Friday, January 11, 2013

The Grace of God


There is a lot of misconception about the grace of God. God does not tolerate sin but He grants us forgiveness if we repent and obey Jesus Christ. We read in Titus 2:11”For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12INSTRUCTING US to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. “
It is clear that if you hope in Christ and the grace of God has come to you then you have turned away from sin and you live a holy and a godly life. We read in 1Peter 1:13"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE FORMER LUSTS which were yours IN YOUR IGNORANCE, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”' We are instructed to live in righteousness and in holiness. But if we go back to sin and our previous lifestyle of sin then the wrath of God comes on us, we will perish!
As we read in Hebrews 10:26”For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.” If we go back to sin we can expect to end up in hell UNLESS we repent and turn back to God.
There is grace and there is mercy for every soul who truly repents. We are called to holiness, to live in communion and in relationship with Jesus Christ. We read in 1 John1:5 ”This is the message we have heard from Him(Jesus) and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM AND YET WALK IN THE DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT PRACTICE THE TRUTH; 7but IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” IF we walk in the Light, but if we do not walk in the Light then we are in darkness, we are NOT IN HIS PRESENCE.
Verse 8 ”If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
1 John 2:1”My little children, I am writing these things to you SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
3By this we know that we have come to know Him, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. (the words that Jesus spoke) 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
We are called to holiness and righteousness. That is the grace of God, that we might find forgiveness of the sins that we did in our ignorance BUT IF WE GO BACK TO SIN then the WRATH OF GOD WILL COME ON US because He does not tolerate sin. Without holiness no man will see God. If we truly repent we will find forgiveness but we cannot sin every day and repent every day, then we are not in relationship with Him, then we are not walking in the Light. The grace of God leads us to repentance and holiness and righteousness. We must be holy like Jesus Himself who called us is holy. If we are not holy and blameless then we are not fit for the kingdom of God. We must walk daily in righteousness and in holiness in the presence of God or else we are not fit for His kingdom. That is the grace of God, that we might become children of God and be like Jesus.
May Jesus bless you.

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