Welcome to The Feast!
Day 4 Lessons on Faith Boundless Grace & Grace or Sin
Guest_Barb : Good evening
Guest_Adriel : Good evening.
Guest_Barb : Welcome to everyone
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Greetings
Zahakiel15270 : Hello
Guest_Barb : Let's begin with prayer. Brother Jaime, would you open the meeting with prayer?
Guest_Giselle : Jaime: ok. Heavenly and dear Father, we thank you for this day, the fourth day of the feast. I ask you to lead Sis. Barb thru the study with inspiration, so we can understand and apply the impact of these subjects. Bless us Father, in this moment, so we can grow and give a clearer testimony of your light to others. In the name of Yahshua, we ask you this, Amen.
Zahakiel15270 : Amen.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Guest_Barb : Amen
Guest_Peter_Jr_1516 : Amen.
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Barb : First we will review a very small chapter in Lessons on Faith, "Boundless Grace". The number of pages is small, but the topic is infinite! It opens with Ephesians 4:7 “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” What is that measure? It is the 'fullness of the Godhead bodily' If this text is referring to the gift the Father gave, which is His Son, this is true because the 'fullness of the Godhead bodily' dwelt in Him. If this is speaking of the gift that Christ gave to us, which is Himself, it also is true and for the same reason. The gift, measured by the 'fullness of the Godhead bodily', is unlimited - boundless! That means Yah has given us all of the grace that He has, a boundless amount! Who is this grace given to? Each person!
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Barb : Next he spoke about the purpose of this grace. Titus 2:11 "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." This boundless grace has been given to EACH person so that each one can be saved. The gift has been given - it is up to each person whether he accepts or rejects it. Ephesians 4:11-13: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"<is this speed okay?>
Guest_Adriel : yes
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Fast enough.
Zahakiel15270 : Yes.
Guest_Barb : ok. He works through the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, by His boundless grace, for what purpose? For the perfecting of the saints. He wants us to be perfect and gives us boundless grace to become perfect, a perfect representation of Christ. When we accept His grace, we must accept ALL of it - not the amount we decide we think we deserve. After all, really, we deserve none of it. His grace is His free gift, in an unlimited or unbounded amount, to us. <tell me when you are caught up>
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Elyna : Finished
Zahakiel15270 : Done.
Guest_Barb : Ok, if all are caught up. Since that chapter was very short, we will continue with the next chapter, "Shall it be Grace or Sin?" As we said from the last chapter, this gift of grace has been given to us by Yahweh. And for the purpose of saving us and perfecting us so we perfectly represent Yahshua. Therefore, the power of grace MUST be greater than the power of sin. Otherwise, this power of grace could not give us salvation or perfect us. So, we KNOW it is true. Therefore, it is also true that it is as easy, under the reign of grace (after we accept Yah's grace), to do right, as it was, under the reign of sin (before we accepted Yah's grace), to do wrong. We are speaking of two powers here - the power of grace and the power of sin. Before we were converted, we were under the power of sin. We had no power to do good, but it was easy to do wrong, with the power of Satan.
Now, by the power of Yah's grace, which is greater than the power of sin, we have been freed from both the guilt and power of sin. It IS now easy to do right, with the power of Yah's grace! Romans 5:20b "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: “Grace is not simply 'more powerful than sin', but it is MUCH MORE powerful! Grace was given by Yahweh, who is infinite! Sin came by Satan, who is limited. It is obvious which then is more powerful! And infinitely more powerful! The reign of grace is the reign of God and the reign of sin is the reign of Satan. It is certainly just as easy to serve Yahweh by His power as it is to serve Satan by his power. No man can serve Yah with the power of Satan. There are many professed "Christians" who try to do this - serve Yah without the power of Yahweh. It cannot be done.
When we were born again, we were set free from the bondage to sin and Satan, set free from his power and are now living by the power of grace that Yah has given to us! As new creatures, living by His abundant, boundless grace, we have joy unspeakable; our yoke is easy and our burden is light! Think about Yahshua when He was on earth. Was it hard for him to do good? Of course, most people will say no, but they believe it is hard for them. Let us remind them.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Guest_Barb : Christ had no power while He was on earth that we do not have. He is the very one that dwells in us, by His Spirit, overcoming sin constantly in our flesh. Therefore, it IS as easy for us to do right as it was for Him to do right - all by the power of the grace of Yah, freely given to us. Remember, even Christ did not overcome by his own strength. He said in John 5:19 "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Also in John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Let us stop a moment and think about what this means to us personally. And if any have thoughts or comments, feel free to share.
Zahakiel15270 : C
Guest_Barb : Go ahead
Zahakiel15270 : I had two I was saving for the end, but since we are pausing here, I can share them now
The first was about a connection that can be made from the first study, short as it was. And it is a very simple idea. The purpose of grace, as you stated there, is to perfect the saints. The saints are perfected by the removal of sin from their souls and characters. So then, if we have "boundless" grace, which is grace without border or limit, then to be "cleansed" of sin by the grace of Yah means to have that sin removed from you by an infinite amount. This is a total and complete overcoming of all sin.Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Zahakiel15270 : And further, the "perfecting" of the saints allows us to be perfect "even as Yah is perfect," because it is to the same degree, and by the same power. So that truly, nothing can be too hard for us when it comes to righteousness.
The second comment is from the statement...
Guest_Barb : Amen
Zahakiel15270 : "Christ had no power while He was on earth that we do not have." This is a very powerful idea, as pastor said in Skype. And I think there is a connection to this other statement of inspiration that "force is the last resort of every false religion." I am not sure how exactly to word it yet but it is ALSO a characteristic of every false religion, that Christ is given some power that we do not have. In Catholicism, Christ, and even the saints, are divine figures. The heroes of faith are "above" regular people and so it forever removes from the "ordinary" person the idea of becoming a "saint," which is what every true Christian really is, but if we truly accept that Christ WAS just like us in terms of His power to do right then faith becomes, as was said earlier, "easy." It requires no force to be as Yahshua was. But those who know the standard (perfection) but do not know how to attain it, they must rely on a "last resort," which is the force of their own will.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Zahakiel15270 : End.
Guest_Barb : Thank you for sharing those thoughts - both in type and audio.
Guest_Adriel : (I appreciate it
)Guest_Elyna : C
Guest_Barb : Go ahead, Sis. Guerline
Guest_Elyna : My comment is about the passage we read in Ephesians, the last part: `` For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" The last part says Till we all come in the unity of the faith and ends with unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of Christ, which means we have been given the promise, the power to become or reach the STATURE of Christ.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : It is hard to explain writing.
Guest_Barb : Amen
Guest_Elyna : End.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : C
Guest_Barb : Go ahead
Guest_Pastor_Chick : These concepts are so limitless. Yes, we not only have the power by YAH's grace to be perfected and reflect the character of YAH identically to YAHSHUA. We ARE already perfected. We must take time to understand that perfection in us. The work is done. The oak tree is in the acorn.
Amen? Zahakiel15270 : Yes
Guest_Adriel : Amen!
Guest_Barb : Amen
Guest_Pastor_Chick : The gift is IN the promise!
Guest_Elyna : Yes.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Now, my question. Can human beings reflect the character of YAH? What do you think? END.
Guest_Adriel : Yes
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Is it true?
Guest_Adriel : Yes
Guest_Barb : Yes, Christ in us reflects the character of Yah.
Guest_Barb : reflects / lives
Guest_Adriel : All the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Daphna says, We cannot of ourselves become perfect. It is only his perfect character in us. (Barb, can you type in what you would like here?)
Guest_Barb : ok, yes
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Daphna is asking Barb to testify something. Barb used a computer as an example of conversion. (In the women's study)
Guest_Adriel : (yes)
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Jody, did you hear that story?
Guest_Adriel : yes
Guest_Pastor_Chick : She is telling it in audio right now. That is a good example.
Guest_Adriel : ok
Guest_Pastor_Chick : The old HD is gone and the new HD has "converted" the laptop.
Guest_Adriel : (modern day parable
)Guest_Pastor_Chick : We are talking in audio about being "dead." Daphna is trying to understand how that works. We are talking about not going on feelings to measure our condition. So, "human beings" do NOT reflect perfectly the character of YAH.
Guest_Adriel : but divine/human beings do.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : It is the partaking of the "divine nature" that converts the "human being". So, it is the "divine human" who DOES reflect perfectly the righteousness of Christ. And, self must be DEAD before that "person" can live. (new person) (David is explaining some things about negative feelings to Daphna.)
Guest_Adriel : I caught just bits & pieces. I feel I'm missing much. Thanks for sharing what you are though.
Guest_Elyna : Oh, sorry to hear.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : I understand, and it’s sad that your Skype did not connect.
Guest_Elyna : I could try summarize it for you, if you want I can try.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Daphna cannot type all of her thoughts, and I cannot type it fast enough either.
Guest_Elyna : I know.
Guest_Adriel : I'm hearing more now
Guest_Adriel : disconnected again
Guest_Adriel : back
Guest_Pastor_Chick : We really need to find a professional software that works.
Guest_Adriel : yes!
Guest_Pastor_Chick : OK
Guest_Barb : This is good discussion. Thank you all for the discussion. Let me encourage us with the rest of the text. Just as Yahshua depended on His Father, upon His grace, we do the same. Depending upon Him, upon the power of His grace, we are victorious, we are like Yahshua. And yes, it IS as easy to do right with the power of His grace, as it was previously to do wrong when we were enslaved to Satan.
Remember that 'unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” And he ended the chapter with “I beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” Summarizing these two chapters: Grace is a free gift from Yahweh - in an unlimited or boundless amount! Yah's grace is greater than the bondage of Satan, and His grace has freed us from that bondage. The purpose of Yah's grace is to save and perfect all who will accept it. Since we have this gift of boundless grace, and as we depend on His grace (not ourselves), we know we are (and will be) saved and that our character will be perfected. I will end with the following two verses:
Jude 24: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Guest_Barb : We KNOW, we are CONFIDENT, that He will be able to present us faultless to His Father, as His perfect bride, when He comes.
Guest_Adriel : Amen!
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Guest_Barb : Thanks to Yahweh for His inspiration
Go ahead with your request. Pastor. Which meeting are you referring to?Guest_Pastor_Chick : I have a request of Sister Barb. I would ask that she would take my next Sabbath meeting and do as she has done here during this meeting. I think she presents the subject matter in a good summary, not too much and not too little. I am pleased to add my comments and support to whatever subject she would choose. Can you accept that request? END.
Guest_Barb : Ok, which chapter were you intending to cover?
Guest_Pastor_Chick : I was thinking about Creation v. Evolution, but Br. Luke has heard it so many times he might not want that one. You could choose whatever YAH inspires. END.
Guest_Barb : well, ok
AmenGuest_Adriel : Amen! to the fresh meal comment of Pastor that I happened to catch before I got disconnected again.
Guest_Barb : Pastor, would you close with prayer (and then we can continue discussion)?
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Let us pray. Dear Father in Heaven. We thank You for boundless and limitless GRACE. We thank You that all of it is Your Gift of Your Life in Your Son. Thank You for perfecting the saints. Thank You for bringing us into the perfect unity of Christ's faith. In YAHSHUA's holy and precious name, AMEN!
Guest_Barb : Amen!
Guest_Adriel : Amen!
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Zahakiel15270 : Amen.
Guest_Giselle : Amen