Do Not Frustrate The Grace Of God: For If Righteousness Come By The Law, Then Christ Is Dead In Vain -- And We Know That Christ Did Not Die In Vain - Part 2168

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11)
While those who accused Stephen stoned him,  Stephen was never moved in his faith. Indeed, as we note from the scriptures, Stephen called upon his God saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Yes, in his last moments, Stephen called upon God, revealing that his God was none other than the Lord Jesus. Stephen was not the only individual to recognize firsthand who God was.

Paul also was a chosen vessel of the Lord who willingly spread the gospel message and His name among the Gentiles. In Acts 22:14, for example, the One who appeared to Paul on his journey to Damascus was none other than the God of his/our fathers. His name? 

Jesus -- for He shall save His people from their sins. The same Jesus whom ye have crucified, as Peter standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost -- He is both Lord and Christ. (Matthew 1:21-23; Acts 2:36-41)

And for us, who like Stephen, from a distance viewing the religious madness manifest, have abundant grace lavished. Abundant grace toward Stephen. Mercy untold toward Paul. The Lord standing, observing the circumstances, but not raining down fire and brimstone. Instead, God revealed Himself in vision form. We observe the eminent immediate life tragedy appearing as it was a drastic situation. However, the new covenant is in the hands of the Lord. He alone knows the obstacles that resist its establishment on earth. This means that we can, from our vantage point, view the larger picture which necessitated these happenings.

But this question should be asked for hypothetical reasons. What if there was no old covenant? What if there was no well versed Stephen, who understood the dispensations? Or, if there had not existed any religious fanatics, or a young man Saul living a lie and betraying his heart? For sure, this confrontation would not have occurred if there was no Jesus standing, observing, or recalling His own Word. Inasmuch as you do these things to my brethren you are doing it to Me. 

This is an interesting point, and one that we should meditate upon, because the Lord Jesus has so much more to reveal to the hearts which are focused on Him.

The question -- Are you persecuting Me, portraying long suffering? God is giving this last opportunity to those who oppose the truth to divorce themselves from that old covenant. The constraints of the law. "No man can serve two masters," saith the scriptures. Similarly, the law states that no man can have two wives. However if one wife should die, then we are free to marry another. It is in this sense that we are dead to the old covenant by the offering of the body of Jesus. He has already fulfilled all the requirements of salvation and in so doing, He cancelled the curses bequeathed to fall on Adam’s offspring. Therefore, we are free to marry another.

By grace, we have now chosen to be married to the new covenant’s Author JESUS. The same Jesus who arose from the dead. It is this Jesus that we endeavour to worship and serve Him alone in spirit and in truth. As such, we are born free under grace -- no longer committing adultery. But even after these events transpired and the grace known wherein we are saved, the new covenant believers continued to be persecuted by the religious proponents of the former sin and death old covenant. In fact, the old covenant way, the law was so entrenched in some sectors that certain brethren started to teach Gentile believers that they should be circumcised. If they are not circumcised, suggested old covenant advocates, one cannot be saved.

No different than today, there was a dissension. Nevertheless, and according to Acts 15,  the scriptures clearly tell the results of apostles and elders assembled with the people -- to consider the matter of circumcision. In Acts 15:23-31 -- so we see that certain elements existed before the law and these are yet retained. We are the temple of His holy Spirit who alone unfolds the mysteries of God, leading and guiding us into all truth. Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman (man’s way) and the other, the child of promise.

But as of then, the child born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit. So the message today is to cast out the bond woman and her son.  Brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman. We are the children of the free. Therefore we need to cease from going around the old covenant mountain. Instead, we should walk in His Spirit, the perfect law of liberty. 

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
And once and for all, stand in the offering plate and let the peace of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ rule and reign within your heart.