Dispensers of Grace

The term “dispensation of grace” is often used to describe the period of time known as the New Covenant. The time period between Moses and the death of Jesus Christ was called the dispensation of law. One of Webster’s definitions for dispensation is simply “something being dispensed or distributed”. Under the Old Covenant, justice was dispensed according to the law but under the New Covenant justice is to be dispensed according to grace and truth. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) KJV

Some of us in America have grown used to the idea that a grace period is owed to us. In many cases it is required by law that creditors allow a certain number of days for their debtors to be late on payments. Since the law has stepped in and mandated such regulations in our natural world we can carry that line of thinking over into our relationship with God. We thank God that He has allowed us a period of time in which to come and acknowledge our debt of sin but it was never required of Him. The very essence of God’s grace is that it is a gift. It is not owed by Him and it is not deserved by us. A gift can only truly qualify as a gift if it is freely given, not by obligation or debt.

Old Covenant righteousness depended upon human ability and an obligation to keep the commandments, but New Covenant righteousness results from receiving divine strength (grace) as a gift. Only those who are free from debt can give away the gift of grace. If all accounts have not been settled between us and God what I may think is a gift to Him is actually only a payment on my debt. The same is true with our relationships with our fellow man. If I have not forgiven a brother and try to offer a gift to either him or God it is not truly a gift. If I owe my brother ten thousand dollars and give him one hundred dollars I can not call it a gift until the debt is paid. Using an example of financial indebtedness gets the point across but that does not mean if someone owes us money we should automatically release them from their obligation. The critical issue is to never carry a debt of sin or an offense lest we not be forgiven our own sin debts.

Jesus said in Matthew 5 that if we bring our gift to the altar and have an unsettled issue with a brother, we are to go first to our brother and make things right, then we can come and offer our gift to God. This shows us that we can not truly be right with God or “debt free” in God’s eyes if we are indebted to a brother. Many times unresolved issues are the result of us wanting our offender to suffer some sort of punishment. That is a legal trap that will cut us off from grace because the standard of justice we want for others is the one we will come under. If we are the offended one and are not willing to release our offender from his debt we fall into the same indebtedness. We must see offences as a perfect opportunity to dispense grace.

As New Covenant believers we are dispensers or distributors of grace. Freely we have received and freely we impart it to others. Just as we must be debt free to give away a gift we also must be innocent to suffer for Christ’s sake. All who have had their sins forgiven have been declared innocent of all charges. Our enemy the devil is a legalist and is always looking for ways to trip us up. One of his favorites is to get us to hold our offenders responsible to repay their sin debt. In doing so he knows we will become guilty again. If we remain in that condition unwilling to release our offender, our enemy is empowered to harass and condemn us by the law. We must maintain our own innocence by not requiring our offenders to pay their debt to us. Innocence is equal to being debt free. In the same way, only those who have been justified can dispense justice.

Most of us equate justice with the punishment of those who do evil. Old Covenant justice was eye for eye and tooth for tooth, the adulterer was stoned, and the thief had to pay back double. But in this age God has ordained civil authorities for the punishment of evil doers. (See Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2) He has given His people, (the church) the ministry of reconciliation. (See 2 Corinthians 5:18-19) Civil authorities are given to struggle against flesh and blood but we as the church battle in the spirit realm. The weapons of our warfare are not natural but mighty through God for pulling down spiritual strongholds. (See 2 Corinthians 10:4)

The Apostle Paul was given the message of grace and the charge to steward it. He was as it were the administrator or executor of Christ’s estate and given responsibility for distributing the inheritance of the saints. Paul was given a glimpse into God’s vast treasure house which he describes in Ephesians 3 as the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul’s revelation ignited a passion within him that all would know the riches of their inheritance in Christ. He was faithful to declare the message, to correct those who were led astray from the truth and to dispense justice on the enemies of righteousness. (See Acts 13)

In Hebrews 9:14-17 Jesus Christ is referred to as the mediator of the New Covenant. Prior to His death, His will or testament had no effect, but upon His death His will became enforceable. Everything that had been left to His descendants became available to them. Paul grasped this revelation and saw that he was to be the executor of Christ’s will and to see that all understood the inheritance that was left to them. The word mediator could also be translated reconciler. God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world unto Himself. (See 2 Corinthians 5:19) In the previous verse Paul says that God has reconciled us unto Himself by Jesus Christ and has given unto us the ministry of reconciliation. So if we connect the dots we see that we are not only to be recipients of this great grace but dispensers of it as well. Like Paul we want every one to know the great inheritance they have coming to them. We want to execute justice upon our enemies who have hindered our receiving it. We want all who have never heard to hear the good news.