“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness
come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21
The subject we want to look at today is “frustrate the grace
of God”. In order to understand this in its proper usage we look at the Greek
word for “frustrate” which is atheteō and that means - to set aside, disannul,
bring to nought – therefore Paul is writing here not to disannul God’s grace.
So the next question is how does one render God’s grace worthless? Well in
reality we cannot, God’s grace is God’s and not ours. It is only our grace once
God gives it to us and believe me once you receive God’s grace, the last thing
you want to do is to lose it. Paul is speaking to those who believe that you
are not saved by God’s grace but rather by some sort of works. See if one is
saved by works, and that is works of any sort then they void out grace. Grace
and works will not go together. God says that grace is an act of giving, and
works are a payment of debt which we cannot pay. If one earns salvation, then
it is of works and not of grace. Paul defined it this way in Romans 4:4 - 5
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt…But
to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his
faith is counted for righteousness.” Now, what is counted as righteousness, his
faith. Because works voids out grace. Paul went on to say in Ephesians 2:8 - 9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God...Not of works, lest any man should boast.” One cannot boast
if salvation is by grace, but God has nowhere to glory if salvation is of
works. People who want to earn salvation by works, any sort of works is foolish
because they cannot be saved. Nowhere in the scriptures is it even hinted that
one is saved by works, not in one single place, without stretching the
scriptures beyond their bounds and causing it to change from its original
meaning. If God said in Ephesians 2:9 “Not of works…” then it would be contradictive
for Him to say elsewhere that it is of works. God also said it frustrates the
grace of God to say it is any other way than by grace. Let us look at the
context in which Paul was speaking in Galatians 2, in verse 20 Paul said
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Paul is saying
that the life we have in our redeemed state is in Christ and not ourselves.
Paul said the life “I live; yet not I…” it is not my life but the life of
Christ in me. Now if the life we live in our redeemed state is Christ, then how
is it by works. God said that salvation is a Gift, “…it is the gift of God…” Eph.
2:8, and if a gift of grace then where is works? People sing these words “Amazing
Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me....” but kill the whole
blessing of grace with works. God point blank said (1.) that it is not of
works, and (2.) that it is of grace and here people want to change the record
of God and tell people that it is earned by our works. Folks here is Gods
record and if your Pastor tells you any different he has changed the truth of
God into a lie. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son...He that hath the Son hath life; and
he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:11 – 12 According to
God’s record salvation is by God’s grace and through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We cannot simply change God’s Holy Script, but people do it all the time.
Please do not frustrate the grace of God, it is too valuable. God said
"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
(31.) And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts
16:30 – 31 again nothing about works, it is all about the grace of God and in
Jesus Christ.
