Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Oh Friends what a wonderful, magnanimous God we worship! Words can’t do justice to describe Him. Look at what He’s done for us nuh. He LOVES us so much, that despite our rude, disobedient, wicked behaviour, despite our alienation from Him, His heartstrings were still tugged in our favour, and He made a way for us to return to His fold, any time we wanted. Now isn’t that REAL LOVE? Many of us won’t even brook the slightest nonsense from our children, much less go to the great lengths the Lord went to for us. Let Bruh Paul expound on it: ‘For by grace are ye saved.’ He knows it better than anyone, after the Lord confronted him on the road to Damascus and showed him the light, both literally and figuratively, turning him from the Church’s biggest persecutor to its most zealous preacher and advocate. Yes Friends, it’s through grace: the Lord’s goodness, His mercy, His LOVE, that we are saved. We’ve done nothing to merit this favour. In fact, we really don’t deserve it, but our awesome God has this great hang-up, called unconditional LOVE, that He granted us His grace anyway. Now we’ve got to do our part and accept that gift, which calls upon us to have faith; to believe on His Son, Jesus, whom He sacrificed, so that our sins could be washed clean. ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.’ (John 1:12) Yes Friends, it’s as simple as it sounds; you have faith, believe in Jesus and all that He did, and voila, you’re saved. But it’s also complex; for when you truly believe, you’re said to be born again, ‘Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:13) That means you’re a changed person; you don’t exist on a fleshly level again, but then dwell more in a spiritual realm, by bringing your life into closer connectivity with Jesus, following in His footsteps and being obedient to His dictates. It’s of the utmost importance to understand that saving grace through faith, has nothing to do with anything we’ve done, or can do; ‘it is the gift of God.’ That means, no works, nothing in our earthly power can save us. That’s why Bruh Paul added, ‘Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ ‘And if by grace, then is it no more of works…But if it be of works, then is it no more grace…’ (Rom.11:6) In the Old Testament, it was held that salvation could be earned through good works, so there was opportunity to boast, but with the coming of Jesus, that all changed. He became the only way, yes people, the ONLY WAY, to obtain salvation. So good works went out in that respect. ‘Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith.’ (Rom.3:27) Friends, good works are still important, but that alone won’t get you into heaven. You must first believe in Jesus and be saved through God’s redeeming grace. Then Friends, once we’ve been saved, we’ve got to go out and spread that good news of salvation to the unsaved multitude, so that they too can repent and accept Jesus’ saving grace. Much LOVE!…the greatest gift ever…salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ…
Oh Friends what a wonderful, magnanimous God we worship! Words can’t do justice to describe Him. Look at what He’s done for us nuh. He LOVES us so much, that despite our rude, disobedient, wicked behaviour, despite our alienation from Him, His heartstrings were still tugged in our favour, and He made a way for us to return to His fold, any time we wanted. Now isn’t that REAL LOVE? Many of us won’t even brook the slightest nonsense from our children, much less go to the great lengths the Lord went to for us. Let Bruh Paul expound on it: ‘For by grace are ye saved.’ He knows it better than anyone, after the Lord confronted him on the road to Damascus and showed him the light, both literally and figuratively, turning him from the Church’s biggest persecutor to its most zealous preacher and advocate. Yes Friends, it’s through grace: the Lord’s goodness, His mercy, His LOVE, that we are saved. We’ve done nothing to merit this favour. In fact, we really don’t deserve it, but our awesome God has this great hang-up, called unconditional LOVE, that He granted us His grace anyway. Now we’ve got to do our part and accept that gift, which calls upon us to have faith; to believe on His Son, Jesus, whom He sacrificed, so that our sins could be washed clean. ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.’ (John 1:12) Yes Friends, it’s as simple as it sounds; you have faith, believe in Jesus and all that He did, and voila, you’re saved. But it’s also complex; for when you truly believe, you’re said to be born again, ‘Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:13) That means you’re a changed person; you don’t exist on a fleshly level again, but then dwell more in a spiritual realm, by bringing your life into closer connectivity with Jesus, following in His footsteps and being obedient to His dictates. It’s of the utmost importance to understand that saving grace through faith, has nothing to do with anything we’ve done, or can do; ‘it is the gift of God.’ That means, no works, nothing in our earthly power can save us. That’s why Bruh Paul added, ‘Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ ‘And if by grace, then is it no more of works…But if it be of works, then is it no more grace…’ (Rom.11:6) In the Old Testament, it was held that salvation could be earned through good works, so there was opportunity to boast, but with the coming of Jesus, that all changed. He became the only way, yes people, the ONLY WAY, to obtain salvation. So good works went out in that respect. ‘Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith.’ (Rom.3:27) Friends, good works are still important, but that alone won’t get you into heaven. You must first believe in Jesus and be saved through God’s redeeming grace. Then Friends, once we’ve been saved, we’ve got to go out and spread that good news of salvation to the unsaved multitude, so that they too can repent and accept Jesus’ saving grace. Much LOVE!…the greatest gift ever…salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ…
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