God's Wonderful Grace
God’s Amazing Grace
“But because of God’s great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2 :4-5
“Grace” is an undeserved favor. Grace is what God gives to the undeserving. Milestones are achieved everytime we understand God’s grace in a deeper way. Our Christian life began when we understand that we are saved by grace.According to Errol Hulse:
“It is the most glorious, deepest, richest, most fruitfuland enduring experience of all.”
It was Paul’s desire in his letter to the Ephesians to deepen the believer’s understanding of the grace of God, to see what we have in Christ, undeserving though we are. To see what we can be because of what God has given us in the grace that is in Christ.
God Raises Us Up
This is the experience of those in Christ.
From The Depth of Death
Man’s natural condition: He is dead in sin. He is not just sick or weak or drowning . He is dead intrespasses and sins.He is dead to the things of the Kingdom of God.He is dead to the righteousness of God.This is very difficult to accept for the unbelievers.This is very difficult to accept even for those in the Christian circles. There are some who say that man has the ability to do something about his spiritual condition.We cannot do something about our spiritual condition. We cannot do something to make us alive to the things and righteousnessof God . Unless God touch us and make us alive, we will remain dead.
Man by nature is totally depraved. He is completely alienated from the ways of God.By nature he will not seek God and the things of God for he is accustomed to give glory for himself.Though he may be taught a religion, still his ways will remain adverse from the things of God. Through religion, man seek to glorify himself. We may seek purposes in religious activities but this does notnecessarily mean seeking God. The natural man is always alive to the things of the world and Satan. He is always up to date to the latest trend in the movie, music and fashion industry. Without the power of Christ, there is an evil power behind the activities of the world.There is an evil spirit promoting life of disobedience and opposition to God.
To The Heights of Life In Christ
God reaches down to us in love. Mercy and grace refers to God’s love reaching down to sinners. God’s love is given to us not because we are attractive to Him or we can give something. God’s grace is given to us not on the basis of our good characteristics or traits, but solely on the basis of God’s mercy and love. Because we have been raised to new life in Christ, now we are truly living. Because we have been raised to life in Chrst , we cannot be what we used to be. We cannot remain in our self-centeredness, sinfulness and worldliness.
He gave us life with Christ in Heaven and eternityas it is written :
“We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.”
Because of what Christ did, we have an honored place in Heaven. We don’t belong to this world anymore, we could not afford to continue to love the things and ways of the world. We have a noble status in Heaven. We should live here as citizens of the Heavenly city. We could not afford to go back to the old life we used to hang on. God reserved the best for us and for us Christians redeemed by the blood of Christthe best is yet to come.
AMAZING GRACE
Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saves a wretch like me
I once was lost
But now am found
Was blind
But now I see
This hub is an excerpt from the Vesper Worship Service Message preached by Brother Benjie Baclagon on October 15, 2011 at Grace Bible Church- Manila, Philippines.
