The truth is, that the bible is about gift giving. The Father gives the Son, and the Son in turn gives the Spirit, and the Spirit in turn gives spiritual gifts. It’s all about free gifts from a Good Gift Giver!
But some would have you believe that the bible is really about your gifts, that you’ve earned, by your efforts, that you need to give to God. Orrr.. that the gifts you received freely, you have to fearfully keep and maintain by your works and behavior because God will take them back, righttt!!??
I am not sure if you know this, but Grace is synonymous with Free Gift. You see the Grace of God, is “undeserved, and unearned,” which is the opposite of a reward. Rewards are earned, and gifts are unearned. In this concept lies the confusion among most bible teachers.
Join us, in this kind and loving message, as we realize, discover and explore Who is giving Gifts, Why they are free, What Gifts are free, How to Receive them, and When can you get ‘em!
SON IS GIVEN
John 3:16
God gave… His Son
Romans 8:32
God gave him up for us all
Ephesians 5:2
Christ gave himself up for us
Titus 2:14
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us
HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN
Romans 8:32
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us
Romans 5:5
the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
1 Thessalonians 4:8
God who gives you his Holy Spirit
SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE GIVEN
1 Corinthians 12:1
Now about the gifts of the Spirit,
Romans 1:11
I may impart some spiritual gift to make you strong
1 Thessalonians 4:8
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed us, with every spiritual gift in the heavenly …
1 Corinthians 7:7
you have your own (free) gift from God;
2 Timothy 1:6
use whatever gift you have (freely) received
1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect your (free) gift from God
2 Timothy 1:6
I remind you to fan into flame the (free) gift of God
FRUIT ARE GIFTS
Galatians 5:22,23
But the (free) fruit of the (free) Spirit is
Love is free
Joy, is free
Peace, is free
Patience, is free
Kindness, is free
Goodness, is free
Faithfulness, is free
Gentleness and is free
Self-control is free
The bible is all about FREE STUFF! The Father gives the Son freely, and the Son in turn gives the Spirit freely, and the Spirit in turn gives free spiritual gifts. It’s all free! And if anybody told you differently, they Lied!
Everything you were taught you needed to earn as a reward, by your behavior and works, is ACTUALLY FREE! So, the question remains, why would God want to give us anything Free? Well, the first answer is because He loves us! For God so “loved” the world that he gave.”
Now, I know to the super spiritual mature and elite, who “love God, and gave themselves on their cross” to them this is a “elementary,” long-lost concept, once realized 40 years ago, in 1st grade bible school.
But the Bible is clear when it says, “This is love! Not that you Loved God and proved your love to him by giving your Best, but that He loved you, and proved His Love for you, by giving you His Best! You see, He never created us to work for what He has always provided FREELY!
John 3:16
God so loved the world, that he gave…
Romans 8:32,37
but gave him up, vs 37… him who loved us.
Ephesians 5:2
Christ loved us and gave himself
1 John 4:10
not that we (gave our love) to God,
but that He loved us, and gave His Son.
I know many of us believe that we’re good, and therein lies the problem. Because of this we never rely on, nor ask God, for anything, because we believe we can be good on our own. And because of this we reject his free gifts, we don’t need them.
You know, this may come as a surprise, but the bible is clear that no one is good. Anyone who believes they are, apart from God, has pride, in their hearts, that has deceived them, and leads to what the bible calls, “self-righteousness.”
Have you ever been too proud to ask for someone’s help? Have you ever rejected the help of someone, because you wanted to prove you could it on your own, without anybody’s help? I know I have.
You see pride and self-righteousness keep us from asking for what we truly need, or what we don’t believe we need, from a Good God, who is ready to freely give, good and perfect gifts, to all who just humbly ask.
Luke 18:19
No one is good—except God alone.
Matthew 7:11
Though you are evil …
how much more will your
(good) Father in heaven give good gifts
To those who ask
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above
You see there are many who believe they are superior and teach that they have earned, by their goodness and works, the Power and Presence of God.
But the truth is that man can ONLY receive what is FREELY GIVEN from Heaven. If he’s called, it’s by Grace. If he’s anointed, it’s by Grace. And if it’s by Grace then it cannot be based on works, otherwise Grace would no longer be grace, which is always free and unearned.
Thank God, Paul helps us understand what God has freely given. It’s His intention and His heart that we freely receive it all, so that we can freely give it all, and this is all to the praise of HIS GLORIOUS GRACE, which has been freely given, by His Cross, not our glorious grace, which has been costly, and which we earned by our cross.
You see, we are saved, by Grace, and it’s not from ourselves, that is our love and goodness, but is a gift, to be received freely, not by works, so that no one may boast before Him.
John 3:27
man can ONLY RECEIVE (FREELY)
what is GIVEN from heaven.
1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you so superior?
What do you have
that you did not receive?
And if you did receive it,
why do you boast
as though you did not?
1 Corinthians 4:7
that we may understand what
God has freely given us.
Matthew 10:8
Freely you have received; freely give
Ephesians 1:6
to the praise of his glorious grace,
which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Galatians 3
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Ephesians 2:9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved
through believing
and this not from yourselves (your love and goodness);
it is the gift of God, (freely received)
not by works (good behavior, rule keeping, good deeds),
so that … no one can boast.
The purpose of acceptance by believing not behaving reveals the heart of God. This is why the Lord choses addicts and alcoholics, of which I am one. Why? Because they have nothing to boast about. You see, the Lord purposely chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and the weak people of the world to shame the strong. He purposely came and called the sinners, not the righteous, and why? So that no one may boast before him.
And the reality of this, will cause those who have been called, to boast in the Lord, because of His goodness, not because of their goodness, because of His work, not because of their work! This is the true purpose of the Father, that all become sons through believing not behaving. He is the one who said, “I desire mercy, not your sacrifice.”
The truth is, salvation only comes freely by Grace, through faith! It’s a gift, not by our works not by our sacrifice, and not because we are good, so that no one will boast before him. It’s’ the only way!
1 Corinthians 1:27,29
But God chose the foolish things of the world
to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world
to shame the strong.
God chose the lowly things of this world
so that … no one can boast before him.
2 Corinthians 10:17
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through BELIEVING
Romans 3:25
to be received by BELIEVING
so as to be just and to justify the one who
BELIEVES in Jesus.…
Matthew 9:13
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Galatians 3
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Ephesians 2:9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved
through believing
and this not from yourselves (your love and goodness);
it is the gift of God, (freely received)
not by works (good behavior, rule keeping, good deeds),
so that … no one can boast.
Sonship is free! You can’t earn it, nor deserve it! Sonship is not a reward to be earned, but is a gift, to be received freely by believing, not behaving. The Father emphatically declares sonship is to be received freely by believing in Jesus! This is the good news!
Those who receive freely by believing, are considered righteous before God. Righteousness, means right-standing with God, and it’s free by believing not behaving. So is justification! Justification simply means the Father, “Forgets and forgives all your sins!” Justification, forgiveness, and righteousness are all free gifts, and can only be received freely by believing, not behaving!
The Holy Spirit, is a Free Gift of God. The Holy Spirit can only be received freely by believing. Eternal life is free gift from God! Eternal life can only be received freely, through by believing! Salvation is the free gift of God, and is only received freely by believing not behaving. And the best news yet, these gifts are irrevocable, meaning, the Father will NEVER, EVER, TAKE THEM BACK!!!
SONSHIP IS FREELY GIVEN
John 1:12
Yet to all who did (freely) receive him,
to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God
Galatians 3:26
You are all (freely) sons of God through believing
SALVATION IS FREELY GIVEN
Acts 16:31
“Believe, and you will (freely) be saved
Ephesians 2:9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved
through believing
and this not from yourselves (your love and goodness);
it is the gift of God, (freely received)
not by works (good behavior, rule keeping, good deeds),
so that … no one can boast.
HOLY SPIRIT IS FREELY GIVEN
John 4:10
And you will receive the (free) gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:45
(free) gift of the Holy Spirit.
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FREELY GIVEN
Acts 16:31
the (free) gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 3:24
and all are justified (freely) by His Grace
ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, (earned)
but the (free) gift of God
is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (gift).
Romans 11:29
for God’s (free) gifts and his call are irrevocable.
Unfortunately, false teachers have misrepresented the gospel. They have caused many to falsely believe that right standing, forgiveness, sonship and salvation come by behavior modification and not freely by believing. God has never said, “change your behavior,” and I will accept you. This is a different gospel and comes from the self-righteous, critical, and judgmental Pharisees, who Jesus declared are from their father, the devil!
You see, Jesus, who represents the Father perfectly, said, “if you knew that everything you needed was free, and only a gift, not a reward, and if you knew how Good, Loving and Kind, and Just and Fair God really was, you would have asked him, and he would have freely given you His Spirit.
But the enemy doesn’t want you to know that salvation is free, that sonship is free, and that eternal life is free! But the Lord, all the way from the beginning until the last verse of the Bible says, “Come! All who are thirsty, come, and take, by faith, the free gift of eternal life! The time is now, ask God, and you too will receive the free gift of eternal life!
John 4:10
If you knew the (free) gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you (free) living water.
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And let the one who hears say, “Come!”
Let the one who is thirsty come;
and let the one who wishes take (by faith!)
the free gift of the water of life.
and then