ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ - 'How much do you know about grace?'

Do you want to see how your answers compared to other people's?
I've included the percentages below of those who answered 'false' and 'true' for each question.

1.  Grace simply means that you are forgiven.     
False (84.4%)  True  (15.6%)

Answer:  False.  Grace does include forgiveness; but must also include a restored heart.  Otherwise, we have stunted grace:  much like a prisoner who is pardonned and his debt paid;  yet the prisoner remains the same person who committed the crime -- unable to relate well and to live well.  He's technically free, yet functionally bound. Unless he's transformed, his pardon won't help him.

Grace requires restoration.  That's the offer of Jesus.  Your heart was restored (the old was removed and a new one put in its place)  when you said 'yes' to him.
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2. God the Father looks at me through 'Jesus glasses,' so that he only sees Jesus and not my sin.      False (68.8%)  True (34.4%)

Answer:  False.  Because of Jesus' work on the cross and resurrection, your heart (true self) is absolutely pure.  The old was removed.  (Because of the flesh, you can still sin -- but that's not who you really are any longer.)

God can look directly upon you - without Jesus glasses - because you're actually good and holy now, not simply 'positionally' holy.  God is not pretending.
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3. My heart (my true nature) is totally clean right now.
   False (6.5%)   True (93.5%)

Answer:  True.  Jesus gives us nothing less than his own heart and goodness.  Your true nature is his nature.  You now want and have the capacity to love as he did. 

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4. There's a mix of good and bad in my heart now -- like two dogs fighting for dominance.   False (81.3%)   True (18.8%)

Answer:  False.  Though the flesh remains, it is no longer you.  It is like a thorn lodged in your body - it can cause pain, but it isn't actually you.  You no longer have a divided heart.  Your heart and flesh are diffferent things:  The heart is the real you.

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5. Any good in me is because Jesus now lives in me.   
False (56.3%)   True (46.9%)

Answer:  False.  This might surprise many of you.  It is certainly true that Jesus lives in you.  However, he doesn't need to stand between you and the Father (like Jesus glasses).  You are actually good now.  Today.  He made you so by giving you his own goodness.

Any goodness in you is now your goodness - coming from the new heart Jesus gave you.  He certainly is the source of that goodness; but that purity is now your own.  It is borrowed, but nevertheless your own.  His righteousness has become your righteousness:  It's the result of your union with him through his work.

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6. Discipleship is about taking on the behavior and habits of Jesus.     False (65.6%)  True (34.4%)

Answer:  False. Discipleship is cooperating with the Holy Spirit as he strengthens and releases the new desires and goodness of your new heart.  Habits flow from heart.  Otherwise we end up with behavior-management.

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7. I grow more like Christ only because I am accepted by God.  
False (53.1%)   True (46.9%)

Answer:  False.  This is also surprising to many. 

Acceptance alone will not restore a person.  Only restoration restores.  We are indeed fully accepted by God; yet we needed something more -- a new life and power to love well.  Otherwise, what you have is a fully-accepted dead person:  much like pardonning and accepting a corpse.  The corpse needs life.

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Were you surprised, even troubled, by any of the answers?  Do you agree with them?