Word For Today: Ephesians 2:8-10 (GRACE) What Does The Bible Say About GRACE ? DEFINITION: The word used in the Old Testament for GRACE is Hebrew chested This word speaks of deliverance from enemies, affliction or adversity. It also denotes enablement, daily guidance, forgiveness and preservation. Charis is a Greek word found in the New Testament which focusses on the provision of SALVATION. Simply put GRACE is Gods free and unmerited favour for sinful humanity. Grace means Gods love in action towards men and women who merited the opposite of love. It means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into Heaven. God made Him (Jesus), who new no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him (Jesus), we might become righteousness of God. (EPHESIANS 5:21). KINDNESS OF GOD: Saints, our sin was poured into Christ at the crucifixion, then His righteousness is poured into us at our conversion. God offers to trade His righteousness for our sin. I mean this is something of immeasurable worth for something completely worthless. God is kind to us saints. I mean we are not even worthy to be called saints, but because of His kindness, He calls us righteous, something we dont deserve. We move from a life full of sin to one where we are led by Gods Holy Spirit. ALL OUR SINS, not merely, but ALL, are washed away by our Baptism, which is a sign of salvation. CHRISTS SAVING WORK: In becoming a Christian, the believer acknowledges Christ as Lord and recognizes Christs saving work. We gain eternal life with all its treasures. We have renewal by the Holy Spirit, and He continually renews our hearts. FINISHED BUSINESS When we are under GRACE sin doesnt have power over us. How wonderful it is to know that our sins were judged in the body of Christ? So when He died it was finished (John 19:30) He became the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. The word finished is the same as Paid In Full. Jesus came to finish Gods work of Salvation (John 4:34 ; 17:4) THE GIFT OF GOD He saved us not because of right doing, but because of His mercy. He justified us by His grace, not by the things we had done. None of this occurs because we earned or deserved it, but it is a gift of God to all those who believe the message of the cross. We have been saved saints - it is by GRACE - only through faith - and this is not from ourselves - it is the gift which comes from God - It is not something we had done - so we cant boast - we cant take credit for it. All glory and honour should be directed straight to God. QUESTION TIME: Having been given the gift of FAITH and SALVATION, DONT YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL? HOW ABOUT RESPONDING WITH GRATITUDE? Dont we know that an appropriate response to a gift is THANK YOU? TALK TO ME BANGCWELE ... and good morning!
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:20:57 +0000
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