Grace That Doesn’t Enable Dysfunction

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Grace is not passive. It is not permissive. It is not blind.

Grace is the power of God revealed in Christ to redeem, restore, and re-align us with His heart. It is not a blanket that covers dysfunction so it can continue unchecked—it is a transforming presence that calls us into truth, healing, and wholeness.

In some church cultures, grace has been misused as a tool to avoid confrontation, dismiss discernment, or silence correction. But true grace, the kind that flows from the finished work of Jesus, does not enable dysfunction—it exposes it lovingly, and invites repentance.

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Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus

John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Grace and truth are inseparable. Grace without truth is sentimentality. Truth without grace is harshness. But together, they form the righteous foundation of God’s kingdom.

When leaders function in authority that contradicts Scripture, grace does not ask us to pretend. It asks us to discern, to speak in love, and sometimes, to walk away when the environment refuses to change.

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Righteousness and Justice: The Foundation of His Throne

Psalm 89:14 declares: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.”

This is the divine balance:

• Righteousness: God’s right way of being and doing.

• Justice: God’s commitment to fairness, equity, and restoration.

• Mercy and truth: The atmosphere of His presence.

When grace is rightly understood, it upholds righteousness and demands justice. It does not excuse spiritual abuse, manipulation, or control. It calls it out—not to condemn, but to liberate.

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Walking With People, Not Systems

You’ve been walking with people—pastorally, relationally, prophetically. That’s grace in motion. But when systems or leaders operate in unrighteous authority, your spirit resists. That’s not a lack of grace—it’s the presence of justice.

You are not called to enable dysfunction. You are called to embody grace, which sometimes means:

• Saying “no” to spiritual compromise.

• Refusing to participate in misaligned leadership.

• Holding space for truth, even when it’s costly.

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Two words for righteousness used in the New Testament

In the New Testament, the concept of righteousness is rich and deeply rooted in the Greek language. Two primary Greek words are used to express this idea:

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1. Δικαιοσύνη (Dikaiosýnē)

Pronunciation: dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay

 

Meaning: This is the most common Greek word translated as righteousness in the New Testament. It refers to:

• The state of being right or just in the eyes of God.

• Conformity to God’s character and will—not just moral behavior, but a right standing that comes from Him.

• It is often used in the context of justification—being declared righteous by God through faith, not by works.

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Key verses:

• “But now the righteousness (dikaiosýnē) of God has been manifested apart from the law…” — Romans 3:21

• “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness (dikaiosýnē) of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

  • This verse beautifully captures the exchange at the heart of the gospel: Jesus took on our sin so that we could receive His righteousness—not as something we earn, but as something we become. It’s not just a legal status; it’s a new identity.

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• 2. Δίκαιος (Dikaios)
  Pronunciation: dik'-ah-yos

• Meaning: This is the adjective form of the same root word and is usually translated as “righteous” or “just.” It describes:

• A person who is upright, innocent, or approved by God.
  Someone who lives in accordance with God’s will, not by their own strength, but by faith.
  It’s used to describe both God’s character and the new nature of believers.
  Key examples:
  “The righteous (dikaios) shall live by faith.” — Romans 1:17
  “God is just (dikaios); He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” — 2 Thessalonians 1:6
  
  Summary of the Two Words:​

 

Dikaiosýnē    Noun    Righteousness (state or identity)    2 Corinthians 5:21

Dikaios    Adjective    Righteous (describing a person or act)    Romans 1:17, Matthew 1:19 (re: Joseph)

Would you like me to explore how these words connect to the Hebrew concepts of צֶדֶק (tsedeq) and מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat)—righteousness and justice—in the Old Testament as well? They form a powerful theological thread from Genesis to Revelation.

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Hebrew Foundations: Righteousness and Justice

1. צֶדֶק (Tsedeq) / צְדָקָה (Tzedakah)

Meaning:

• These words are translated as righteousness, but they carry a broader meaning than just moral uprightness.

• They refer to right relationships, ethical behavior, and living in alignment with God’s covenant.

• Tzedakah especially emphasizes acts of justice and mercy—doing what is right in a relational and communal sense.

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Example:

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” — Amos 5:24

 

This verse shows how righteousness and justice are not just personal virtues but social and spiritual imperatives.

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2. מִשְׁפָּט (Mishpat)

Meaning:

• Translated as justice, mishpat refers to fairness, judgment, and restoration.

• It’s about setting things right, especially for the vulnerable, the oppressed, and the misjudged.

• It includes both legal justice and divine justice—God’s way of making things whole.

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Example:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice (mishpat), to love mercy (chesed), and to walk humbly with your God?” — Micah 6:8

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How They Connect to the New Testament

When Jesus and the apostles speak of righteousness and justice, they are building on these Hebrew foundations:

• Dikaiosýnē (righteousness) in the New Testament is not just moral purity—it’s covenantal faithfulness, right standing, and relational integrity, just like tsedeq.

• Dikaios (righteous) describes someone who lives in alignment with God’s justice, reflecting mishpat in action.

• Jesus embodies both: He is the righteous one (1 John 2:1) and the just judge (Acts 10:42), fulfilling both tsedeq and mishpat.

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Grace, Righteousness, and Justice Together

When we say grace doesn’t enable dysfunction, we’re echoing this biblical pattern:

• Grace restores righteousness (tsedeq)—it brings people back into right relationship with God and others.

• Grace demands justice (mishpat)—it does not ignore harm, but seeks healing and truth.

• Grace empowers righteousness (dikaiosýnē)—not by law, but by the Spirit.

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Abraham’s Lie About Sarah: What Happened?

In Genesis 12:10–20 and again in Genesis 20, Abraham tells foreign rulers that Sarah is his sister, not his wife. He does this out of fear that he’ll be killed because of her beauty. Technically, Sarah was his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), but the intent behind the statement was deceptive.

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What’s striking:

• Abraham lies.

• Sarah is taken into another man’s household.

• God intervenes to protect her.

• Abraham is rebuked—but still blessed.

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Grace That Doesn’t Enable Dysfunction

This story is a clear example of God’s grace covering Abraham, but not endorsing his dysfunction.

• God protects Sarah, even though Abraham failed to.

• God confronts the foreign kings, not because they were righteous, but because they were unknowingly involved in a covenant violation.

• Abraham is not punished, but he is corrected—and the situation exposes his fear and lack of trust.

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This shows us that grace is not the absence of consequences, but the presence of divine protection and correction. God doesn’t enable Abraham’s fear-driven choices, but He works through them to preserve the covenant.

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Righteousness and Justice in Abraham’s Story

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1. Righteousness (Tsedeq / Dikaiosýnē)

• Abraham is called righteous by faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).

• His righteousness is not based on perfect behavior, but on trusting God’s promise.

• Even when he fails morally, his identity as righteous remains because it’s covenantal, not performance-based.

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2. Justice (Mishpat)

• God acts justly by protecting Sarah and confronting the kings.

• He doesn’t let injustice stand, even when it’s caused by His own covenant partner.

• Justice here is restorative, not punitive—it restores what was threatened.

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How It All Fits

Abraham’s story teaches us that:

• Grace covers, but it also corrects.

• Righteousness is a gift, not a reward for perfect behavior.

• Justice is active, even when the righteous fall short.

• God’s covenant faithfulness is stronger than human failure.

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This is the same pattern we see in the New Covenant:

 

“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” — Romans 5:20 “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” — Philippians 1:6

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Abraham as a Failing Leader

Abraham wasn’t just a man of faith—he was a leader, a father of nations, and a covenant partner with God. Yet he failed in a deeply personal and relational way when he:

• Lied about Sarah, exposing her to danger.

• Acted out of fear, not faith.

• Failed to protect, even though he was called to lead.

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Despite this, God did not revoke the covenant. Instead, He:

• Intervened to protect Sarah.

• Confronted the situation through others (e.g., Pharaoh and Abimelech).

• Continued to call Abraham righteous, because his righteousness was based on faith, not flawless behavior.

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What This Reveals About Leadership Failure

1. Grace Doesn’t Excuse, But It Covers

God didn’t ignore Abraham’s failure—but He covered it to protect the promise. This is grace in action: not enabling dysfunction, but preserving destiny.

“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” — Romans 5:20

 

2. Righteousness Is Covenant-Based, Not Performance-Based

Abraham was still called righteous because he believed God (Genesis 15:6). His failure didn’t cancel his identity—it revealed his need for growth.

This is crucial for understanding leaders today: failure doesn’t disqualify identity, but it requires accountability and restoration.

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3. Justice Protects the Vulnerable

God’s justice was evident in how He protected Sarah. Even when the leader failed, God upheld justice by intervening and restoring what was threatened.

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This is a model for how the body of Christ should respond when leaders fail:

• Protect those affected.

• Confront the failure with truth and love.

• Restore the leader if possible, but not at the expense of justice.

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Application for Today’s Church

When leaders fail—especially in spiritual authority—the church often struggles to respond well. But Abraham’s story shows us:

• Grace is not silence. It speaks truth and protects.

• Righteousness is not perfection. It’s faith and humility.

• Justice is not revenge. It’s restoration and alignment.

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If a leader is functioning in a way that contradicts Scripture, and the system enables it, then grace may look like walking away, speaking truth, or creating space for healing outside the institution.

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Scapegoating and Immature Leadership

Scapegoating is a form of spiritual deflection—where a leader or system projects unresolved issues onto someone else to preserve control or avoid accountability. It’s often used to:

• Avoid dealing with internal dysfunction.

• Maintain a false sense of unity or authority.

• Silence voices that carry truth or discernment.

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In Scripture, scapegoating is symbolized in the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), where one goat was sacrificed and another was sent into the wilderness, symbolically carrying the sins of the people. But in the New Covenant, Jesus became the final scapegoat, so no one else should bear that burden.

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When immature leadership scapegoats someone, it’s a sign that they are not functioning in spiritual authority, but in positional control.

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