Law vs Grace

I have understood that many of us have a tendency to see a critique first thing in sentences and utterances which have nothing to do with anything critical. I have been wondering what could possibly underlie such tendency, and I have come to a realisation that it happens for we have not yet fully come to a place where we embrace an understanding that God is good. Deep down we still harbour the trail of thought of a harsh and unkind God who is maybe not out to get us, but who cannot be fully trusted to have hundred per cent good intents toward us. But the Bible which introduces us Him and His nature states that His thoughts toward us are good and not evil.

Jeremiah 29:11 ► King James Bible For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

As we grow with God, we find there are things that we may have to unlearn. We start off from the place where we are familiar with the concept of carrot and stick, crime and punishment. This is how the Law has it. But we are no longer under the Law. We are under Grace. The concept of Grace is something we learn as we go. To the natural mind it seems challenging and strange to think that something is free. That there is unconditional love and acceptance. That there is unmerited grace. That we do not need to strive and jump through the hoops to be approved. That our mistakes do not disqualify us. Many have added to the above by teaching things as if God were the Author of anything bad.

James 1:17 ► New International Version Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

There is no darkness, no shadow when it comes to the good and kind nature of God. God is not the One who tortures us, or who (against the somewhat popular belief) sends us tests and trials.

James 1:13-14 ► New International Version When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

But God is the One who turns everything to good in our lives, and yes, He takes what is otherwise sent to destroy and weaken and harm us, and turns it to serve our good.

Romans 8:28 New International Version 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

He accepts us in His Beloved.

Ephesians 1:5-7 New King James Version 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Our Christian journey is a discovery. We learn as we go. We learn about the heart and kind nature of God, and we learn about ourselves, as new creation, after our new birth. New Birth has to do with our spiritual rebirth, or our spiritual awakening where the thus far dormant spiritual seed in us comes into touch with the Spirit of Life of God, giving His life to our spirit. After that we are able to relate to God. We are able to see and hear in spirit. We have become a new creation - a new, spirit(ual) being, with a new ability to sense the spiritual realm. This is a supernatural realm. There are the angels of God which have been sent to minister and help us (quite like Jesus was strengthened in the Garden of Gethsemane when all human help fell away). And there are dark resisting spirits (which we have overcome in Jesus - who overcame and disarmed them on the Cross).

Colossians 2:15 New International Version 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

The Bible is a spiritual book, for a spiritual journey, for the spirit-led people. We are spiritual beings after our spiritual new birth into the likeness of God (who is a Spirit, and who communicates with us via our newly regenerated spirit). Like Jesus was in God, and sent us His Holy Spirit who connects them and us, we are a three-part being of a spirit, soul, and body.

Romans 8:9 ► New International Version You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 ► New International Version So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!