The grace of God (2)

By Pastor (Dr.) Elisha Olusheye

Dear Reader,

Last week, we commenced discussions on the topic titled, “The Grace of God”, in which we gave the meaning and general purport of God’s grace. There we traced Adam’s sin and its consequences. From God’s reactions to the culprits as He sought out Adam and Eve, promised them a Saviour, clothed them, etc, we were able to prove the grace of God generally even as He deals with sinners. In continuation today, we shall consider briefly God’s righteousness versus God’s grace, limits of God’s grace, salvation by grace, and also how to depend on God’s grace.

(1) Further explanation of God’s grace: Grace is God’s voluntary and loving favour given to those He saves. We don’t earn it nor do we deserve it. No religious or moral effort can gain it, for it comes only from God’s mercy and love. Without His grace, no person can be saved. In Ephesians 1:7,8, the Bible says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.”

To speak of Jesus’ blood was an important first-century way of speaking of Christ’s death. His death points to two wonderful truths – redemption and forgiveness. Redemption was the price paid to gain freedom for a slave (Leviticus 25:47-54). Through His death, Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin. Forgiveness was granted in Old Testament times on the basis of the shedding of animals’ blood (Leviticus 17:11). Now we are forgiven on the basis of the shedding of Jesus’ blood, because he died and was the perfect and final sacrifice (see also Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:22; I Peter 1:19).

(2) No limit to God’s grace: In Nehemiah 9:28-31, the Bible says, “But after they had rest, they again did evil before you. Therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried out to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to Your mercies …… for You are God, gracious and merciful.”

Here, we recall that the nation of Israel was devasted by times of intense rebellion and sin. Yet when the people repented and returned to God, He delivered them. God puts no limit on the number of times we can come to Him to obtain mercy, but we must come in order to obtain it, recognizing our need and asking him for help. This miracle of grace should inspire us to say, “You are a gracious and merciful God”.

(3) God’s grace is for everyone: In Luke 17:15, 16, the Bible says, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.”

(4) The grace of God in granting salvation: In Matthew 20:15, the Bible says, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?”

The parable of the workers paid equally in Matthew 20:1-15 given by Jesus Christ is not about rewards but about salvation. It is a strong teaching about grace, God’s generosity. We shouldn’t be grudge those who turn to God in the last moments of life, because, in reality, no one deserves eternal life.

Many people we don’t expect to see in the Kingdom will be there. The thief who repented as he was dying (Luke 23:40-43) will be there along with people who have believed and served God for many years. Do you resent God’s gracious acceptance of the despised, the outcast, and the sinners who have turned to Him for forgiveness? Are you ever jealous of what God has given to another person? Instead, focus on God’s gracious benefits to you, and be thankful for what you have.

Again in Galatians 3:24-25, the Bible says, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

This means that although the Law teaches us the need for salvation, God’s grace gives us that salvation. The Old Testament still applies today. In it, God reveals His nature, His will for man, His moral laws, and guidelines for living.

(5) Why we must depend on God’s grace: In Romans 2:1ff, the holy Scripture is teaching us some of the urgent reasons why we must all depend on God’s grace. For example, here, when Apostle Paul’s letter was read in the Roman church, no doubt many heads nodded as he condemned idol worshippers, all forms of sexual immorality, and violent people. But what surprise his listeners must have felt when he turned on them and said, “You are just as bad!” Paul was emphatically stressing that nobody is good enough to save himself or herself. If we want to avoid punishment and live eternally with Christ, all of us, whether we have been murderers and molesters or whether we have been honest, hardworking, solid citizens, must depend totally on God’s grace. Paul is not discussing whether some sins are worse than others. Any sin is enough to cause us to depend on Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. We have all sinned repeatedly, and there is no way apart from Christ to be saved from sin’s consequences.

No one is good enough to save himself. This is the main purport of the holy Scriptures (also read John 3:16, 18, 36; Acts 4:12; 16:30, 31; Eph.1:7, 8; 2:8,9; Col.1:21-22; Rom.3:10,12,23; 6:23; 5:8; Lk.19:10).

Conclusion: Therefore, dear reader seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. I fervently pray that the grace of God will remain and abound with you now and always, and it will be well with you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – Amen.

(Concluded)

For further information, counselling, prayer and other help, please contact me at once, on telephone numbers: 08055069284, 02-8100301, 8100248 or 08037878711; write to E-mail: ehlolusheye@yahoo.co.uk or write to G.P.O. Box 530, Ibadan.

Allowing God to reign in your home (1)

By Pastor S.S.Jemigbon

We have confidence in the Lord that many families must have been blessed by the contents of this column. Thus we shall be addressing you on the promise of God for your home this year.

Our focus remains giving Bible-based advice to you in order to ensure that the family institution continues to maintain its rightful position in the design of God, the Creator.

This is not the will of Satan who has always stood against the family, knowing that it is the first institution established by God for the purpose of executing His wonderful plans for mankind.

His wiles are in many forms but they can be overcomed and destroyed through the powerful instrument which God has given His church this year “His word.” The Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee.

Do you know that God is ready to still the storms and problems in your family if you begin to appreciate and accept His reign upon your family?

The word of God speaks in the book of Revelation chapter 19 about the great shout of the heavenly Saints praising and adoring the all- powerful God in His majesty, having established Himself over all things both in heaven and on earth:

“Alleluia, For the Lord God, Omnipotent reigneth“ (Rev. 19:6), is reaffirmation of the awesome, un- quantifiable, omnipresent, omniscient and everlasting power of the most high God.

He is the Creator of all things. He is the Potter who, as such, has the power to mould whatever He deems right, the way He wants.

By His standard, He established your family for His own purpose to reinforce His Glory and omnipotence. “And the Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Gen.2: 18).

Man and woman, by this, become joint sharer in the prosecution of God’s purpose. They were kept in “the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. This is without prejudice to His replicating His authority in man as His own image, making them to rule over all things.

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created him, male and female created He them”.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Gen 1:27,28)

(To be continued)

Pastor S.S. Jemigbon,
Tel: 01-7741673,
01-4966033,
01-4965264.
E-Mail: taclawna@hyperia.com