By Brother Samuel
22nd November 2021
Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for your undiluted word, we know you will bless every heart. And make us hearers and doers also, in Jesus name, Amen.
8AMP: For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9AMP: Not because of works [not the fulfilment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] [EPHESIANS 2:8-9 AMP]
8 For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ! 9 So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving. [EPHESIANS 2:8-9 The Passion Translation]
11AMP: For the grace of God (His unmerited favour and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. 12AMP: It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world, [TITUS 2:11-12 AMP]
The law was the covenant that was in existence between God and His people; namely the Jews in former times. The thing about the law is that it had endless commandments that the children of Israel had to keep (613 commandments).
The truth is no matter how hard they tried, it was not just possible to live a perfect, blameless guilt-free life under such a covenant.
Needless to say, the law was filled with so many works and strife.
God however knew that man was incapable of keeping the law, not to talk of fulfilling it and so in His endless unfailing mercy, He sent Jesus to fulfil the law and bring us His free gift of salvation made possible by His grace.
Now, what is Grace?
Grace is simply the unmerited favour of God.
If you notice, the word “UNMERITED” is used in the definition of grace and it is deliberate. That is because the grace of God is not something you can earn. There is nothing you can do to earn it because it is a free gift from God.
The best thing we can do for ourselves as children of God is to accept the grace of God into our lives.
God freely gave us salvation through His endless grace to save us from a “Performance-Based Christianity”.
Under the law, you are required to always do one thing or the other to get right with God and it was filled with self-works and strive.
But under grace, Jesus does everything for you. HALLELUJAH!!!
All you have to do is trust and receive His grace.
However, the one problem that I faced for a long time and many believers still face today is that we claim to be under grace but unknowingly operate as though still under the law. Many believers are stuck in what Pastor Creflo Dollar calls “Performance-Based Christianity”. They always feel the need to perform or do something to validate that they are Christians. Some of them (just like me, once upon a time) try to do the things of God without relying on His grace to help them (Philippians 4:13). And in the process, they end up relying on their works instead of His grace.
What happens at the end of the day is that they are stuck in a circle of frustration, because this new covenant works based on His GRACE and not our WORKS.
Let us take a look at Romans 9:16 and Zachariah 4:6;
Everything then depends on God’s mercy and not on what people want or do. [Romans 9:16 CEV]
So, the angel explained that it was the following message of the Lord to Zerubbabel: I am the Lord All-Powerful. So, don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit. [Zechariah 4:6 CEV]
Zechariah 4:6 says, “…don’t depend on your strength…” And that is worth always keeping in our hearts when walking with God.
Most Christians go as far as trying to get right with God by works because they feel they must do something for God to accept them, but His grace is already available for you. You can never get right with God by your works (law).
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. [Galatians 5:4 NLT]
11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life”. [Galatians 3:11]
One thing YOU must believe and have registered in YOUR heart is this, CHRIST HAS DONE IT ALL FOR ME.
Don’t let the enemy steal this from you.
There is no point in trying to suffer what Christ has already suffered for you because you can’t. It is impossible. That is why it is called GRACE OF GOD, UNMERITED FAVOUR.
God literally said “Even though you don’t deserve it, I Choose to give you my GRACE”
8AMP: For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9AMP: Not because of works [not the fulfilment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] [EPHESIANS 2:8-9]
And one thing the Holy Spirit taught me is that the GRACE of God has relatives he comes with namely; FAVOUR & KINDNESS. So there is no need to struggle with one thing or the other, just take it to God his magnificent grace is there for you for all of Eternity.
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. [2 Corinthians 12:8-9]
This was Apostle Paul speaking and that was God’s awesome response. That shows the power of His Grace. Nothing in your life can escape the transforming power of His grace. All you have to do is accept His grace.
This leads me to the next point; the Grace of God requires total acceptance and dependency from you for it to be effective in your life and yield results.
3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” [Romans 4:3]
All Abraham did was to believe God totally and his life is still a wonder.
Now I want us all to remember this one thing; the Grace of God is a gift and a free one at that. All we need to do is to receive it.
I pray that the grace of God shall continue to be manifest in our lives. God bless us all.
Yes, and Amen!
Nothing missing.
Nothing broken.
Shalom!!!