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God’s grace is His unmerited favor and infinite mercy to the undeserving. This truth, revealed from the beginning to the end of the Bible (Genesis 6:8; Revelation 22:21), is the only reasonable explanation for our creation, redemption, preservation and glorification. God’s grace comes through Jesus who incarnated, died and rose again to ”save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It is simply spelt God’s Riches At Christ’s Éxpense. It is of inestimable value to all – both sinners and saints. Interestingly, this undeserved gift of grace and mercy, ”hath appeared to all men” to transform as well as enrich us.
Ignorance of this truth robs both sinners and believers of the benefits of the many-sided or **”manifold grace of God” ** (1 Peter 4:10). Saved by grace, we are sanctified, sustained and strengthened by it. To trust in God to be saved by grace and relying on self-effort to live righteously is impossible and suicidal (Galatians 3:3). We also live and serve God by grace.
God’s provision of grace for the salvation of all people
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The grace of God that brings salvation has been revealed to all classes of people – old and young, master and servant, king and subject, rich and poor, learned or ignorant. None is excluded from its offer of salvation because ”all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. God desires to save all people from sin so they will not perish. Every sin committed against god is a great debt owed and innumerable sins have been unchanging penalty, which no sinner can pay and still since all have sinned and are indebted. Though God is someone must pay the penalty for past sins to be blotted out. And here comes the good news to all people of all races: that Christ, the sinless Son of god, became Man our sin-debts. Obtaining this freedom from condemnation and death for past sins through the undeserved and unmerited mercy and favor God is at the immeasurable price of the blood and life of Christ.
Salvation from the penalty, pollution, power, prosperity and presence of sin and the prince of sinners is all by grace. Though many people who struggle with sin think it is impossible to be saved from it, the truth is that ”the grace of God that bringeth salvation” liberates and transforms life. Grace leads us to the truth in Christ. The truth is that the sinner, who wholeheartedly repents, forsakes sin, accepts Christ’s death for him, asks for forgiveness, believes in His resurrection for justification and receives Him as Lord and Savior, will be saved.
Just as grace produces or results in salvation, the effect of salvation in our hearts is righteousness in our lives.
” For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” – Romans 10:10
The true believer receives ”righteousness from the God of his salvation” and testifies that ”God hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness”. It follows that recipients of God’s grace are empowered to stop sinning and live righteously. Sin and grace cannot co-exist in any life. Or, is ungodly living the proof of grace?
”Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any linger therein?” – Romans 6:1,2
Any teaching which claims that recipients of God’s grace and salvation can be unrighteous in lifestyle in devilish and damning.
The Apostle clarifies that God’s grace does not stop at salvation; it sustains converted believers in the Kingdom;
”Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
God’s grace does not only transform hearts and lives but also produce a desire to live like God as revealed in Christ. Besides, it creates an aversion or deep dislike for anything ungodly or unrighteous. The desire for sensual indulgence or worldly pleasure is replaced with the love for God and righteousness. Saved from sin, we are made free from the gross passion and pursuit of worldly-minded sinners around us.
The fleshly enjoyments of those who do not know God hold no interest for those who have tasted the grace and goodness of God in salvation. Everyone who is saved by grace through faith in Christ desires as well as lives ”soberly” with all passions and propensities under due restraint; ”righteously” to always please God in all things; and ”godly”, acting and conduction ourselves as true children of God who possess His nature. The place to live a godly life style is ”this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because heaven and its inhabitants are holy. It is the height of self deceit for anyone who lives in sin on earth to hope to live a godly life in heaven; no sinful soul can enter there!
”Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ” – Titus 2:13.
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Paul the apostle here highlights the ultimate end of the power and effects of God’s grace which should be the expectation of all saints. God’s design n recreating us to be like Him, live for and serve Him is so we can live with Him in heaven for ever, to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and not get to heaven serves no purpose and to live soberly, righteously and godly with no desire for heaven is worthless. Heaven is the singular goal, pursuit and hope of the godly. With faith in Christ’s unfailing promise of Second Coming, he loathes the filth and evil prevalent in this world.
Believers have no continuing city on earth; they look for the glories of another world where they will soon transit to, either through death or rapture of the saints. The blessed hope of Christians, therefore, is the final happy re-union with the Lord in heaven.
God calls sinners and believers to prepare for heaven as nobody will get there by accident but by conscious appropriation of the full benefits and experience of His grace. Apostle Peter reiterates Christ’s teaching on the certain and terrible destruction of this sinful world by fire to instruct that believers should pursue as well as endeavor to live in holiness and watchfulness lest they become prey (2 Peter 3:11). Heaven is a holy place for holy people current experience of saving and sustaining grace are the indispensable qualifications for admission into it (Colossians 1:12).
Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again as predicted in the Scriptures.
There are over 660 general prophecies 333 of them about Christ. 109 were fulfilled and His first coming, 224 are still to be fulfilled at His second coming. There are over 1,500 Old Testament passages that refer to the Second Coming of Christ. 1 out of every 25 New Testament verses directly refers to the Second Coming of Christ. Every time the Bible mentions the First coming of Christ, it mentions His second coming 21 times and over 50 times, we are told to be ready for His return. Christ second coming is a major theme in the word of God.
Christ unfailing promise, the guarantee of the Holy Spirit, His program for the Church, the nations and Israel, His crucifixion and future reign and expectation of the saints all demand He returns. To avoid being damned, believers must live and serve in the consciousness of Christ’s imminent return. Death and rapture are once: there will be no second chance.
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