Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Grace, Not Your Safety Net!

Well, I guess I haven't written anything for a long time. Don't worry, I'm just pregnant. I've been wasting a lot of time trying to find worship music that is not depressing/legalistic and have not come up with much. How sad! According to the Christian music industry, I guess grace is that thing that kicks in every time you fail to obey the law. Grace is just a safety net for those times you fall down and mess up, it's your 'get of jail free' card for every time you happen to sin. It picks you up and dusts you off and sets you back up to try harder next time.

What a bunch of lies. What else can I say? The truth is we live only in grace, to go back to the law is to fall from grace. We must choose between law and grace, not choose law thinking that grace is our back-up plan. If you choose law, then don't expect to find grace when you fail, expect to find judgement, condemnation, and shame. Until you finally give up that is...grace is always waiting for you to turn your back on the law and find life in Jesus.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Good post!

I know what you mean about worship music. So much of it reflects the grace-law mixture that I find it hard to listen to some of it. Even some from grace-based church streams like New Frontiers have had some songs in their youth meetings at Stoneleigh that have made me think "Is that really right?" Songs that say "What can I do for you? I want you to know my heart is yours? It's not a question of what you can do for me, what can I do for you?"

I used to love that song, until I realised that, taken at face value, it's actually going back to self-reliance and proving yourself, rather than resting and glorying in what has been accomplished and what is now possible because of what Christ has done!

Check out some of the worship coming out of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Brian & Jen Johnson get it! There's one song on the CD "Where You Go I Go" which starts off presenting the questions we ask God "What can I do for you? I want you to see my devtion!" and then has God's response "Just wait, rest, trust - there's plenty of time for that stuff later, but right now is a precious moment with Me!"

It's a refreshing change to the worship music norm :)

jul said...

Yep, like most Newfrontiers stuff but it's harder for me to find over here...also like Kim Walker from Bethel too. Often when singing along I just change the words to fit in with the New Covenant and keep on singing haha. I'm sure noone notices right?

Chris Welch - 07000INTUNE said...

Around the time I was seeking God really intensely to find out why I hated certain aspects of charismatic things in the 80s, I began getting more strident stuff...which I began singing. One was called "With a New Anointing I will sing..." U2's Streets with No Name and "I still haven't found what I'm looking For" plus Amy Grant's "Lead me On", and Michael W Smith's Eye2I CD. All these were questing, moving on type songs.
=========
But now, when I'm listening to Radio 2 or Radio 1 over here hearing secular stuff, my spirit is literally screaming out....LET'S Party In the Son!!!
I tell you...a completely different sound is coming. That is definite.Defined. Like a trumpet blast! Freeeeeeedom.

Anybody else getting this?
The other thing that is happening is a bit like the end of the Colour Purple film, when everyone comes together in a jamboree...people who were completely the other side of the fence from each other. Well just occasionally you can pick this sound up too on the secular stations....references to God...to the Father....I tell you it's out there!

Jamie said...

JUL!! :)

It's so great to hear your "voice"! I've missed you, Grace Warrior.

On music...I never sent you Kelanie's CD's, did I? Did you send me your address?

On "safety nets", check out my post Brer Rabbit & Tar Baby when you feel up to surfin'. You are EXACTLY right; we are to live out of our state of grace, which is our life in Christ. NO LAW, NO LAW except the perfect Law of Liberty.

Blessings on you & yours.

jul said...

Jamie!!! Hi! No you never sent them to me, but I did send my address probably around Christmas time. Lydia tried to bring it to me in HK but the case turned out to be empty if I remember correctly.

Jamie said...

Dang, I'm so slack! I'm sorry, Jul.

You can email me at weeksfarms@gmail.com and I'll try to do better. I have sent so many of those CD's to people I forget to whom sometimes. Wait 'til you hit 40! :)