WHAT IS GRACE?
Anyone on earth is liable to walk in error as long as you are deficient in a certain knowledge; you will walk and communicate in it error. Error is going wrong, a result of not knowing the right thing or knowing it and refusing to follow it will result in error. So many are wallowing in errors today and thinking that they are doing the right thing. So many believers had believed that grace is everything. Some even agreed by misinterpreting scriptures that no matter what they do their making heaven is sure. On the other hand some had believed that they had come this far by their ability, strength and connections. They even insult others that are of fewer capacities compared to them. In order for you to know what grace is all about, where grace stands, what you can achieve by grace, how far grace can take you, this edition of Voices From Zion is written titled: WHAT IS GRACE? But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10
We need to remind ourselves that 1 Corinthians 15:10 Biblical characters was Paul the apostle, who was Saul before his conversion on his way to Damascus. Saul then (before his conversion) was a great threat to the disciples of Jesus Christ and all believers. He’s a notable hater of the gospel, it took Jesus’ appearance for him to be converted which means there is no one Jesus cannot save. Yet one of those things to note about Saul before his conversion is that; he is a hardened man like stone, he won’t listen, he won’t turn, and his mission is to eradicate the Christian by law, force and destruction. He shouldn’t have been accepted by Christ. The prayers of the Christians should have killed him. He was a Devil incarnate, a terrible man to the core. The scripture, the Bible recorded some things about Paul, let’s list some of it:
- He wanted all disciples killed, as seen in Act 9:1-3which says And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, *And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. *And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
- He kept the clothes of those that killed Stephen it’s recorded in Act 7:58 which says And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. Act 22:20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting (motivating the killers) unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
- Saul wanted all Christians imprisoned and killed, And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. *And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. *As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Act 8:1-3
But when grace found the same Saul turned him to Paul by Jesus in Act 9:1-20 then everything about him changes once a useless, good for nothing lawyer, Christian killer, now a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Where does grace stand in the life of Paul? Anyone who killed should be killed, anyone involved in any evil should be caught therewith, even though Saul was sponsored by the leaders and supported by the wicked. Jesus still turned him to his follower. A man who is most quoted more than those disciples that were with Jesus. The scripture listed the following about Paul:
- The scripture called him servant of God Romans 1:1
- He restructured a solid unity among the believers 1 Corinthians 1:1-10
- He spoke extensively about modesty in the house of God, how Christians should appear before God, 1 Corinthians 11:1-22
- Paul the apostle shed light on the power and the importance of partaking of the body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion, 1 Corinthians 11:23-30
- He enlighten all believers about speaking in tongues and prophecy, 1 Corinthians 14:1-40
- Paul the apostle told his story here in Galatians 1:13-24,
WHAT IS GRACE? From all of the above statements we can define grace in several biblical ways.
- Grace is the maker of man to God’s taste.
- Grace is the lifter of man to God’s desired height for him.
- Grace is God’s instrument of deliverance from past evil to present goodness.
- Grace is the supernatural ability in a man to be what God wants him to be.
- Grace makes man fulfil destiny.
- Grace helps people out of problems that are eradicating others.
- Grace makes deliverance from darkness possible.
- Grace set up for honour while others are wallowing in the miry clay.
That scripture says …by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain… So that means the grace is not received for fun. Grace is God’s hand upon any believer to do more or better than others. Even Jesus in John 14:12. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The joy of Jesus in the heavenlies will be multiplied if the Christians of this generation will do more than past generation of Christians. In another form, grace can be seen as strength to go beyond where others stopped. That scripture continue …but I laboured more abundantly than they all:.. Which could also be interpreted as I study the word more than ye all, I pray (for the church) more than ye all, I preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ more than ye all. I represent Christ among believers and non believers more than ye all. I give more than ye all, I fast often more than ye all… in conclusion; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
The truth is that, you cannot boast of anything, it’s the grace of God that makes great. Don’t condemn anyone because their standard is lower than yours, you are simply grace made.
Some of us are worse than Saul turned to Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ, yet grace has found us, but the question is have you served God more than Paul the apostle. Revelation 22:12-13. Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ went through turmoil, beatings, stripes, imprisonments, persecutions and he never turned back to his vomit. What about you? In fact Paul said For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1Corinthians 9:16
Paul the apostle didn’t come to the midst of the believers to cause division and confusion, he simply magnify what Jesus had started, in fact he said to Timothy Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. *Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear 1 Timothy 4:1-16, 2 Timothy 4:1-13.
Paul the apostle rose to the level of a legend in the Christian faith; he uses his education level to advance the gospel. He pushed to the end until he said in 2 Timothy 4:6-7 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. *I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
WHAT GRACE IS NOT: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? *God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2
Once you are converted you become a child of God, don’t step out of the fold because it simply means you are stepping out of grace, Romans 1:3-14. You have a new life now, a life of Jesus, eternal life that forbids damnation, destruction and unrighteousness. The moment you are saved by grace, the Holy Spirit in you will not accommodate sin anymore, your conscience will come alive, and you won’t be able to intentionally fall into sin except you submit to threat or give in to deception, which uncovers you from the grace of God. Sin throws believers out of the realm of ‘covering grace’ so that they can start to suffer all their past wrongs.
WHAT IS GRACE?
Grace is that which made you different from the general world, inputting in you all the ability needed to reign and rule in life. Finally you will make it to heaven, to see Jesus face to face. Shout GRACE seven times!
Voices From Zion Written Under God’s Dictate and Published by
Voices From Zion Written Under God’s Dictate and Published by
VOICES FROM ZION OUTREACH
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