Making the Gospel Message Clear 4

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a six part series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of “Salvation.” Next was “Obedience of Faith.” After that was “Redemption and Forgiveness.” This one is “Grace of God,” and following this will be God’s will and purpose. And then will be the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. Included in these may be other related topics the Lord may introduce along the way. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises.

Grace of God

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, what is grace? The Greek word is xaris. God’s grace to us is his kindness to us, his favor. It is his gift to us. It means “leaning towards to share benefit… preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give himself away to people… reaching (inclining) to people because he is disposed to bless” (source: Biblehub.com interlinear). And for what purpose did Jesus Christ freely extend himself to give himself away to people?

Well, the Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died that we might now live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so we would now honor God with our bodies. And he died so that we would be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but to God and to his righteousness.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And then we read this in Titus 2:11-14 about God’s grace:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

So, God’s grace to us is not just forgiveness of sins and the promise of heaven when we die. His grace is about Jesus giving himself away for us on that cross so that we can die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. His grace to us then instructs and trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and worldly and fleshly passions and lusts so that we can now, by the grace of God, live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return.

And not only that, but Jesus Christ gave himself up for us on that cross to redeem us (to buy us back for God out from) all lawlessness (disobedience to our Lord) and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). And he is to be Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives and we are to serve him with our lives because he now owns us.

Nonetheless, “certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). And how do they do this? By teaching that God’s grace forgives us all our sins and promises us heaven when we die, but regardless of how we live. But forgiveness of sin is not free license to continue living in sin, for it teaches us to renounce sin and to live holy and godly lives.

“1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

“6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” See Romans 6:1-23

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

Caution: This link may contain ads