Law and Grace in Church Clothing

There is an increasing trend towards becoming trendy at church, which is not always bad. We must make a distinction between faith and culture; culture is dynamic and flexible; faith has to be absolute. The problem rises when faith attempts to claim elements of culture in order to sacralize them and render them inflexible. When faith tries to do that, then the result is a legalistic religious system that is very fundamentalistic. These issues were earlier discussed here. However, grace is not lawless either. The New Testaments cautions us against those who attempt to turn the grace of God into license for evil (Jude 1:4, NET).

Take the Example of Clothing

Let's begin at the pulpit and one immediately notes at least 5 variants:
1. Those who stick to orthodox robes and cassocks or sacralized color definitions (e.g. white)
2. Those who stress on wearing business suits or traditional suits
3. Those who like to wear designer and more trendy clothes
4. Those who like to wear casuals.
5. Those who are comfortable with two or more of the combinations above
    (a) Those who are comfortable with 1-4
    (b) Those who are comfortable with 2-4
    (c) Those who are comfortable with 1,2,4 but not 3
    (d) Those who are comfortable with 2,3,4 but not 1
    (e) Those who are comfortable with only 2 and 4.
    (f) Those who are comfortable with only 1 and 2.
    (g) Those who stick to 2 and 3 or 3 and 4.

It is not attempted to state here who is right and who is wrong. However, it will become evident to the reader by now that the issue of law and grace is basic even to the kind of dress we choose to wear to church.

Now, while it does seem that the sacralizers (1) are particularly legalistic, the fact is that even those who maintain that only casuals "ought" to be worn to church are not less legalistic. On the other hand, there are those who look at dress in a more instrumental manner, as something to be used to suit some purpose. The wiser instrumentalists also know that dress-forms as cultural forms also communicate meanings and are cautious how they dress up. There are also revolutionaries who dress up to explicitly and blatantly communicate their revolt against some legalistic system. Then, there are the popularists who dress up in order to have a trendy following or to create a brand.

"Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect." (Rom.12:2)

"those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full. For the present shape of this world is passing away."(1Cor.7:31)

"to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control." (1Tim.2:9)

Suitable apparel refers to dress that suits the occasion and is comfortable to wear in the conditions. Modesty implies that the dress we wear must not be embarrassing and must protect shame, not be shameless and exposing privacy; dress must be honorable. Self-control means that our dress must not be provocative or appealing to the flesh but must exhibit self-control, temperance, and sound mind.

Abounding Grace

"But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." (Rom 5:20)
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SUBTLETY OF SIN
- Creeps undetected
- Convinces of being received
- Controls our thoughts, feelings, attitude
- Cuts off our relationship with God

GENEROSITY OF GRACE
- Abounds much more than our sin
- Accepts us as we are
- Administers unto us abundant gifts of forgiveness, healing, eternal life, ministry, enablements, strength, the Holy Spirit
- Available always at the Throne of His Grace. He calls us to Draw near, Humble self, Submit, Receive.

Standing Against Falling Short. His Grace is Sufficient Indeed

Sinful humanity, fallen short of the glory of God, finds remedy in justification freely by the grace of God in Christ (Rom.3:23). However, if one falls short of the grace of God, there remains no more room for repentance (Heb.12:15-17). We know that His grace is sufficient. This is all we need. So, we remain close to His Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb.4:16). We are sensitive to the Spirit of Grace who lives in us and yearns within (Heb.10:29, Jas.4:5). We stand in grace by faith (Rom.5:2). And, His grace is sufficient for us (2Cor.12:9).

Ocean of Kindness - Poem

Ocean of Kindness, How great is Your Infinite Love;
I entered in dark, soiled, and dirty; I came out spotless and white.
I entered in broken, wormy, and leprous; I came out unblemished as a child.
I entered in troubled, confused, and ignorant; I came out with unspeakable peace of mind.
O Ocean of Kindness, Ocean of Kindness, How great is Your Infinite Love!

Your Kindness never gets deplete,
Your Kindness never gets soiled,
Your Kindness is constant forever;
Ocean of Kindness, How great is Your Love!
O Ocean of Kindness, Ocean of Kindness, How great is Your Infinite Love!

Justice, Mercy, and Grace

- Mercy involves forgiveness.
- Only the one who has power to execute justice can show mercy.
- When mercy is shown to one, the price is paid by someone else. To forgive a debt means that what has been taken or spent was taken from someone and not given back to him/her; so, the latter has paid the price.
- The price paid will be the withdrawal of justice from the one who pays the price either voluntarily or involuntarily.
- When one is forced, involuntarily, to pay the price, then s/he suffers injustice.
- Forced payment creates injustice which in turn demands for justice.
- Only justice, if not mercy, can be the terminal point.
- When one pays the price voluntarily, then s/he shows mercy, and the voluntary payment is called sacrifice.
- Someone, always, has to pay the price.

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- Infinite mercy requires infinite sacrifice.
- Infinite sacrifice demands an infinite source.
- The infinite pool of mercy is Love.

God is Love.

God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) (Eph 2:4-5)

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- Grace involves generosity.
- Grace involves generous giving of a gift.
- Grace is always only voluntary. It involves a choice.
- When grace is shown to someone, it is always at an expense (Mark 7:27)
- Thus, grace also involves the question of justice (2Cor.11:8)
- But, since grace is always voluntary and contributory, it never involves injustice (Matt.5:45; 20:14,15).
- Favor unjustly shown is called favoritism.

Grace Above Law

One important thing that we must remember about God's grace is that the Grace of God in Jesus Christ has not nullified the Law of God. Grace is not against God's Law. In fact, Jesus said that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it (Matt.5:17).

The commandments of Grace are tougher and more demanding than the commandments of the Law. The Bible tells us that the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came with Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Jesus ushered in the era of Grace. Not that grace was absent in the Old Testament; but that grace could only be available even in the Old Testament because of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the earth. And, when Christ came Grace came in reality, for until then everything was only shadows (Col.2:17). Therefore, it says, "Grace and truth came with Jesus Christ".

The commandments of Grace, therefore, supersede the commandments of the Law. Grace teaches us true righteousness (Tit.2:11,12; Matt.5:20).

Thus, certain things that were allowed in the Old Testament (like divorce, swearing, polygamy, and  tit-for-tat ethics) are not allowed anymore in the New Testament (Matt.5:31,34, 38,39). Most of these things were allowed because of the hardness of human hearts, but God never originally intended them so (Matt.19:8). However, in the Age of Grace when His Grace transforms our hearts, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves and to pray for our enemies, we are called not to resist evil people but turn our left cheek to someone who slaps on our right (i.e. severely insults and humiliates us). The demands of Grace are higher than the demands of the Law.

The commandments of Grace spring from the spirit of the Law not the letter of the Law. Thus, while the OT command only said, "Do not murder" and "Do not commit adultery", the command of Grace tells us to not even get angry with our brother without cause and tells us looking at a woman lustfully is equal to committing adultery (Matt.5:22,27).

The essence of the command of Grace is Love (Rom.13:8,10; Gal.5:14; James 2:8).

The good news is that this Love is poured into our hearts through the Spirit in the New Testament; therefore, the commandments of God are no longer burdensome or impossible (Rom.5:5; 2Cor.12:9; 1 John 5:3).

Finding Grace

The Bible speaks about people who found God's favor in their lives. We know of Noah who found favor in the eyes of God (Gen.6:8); the result, he didn't die in the Great Flood. We also know of Moses who found favor with God (Exo.33:12); for sure, without God's favor he could never lead those teeming multitudes on the way to the Promised Land. Nehemiah was granted divine favor and he led the team that restored the walls of Jerusalem (Neh.1:11).

When we turn to the New Testament, the English Bibles turn to the word "Grace". Grace is favor that is bestowed without any merit of ours. In fact, none of us can ever merit or work to find grace. We cannot merit it in anyway; by definition, grace is unmerited favor. So, how can we find grace?

1. The Spring of Grace is Jesus Christ. John tells us that we receive grace upon grace from Christ's fullness (Jn. 1:16). He is the full Spring of Grace from which alone we can draw the life-giving, life-strengthening waters of divine favor and loving kindness. John testifies that Jesus is full of grace and truth (Jn.1:14). Can we submit that His grace is sufficient for us? (2Cor.12:9). The Spring of Christ's Grace never runs dry; only if we are willing to dive into it anytime.

2. The Condition of Grace is Humility. Yet, the Bible also reminds us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Prov.3:34; James 4:6; 1Pet.5:5). In fact, He gives more grace, but we need to humble ourselves and submit to God (James 4:7; 1Pet.5:6). Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings in the Old Testament; but, the Bible says that when he sought the favor of God and humbled himself greatly, God was moved by his prayers and listened to him (2Chr.33:12,13). Humility means to empty oneself of all self-seeking, self-opinion, and submit fully to the disposal of God. It means to lay our head at His feet.

3. The Receiving Hand of Grace is Faith. Grace can only be received by faith. For instance, salvation is a gift of God's grace, but we can only receive it by faith. We submit to Him that we are only unworthy vessels of His surpassing grace. We gain access into the blessings of God's grace by faith (Rom.5:2). The act of faith must be proportionate to the gift of grace; we can only use as much as we have received (Rom.12:6). It is only by faith that we can receive the gift of God's grace (Eph.2:8). When God pours out His grace, He also grants us faith, which is a gift of God (Eph.2:8; 1Tim.1:14). We must approach the Throne of His Grace with the confidence of faith so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Heb.4:16).

4. The Confidence of Grace is Expressed in Prayer. The Throne of Grace is approached with the confidence of faith; however, that confidence is not expressed until it is expressed in the moment of prayer (verbal or non-verbal). John tells us: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of Him" (1Jn.5:14-15 NIV).

The Grace of God has appeared (Tit.2:11); that is the Good News! There is nothing that God can grant us outside of grace. Whether it is forgiveness, purity, strength, assistance, or a miracle; everything is available in the Spring of Grace, upon the condition of humility, by the receiving hand of faith, stretched out in prayer. May God open our eyes to see the riches of His grace!

The Grace of God Has Appeared (Tit.2:11-12)

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us." (Tit 2:11-12 NKJ)

1. Grace of God appeared in the Incarnate Word

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. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (Joh 1:14, 16-17 NKJ)

2. Grace of God appears through the Inscribed Word

Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace (Act 14:3 NKJ)

3. Grace of God works through People of the Word

But by the grace of God I am what I am, 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. (1Co 15:10 NKJ)
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Eph 4:29 NKJ)

The 7 Letters of Revelation: #6 PHILADELPHIA- HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT (Rev.3:7-13) - FAITH

Rev.3:7-13
Philadelphia was a Faithful Church
Rev.3:8: She had LITTLE STRENGTH but Kept the Word
It doesn't matter if the strength is small; His Grace is Sufficient

His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses

Mustard seed faith can remove mountains
Persistent blows can crack great rocks

Gideon considered himself the least (Jdg.6:11), but with 300 men, by the help of God, he won a great battle (Jdg.7:7)

Rev.3:12
- Will be kept from trial
- Will be a Pillar in God's Temple
- Will receive Name of the City