But we are children of God and He is the light. We must desire to remain in Him!

Jesus will forgive us 77+ times a day if we sin and come to Him in sincere repentance. (Matthew 18:21-35) Jesus knows our weaknesses and will strengthen us against the power of our enemy if our heart’s desire is to remain in Him. We must learn to put on God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-17) and learn about our authority against the devil. And as the Lord is merciful to us, we must be merciful to others because we belong to His Spirit.

We are Like Our Father

But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36 NASB

It is easy to view scripture passages like this as rules that we must try to keep in our own strength. But the closer I get to Jesus and the light of His Word, the more I see that He was teaching us who we are– born-again by the Holy Spirit. As children of God, we are like our Father and want to obey Him because He is so good and loves us so much!

We Are Like Jesus

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 1 John 4:17 NIV

In this world we are like Jesus– full of grace by the Holy Spirit. If your heart has been bruised by this world, God wants to pour His love on the wound and heal the brokenness. He wants us to reject the lies of the enemy, sometimes spoken by people, and believe the truth in His Word.

Do not try to be strong in your own strength, but rest in God’s grace and truth. Remind your heart of the truth as often as the devil whispers lies. God loves you. He is for you– not against you. You belong to God and He will take care of you. No matter how you feel or what has happened to you, in Christ you are cleansed. You are like your Father, full of grace. Let your goal be to rejoice in what the Lord has done for you so you can enjoy expressing His grace toward others.

The Atmosphere of God’s Grace

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31 AMP

In this world we will be mistreated by others. Those unfortunate encounters with people are opportunities to grow and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. So don’t be afraid. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister grace through you!

But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. Galatians 5:22-23. GNT

If we don’t know who we are in Christ we will live from the atmosphere of the world instead of the atmosphere of Heaven. We are seated with God in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. If we plant a tree near a stream its roots will always have water. It will grow and produce fruit. But if we move the tree to the desert, it will die. We don’t have to become a recluse and stop interacting with people of the world. In fact, the Lord told us that we are the light of the world and our light should shine in the darkness. But we must remain in the atmosphere of the Spirit of grace and drink of Him daily. Then we will have the fruit of grace to share with others.

Do Not Judge

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:1 NLT

The world coaches us to make fun of people, to retaliate, to keep a list of the faults and to blame others for our own unhappiness. This is not the way of the Kingdom of God and this is not who we are. All of us were “the adulterous woman” in that we were separated from God by sin. But God sent Jesus to make it possible for us to become one with God again. Under the new covenant of His Blood we have become the Bride of Christ! Now we are in Him and like Him– even willing to suffer like Him to show how God’s mercy and grace is real.

Amazing Grace

But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36 NASB

I am amazed at this passage, but I realize this is who God is! He lives in us and this is also who we are now by the rebirth of His Spirit. We are sons and daughters of our merciful Father!

Embrace the Holy Spirit

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV

Pay attention to the Holy Spirit because He will reveal who you are in Christ. See yourself and others through the lens of the cross– cleansed by the Blood of Jesus. Share the Good News of Jesus and allow the grace of our Father flow out to others!