Post by foxjj on Jul 9, 2023 16:00:15 GMT
God’s Grace. Ephesians Ch.2:1:10
The world in which we all live is a fallen world overshadowed by evil. However, we have the opportunity to take hold of God’s Grace, opening the way to a better life in which light overcomes darkness, and spiritual life overcomes spiritual death, through Christ Jesus, as Paul explained to new believers in Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV):
“1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Our God is a just and righteous God who understands humanity because He is The Creator. He gave the first created man and women the opportunity to trust and obey His command not to eat of the forbidden fruit, only to have them listen to the father of lies, and disobey. Thereby, sin came into our world bringing with it all of the sorrow and suffering that has been the lot of humanity down through history. Although humanity had rebelled against The Holy God - because of His love - He made a commitment to provide the means of salvation saying to the serpent: ”And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” - Genesis 3:15. This was the first of the many prophecies foretelling the coming of Jesus - born of a virgin - who would be the One to crush the Serpents head by bringing Redemption, thereby restricting the power of sin which enslaves humanity.
Down through history, seekers of spiritual truth have found Salvation by means of God’s free gift of Grace. Turning to Jesus changes ones life to the utmost, from a life without hope, to a life filled with peace and hope. No matter how much we may strive to do so, this is not something we can obtain through our own endeavour. Grace is God’s gift to sinners who have repented as Paul further explained in Romans 3:23-26:
“23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
These are the ones whom God foreknew would turn to Him because, as the Omniscient God - The All Knowing One - He knows all things. Before you were born He knew you, knew how you would respond when you were presented with the Gospel. We who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus as our Atonement, are redeemed from a life of sin. Thereby we become the chosen - elect of God - receiving grace and blessings, we therefore in one accord with the redeemed, praise our risen Lord, knowing when this life is over we will, with the angels worship The One on The Throne.
Today, let us give thanks to our Merciful God.
John Joseph Fox.
The world in which we all live is a fallen world overshadowed by evil. However, we have the opportunity to take hold of God’s Grace, opening the way to a better life in which light overcomes darkness, and spiritual life overcomes spiritual death, through Christ Jesus, as Paul explained to new believers in Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV):
“1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Our God is a just and righteous God who understands humanity because He is The Creator. He gave the first created man and women the opportunity to trust and obey His command not to eat of the forbidden fruit, only to have them listen to the father of lies, and disobey. Thereby, sin came into our world bringing with it all of the sorrow and suffering that has been the lot of humanity down through history. Although humanity had rebelled against The Holy God - because of His love - He made a commitment to provide the means of salvation saying to the serpent: ”And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” - Genesis 3:15. This was the first of the many prophecies foretelling the coming of Jesus - born of a virgin - who would be the One to crush the Serpents head by bringing Redemption, thereby restricting the power of sin which enslaves humanity.
Down through history, seekers of spiritual truth have found Salvation by means of God’s free gift of Grace. Turning to Jesus changes ones life to the utmost, from a life without hope, to a life filled with peace and hope. No matter how much we may strive to do so, this is not something we can obtain through our own endeavour. Grace is God’s gift to sinners who have repented as Paul further explained in Romans 3:23-26:
“23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
These are the ones whom God foreknew would turn to Him because, as the Omniscient God - The All Knowing One - He knows all things. Before you were born He knew you, knew how you would respond when you were presented with the Gospel. We who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus as our Atonement, are redeemed from a life of sin. Thereby we become the chosen - elect of God - receiving grace and blessings, we therefore in one accord with the redeemed, praise our risen Lord, knowing when this life is over we will, with the angels worship The One on The Throne.
Today, let us give thanks to our Merciful God.
John Joseph Fox.