Have you ever seen a beautiful stained hardwood floor? The other day God spoke to me that I was stained by grace. That was one of the first images in my mind a perfectly stained hardwood floor.
Stained By Grace
9-2-2012
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
Jesus is the Word that robed Himself in flesh. For the first time man was able to behold the glory of God in ways that were impossible before! Jesus came full of grace and truth and of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. There is one exclusive way to receive from God and it is by His divine enablement and influence upon our hearts. Imagine, from the fullness of Jesus Christ we have all received and it is grace for grace! If you have ever been touched by God you have been stained by grace. Have you ever seen a hardwood floor that was covered by paint or glued down carpet? Have you ever seen the owner of the floor go to work removing the paint or carpet and glue. Taking all that should not be there and removing it! Then there comes the sanding down making it ready for the application of stain. You and I have been stained by grace! It is the exclusive work of Jesus Christ upon all who will call upon Him!
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
God’s divine influence has made a way. Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. God the Father had a plan to remove all that separated you from Himself and apply the righteousness that was found in His Son Christ Jesus. The Father did a removing of what should not be there and applied by grace what should be there so you and I could be reconciled to God. Those who surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ are stained by grace. Let’s back up just a bit in verses.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Stained by grace! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. It is time for the believer to arise and see himself through the eyes of grace. Old things have passed away; behold… Believer behold, all things have become new! Once for all stained by grace Trust in the completed work of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
This may be one of the most under preached passages in the Bible. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM! And He has committed to us the word of reconciliation! I am a newly created being and I am one whose trespasses are no longer held against them. Irrevocable stained by grace.
Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Stained by grace means you have Jesus your High Priest unending ministry to and for you. Jesus saves to the uttermost because He always lives to make intercession for you! Stained by grace indeed. The old is gone the new has come and this is the gospel of Christ.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 AndHe Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Jesus separated us from our sin by His obedience to the cross. It is written so we do not sin; however if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father! The advocate with the Father is Jesus Christ the righteous One! Stained by grace means you have the right and command to reckon yourself dead to sin and alive unto God! Jesus has not come to condemn but to set free from sin! He who the Son sets free is free indeed; forever stained by grace!
John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."
Religious folks who want to trust in their own good works don’t know what to do with the words of Jesus. Jesus declared those who would hear His voice would be given eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. If that was not great enough He went on to declare about His Father. The Father is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand! Wow, stained by grace means you have been born of imperishable seed! Stained by grace means you no longer trust in yourself but exclusively in Jesus.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
The obedience we are to trust in is not our own! It is the One Man’s obedience we can learn to trust in. His obedience alone has stained us by divine influence.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus there is no other way to lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us. Our freedom came by putting the object of our faith in the One who authored our faith and will finish that which He has started. Stained by grace is to keep your eyes upon the source of your victory; cloth yourself in Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Stained by grace brings confidence in the One who will guard you against the evil one!
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Stained by grace leaves you trusting in Him to confirm you to the end. God is faithful, He called you into the fellowship of His Son and He is always working to enrich you! Stained by grace is the assurance God is on your side; you can trust His goodness.
Hebrews 2:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." 13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."
Stained by grace means you are one with Jesus and He is not ashamed to call you brother. This is one song service I am looking forward to! The day Jesus sings the praises of the Father to you and I. After singing the praises of the Father to us we will be presented to the Father. What a day when Jesus speaks ”Here am I and the children whom God has given Me”! Stained by grace means you’re in the palm of His hand.
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