In order for us to understand grace better, it is beneficial to examine the composition of the letters of the Hebrew word for ‘grace’. This is the Hebrew word ‘ḥēn’, which translates as ‘kindness, favour, pleasant, and is derived from the root word ‘ḥānan’.

 

Grace, according to the Word of God, is shown by a person who is in a higher sphere of authority than the person receiving grace. (Note: Part excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible on the word ‘ḥēn – grace’ with the word key number: 2645).

 

According to this, grace is to be understood as an expression of love, kindness and attention from a person in authority. It can also not be earned, but only received or obtained. Likewise, the respective recipient can reject or refuse it.

 

Based on the two Hebrew letters ‘Chet’ and ‘Nun’ used for the word ‘grace’ in the Tenakh (Note: Hebrew Bible), it shows a spiritual principle. It is the meaning of boundaries (Note: ‘Chet’) associated with the treasures of the depths of God (Note: ‘Nun’).

 

These contain the mysteries of God hidden in Christ Jesus, which involve two elements, wisdom and knowledge (cf. Colossians 2:2-3).

 

2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

Thus it becomes clear that only within the framework of the Son of God, who is Jesus Christ, can spiritual riches in the form of wisdom and knowledge be obtained (cf. John 17:20-23).

 

20 ‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – 23 I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

 

To do this, it is necessary that we abide in Christ Jesus and His standard, which includes the Word of God, so that we do not fall into the danger of a lifestyle of ‘cheap grace’.

 

The following diagram should help us to better understand the dimension of God’s grace, which is Jesus Christ, in whom, according to Colossians 2:2-3, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

 

 

Here we see the dimensions of knowledge and wisdom that belong to Jesus (Note: Yeshua, highlighted here as a fish shape in black), who fulfilled the whole law, which is associated with the ‘Chet’, and is, as it were, the Son of God, who makes us sons, for which the ‘Nun’ stands.

 

These two circles of the dimensions of wisdom and knowledge (Note: here in red, associated to the letters ‘Chet’ and ‘Nun’) are accessible to us in discipleship, provided we position ourselves in grace in Christ and engage with the depth of His being, which is in the invisible realm. It cannot be obtained by our own works.

 

True or genuine grace involves truth, which is set apart from lies and deception that come with pride, which is why God’s Word repeatedly indicates that ‘God gives grace to the humble.’ God sets Himself apart from all pride. If we align ourselves according to the humility that Christ showed us, we will be able to recognize the difference between true grace and the cheap grace that has become widespread and become wise.

 

Briefly explained, cheap grace embraces a false understanding of God’s goodness that justifies a lifestyle in the ‘flesh’ on the basis that Jesus has already paid for everything.

 

=> The term ‘flesh’ describes man’s thinking, willing and acting, which is not determined by God and His will, but only by the earthly nature- by sin (cf. Romans 8:1-17; Galatians 5:13-6:12; Ephesians 2:3; Philippians 3:3-4). Flesh here, in contrast to spirit, describes the fact that sin so takes possession of man and his members that his ‘flesh’ determines his whole being like a foreign power, which is associated with death (cf. Romans 7:5-25). <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the 1984 CD-ROM Bible Edition to the Luther Bible; word explanation number 10).

 

The gospel of God’s grace, however, is not an instrument designed to replace a program that cultivates falsely preached, cheap grace. Rather, it is eternally existent as eternity itself and brings eternal joy, peace and hope to mankind through divine righteousness (cf. Revelation 14:6).

 

6 Then I saw another angel flying in mid-air, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people.

 

According to the Word, the grace of God is the power to resolutely oppose the sinful lifestyle in the flesh, as Paul wrote to his spiritual son Titus (cf. Titus 2:11-14).

 

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

12 It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

 

 

The time frame of God’s kindness as mentioned by Paul to the Romans is not meant for Christians to live in cheap grace, which would be tantamount to crucifying Christ again. Such a lifestyle results in not being able to enjoy the promise of God (cf. Romans 2:4 i.c.w. Hebrews 6:4-8).

 

4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

 

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.

8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

 

God’s goodness, patience, and longsuffering are thereafter out to lead to repentance, which includes a true repentance from dead works (Note: deeds and intentions that result from our own drives and soul origin).

 

When we truly move Spirit-filled in the grace of God and apply that power in our lives, it results in a greater season of God’s grace, which can manifest as a ‘year of the LORD’s favour’ (cf. Luke 4:17-19 i.c.w. John 6:63).

 

17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written (cf. Isaiah 61:1-2): 18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

 

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit and life.

 

Cheap grace is contrary to the will of God and is thus disobedience or rebelliousness, ordered on the same level as witchcraft (cf. 1 Samuel 15:23a).

 

23a For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. …

 

The reason for this is that a life of cheap grace corrupts the will of God before the public, which is not who God is and never corresponds to His nature. Cheap grace is tantamount to a tunnel system of darkness that is out to undermine and destabilize the foundation of the house of God.

 

In the context of the lifestyle of cheap grace, the word of the Shepherd’s Rod by Bob Jones († 14^’th of February 2014) and Paul Keith Davis from 2002 should serve us, where it is about the consecrated temple, which means a change in holiness, but also a call to live in it.

 

Part excerpt from ‘The Shepherd’s Rod’:

 

=> A DEDICATED TEMPLE

 

At the time Solomon dedicated the Temple, the priests of the Lord gathered in unity as one voice, arrayed in white linen, representing their consecration. From that ‘hallowed’ position they offered to God praises, prayer and prophetic proclamations. When this was done, a divine cloud appeared as a visible representation of the Lord’s manifest Presence to occupy His sanctuary. Solomon had provided ‘hallowed’ ground upon which the Lord was willing to rest (cf. 2 Chronicles 5:11-14).

 

11 The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.

12 All the Levites who were musicians – Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives – stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.

13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: ‘He is good; his love endures for ever.’ Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

 

The construction and dedication of Solomon’s Temple provides a prophetic depiction of the high mandate for our generation. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and it is in us that He desires to dwell. It is through us, His Body, that He will fulfill every purpose of Heaven on the earth.

 

This reality will demonstrate the beginning of the ‘tabernacle of David’ form of worship (cf. Acts 15:15-18).

 

15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written (cf. Amos 9:11-12):

16 “After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things” – 18 things known from long ago.

 

If the Lord can find ‘sanctified’ places dedicated to Him, this worship will go hand in hand with His presence. Once it is established, it will spread rapidly.

 

On the morning of Atonement, I was also given a prophetic dream that emphasized the importance of this reality. In it I observed what was to be determined as places of worship. They were illustrated as Churches and other facilities used by Christians. On the surface they appeared strong and built upon firm foundations. However, the Holy Spirit allowed a view of the ground upon which the facilities were built.

 

In actuality, the buildings were constructed upon foundations that were infiltrated with tunnels and secret chambers. It looked very similar to scenes sometimes depicted during World War II and the Vietnam War when the enemy prepared elaborate networks of underground tunnels and compartments. However, in this prophetic analogy the tunnels were occupied by evil spirits represented by serpents. The two serpents occupying these tunnels and rooms under the foundation of Christian facilities were the Python and Cobra. The Python is a symbol illustrating the spirit of divination. In Acts 16:16 we discover the apostle Paul rebuking this spirit working through a young girl:

 

And she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.” (Acts 16:16-18)

 

The term translated ‘divination’ is the Greek word ‘puthon’ from which we get the English word, ‘python’. This can represent a form of counterfeit spiritual revelation masquerading as the Spirit of Truth.

 

The other evil spirit was featured by the Cobra and finds its origin in ancient Egyptian spiritualism representing the spirit of control and manipulation. These two spirits had secretly infiltrated the foundation upon which the Churches had been built. Because of this network of tunnels, the ground was weak and vulnerable and incapable of sustaining the weighty presence of God He desired to bring.

 

I continued to watch as the Lord enlisted three brave and specially equipped men to invade the tunnels and eradicate the enemy. I was amazed at the valor and strength of these men and their willingness to serve in this manner.

 

Within a short season, these soldiers of the faith began to emerge from the network of tunnels eroding the foundation, with scores of serpents formerly hidden and occupying the network of tunnels. I was amazed, not only at the number of their victims, but also the speed with which they were able to extract them.

 

I believe this is a picture of the ‘hallowing’ of sacred ground upon which the Lord desires to visit. This is true not only with our places of worship but especially within us as individuals. From this experience, we have begun to earnestly ask the Lord, by His grace, to ‘hallow’ this ground within us and extract everything that would erode the foundation upon which He desires to build.

 

The Python is divining, and the Cobra is the controlling spirit. Prayer, praise and prophecy will begin to identify and eradicate the spiritual opposition that has polluted the very ground upon which the Lord desires to establish Himself and His Church. These are the three men that were sent into the tunnel.

 

It will cause love to begin to overflow from our spirits because of the reverential fear and awe that will be established in the hearts of sincere believers. <= (The text set in "=>" as a part excerpt from The Shepherd’s Rod for 2003 by Bob Jones and Paul Keith Davis; published 10/16/2002 on the Elijah List.)

 

Let us be encouraged to go forward in the power of God’s grace and where we encounter the manipulative influence of cheap grace as well as its false words by people, confront them in love with the truth of God’s Word and put them in their place. True grace is the dimension of God, who always separates from deception and all pride.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel and Tina Glimm

Based on Jesus’ statement in Matthew 12:46-50, true relatedness and relationship is based on the spiritual level, which is related to the predestined implementation of the will of the Heavenly Father.

 

46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.

47 Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’

48 He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’

49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers.

50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’

 

We know, that the Father is Spirit and does not look at things according to genetic descent (cf. John 4:24a i.c.w. Romans 8:29).

 

24a God is spirit, …

 

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

 

It says in Matthew 12:46 that the mother of Jesus and his brothers were standing outside, which can be an indication for us in the present time that it is necessary not to stand outside the spiritual activity of God, but in its centre. This is what Epaphras also prayed for the saints in Colosse (cf. Colossians 4:12).

 

12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

 

When we as saints are in the spirit realm of the centre of God, we are moving in a different culture, which is the culture of the Kingdom, because God is seated on the throne. For this Jesus came to earth to take us to the dimension of the Heavenly Father (cf. John 14:6-7).

 

6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’

 

 

Through a sincere and good or holy relationship, it is possible for us to live as saints according to the will of God in true Kingdom relationships and family.

 

God’s desire is that we, the saints in His Kingdom, are in a true relationship with Him and also with each other, which means a true Kingdom agreement, so that Jesus Christ is revealed through it (cf. Matthew 18:19-20 i.c.w. Matthew 22:36-40).

 

19 ‘Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’

 

36 ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’

37 Jesus replied: ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’

 

Through the true relationship and agreement of the saints in His Kingdom, people on earth realize the presence of God’s love (cf. John 13:34-35).

 

34 ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

 

 

When we live as saints in the Spirit in the culture of the Kingdom of God, we carry a different kind of communication, much like the disciples were recognized by their dialect.

 

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.’

 

From this it is clear that our communication is on a different level, whose revelatory content cannot be understood by earthly-minded people.

 

This is what is meant by the statement of Paul, who spoke of speaking to his allied saints (Note: his spiritual family) words taught by the Spirit to interpret spiritual things to spiritual people. People who are earthly-minded cannot move on this spiritual level and reject the revelations of God, considering it foolishness.

 

This can cause a split on an interpersonal level between the spirit-filled and earthly-minded people, because earthly-minded people incorrectly evaluate what is spoken by the spirit. This is what Jesus Christ meant when He said that He did not come to bring peace, but the sword. The sword in this case is the Word of God in the form of revelatory truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 i.c.w. Matthew 10:34-39; Ephesians 6:17).

 

9 However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ – the things God has prepared for those who love him – 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no-one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.

 

34 ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to turn ‘ “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

37 ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

 

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

Thus, it becomes clear that when we as believers in Christ Jesus go forward in the Spirit with like-minded people, unity is recognized from outside.

 

This closeness often feels to saints like they can form a warm relationship of trust with these people that does not necessarily depend on spending a lot of time together. It is described by many as feeling as if you are spiritually connected to that person, even if you cannot see each other much or spend much time together quantitatively. It is also described as a feeling of connectedness, as if you have always known these people or can go through thick and thin with them because you belong to each other.

 

Since not every believer feels this way with all other saints, we can also see in this the connectedness that the Holy Spirit works in recognizing one another, surrendering and submitting to the will of God to serve one another out of love (Philippians 1:8 i.c.w. 1 Thessalonians 2:8).

 

8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

 

8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

 

As a result, even unbelieving family members or persons close to us who are not believers may suddenly be drawn from the outside by the presence of God’s love that we have for one another to enter the centre of the Heavenly Father, which is His love and has its expression in Christ Jesus (cf. John 6:44 i.c.w. John 3:16).

 

44 ‘No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. …’

 

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

As saints, we can only experience these relationships and spiritual bond with saints, already predestined for us from eternity, by giving ourselves to Christ with everything, in order to be led from the dimension of the Father in the Spirit. This is spiritually grounded in our willingness to lay aside our own ideas of life by positioning ourselves completely in the love of God – as it were in the living Word of God, Jesus Christ, and being sincerely thankful in it (cf. Colossians 3:14-15).

 

14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

 

We are convinced that the Holy Spirit wants to move even more where He can find and bring forth these relationships and connections, which is connected with the expansion of the Kingdom of God in the hearts of people.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel and Tina Glimm