As a trained engineer, the mind tends to think in terms of formulas and equations and mathematical balance.
Stephen Hawkins himself a physicist also tries very hard to explain everything by hypothesis and theories, but I believe he failed miserable in trying to find an equation for God.
We may be able to discover theories about humankind but to try to put God in a theory is equivalent to putting the “whole ocean in a Coke bottle”.
However, an amusing thought today leads to the question “how about putting an equation for Grace”.
Grace is when we believe in God, He imputes His Righteousness to us, so that we began to do Righteous Works.
The Right Formula is:
FAITH => RIGHTEOUSNESS + WORKS
This is Grace.
This is Relationship.
This is God-consciousness.
This is the Gospel.
This is the New Covenant.
It starts with Faith in God, Believe in Him, Trust in Him, and when we do that, we become the Righteousness of God.
Faith produces the Righteousness of God.
This Righteousness of God inside of us, leads us and guide us and empower us to do Righteous Works (thus God gets the glory and man’s ego is deflated).
The Wrong Formula that is taught in many churches is:
FAITH + WORKS => RIGHTEOUSNESS
This is not Grace.
This is Law – mentality.
This is Religion and not Relationship, because Religion teaches your belief is not enough, and you need to perform works so that God will give you righteousness.
This is NOT the Gospel.
This is the Old Covenant.
As a result of this teaching the burden of Condemnation and Guilt has ridden the Christian and sucked the abundant life out of him.
Another Wrong Formula that swings “grace-huggers” is:
FAITH => RIGHTEOUSNESS – WORKS
This is also not Grace.
This is lawlessness. This is not the Gospel.
This is Rebellion not a Revolution.
Some who hear the message of Grace in part (either purposely or non-purposely) thinks that since they are the righteousness of God, they can do all the sinning they want, and they don’t need to walk rightly. They think that Righteous Works are unnecessary.
This is wrong, and such have given true Grace believers a bad reputation.
From an Engineer’s viewpoint, how do we overcome the Wrong Formulae?
The answer is go back to the Right Formulae
FAITH => RIGHTEOUSNESS + WORKS
and emphasize on Faith in the Grace of God, Faith in His Finished Works, and build Faith into the Believer.
When Faith is continuously strengthened in the Believer, the Works will follow automatically.
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The above is substantiated by the best Engineer of the Bible, the Holy Spirit:
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
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Steven Wong
(a non-engineer in comparison)
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