Grace and truth in action

We are all in need of God’s “Grace + Truth”. For we all have gone astray due to sin (rebellion) distorting our lives, our behaviour towards God and to our fellow human beings.

The whole purpose of Jesus coming to the earth was to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. A mission of unconditional and unprecedented love to save us from self-destruction and eternal destruction. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV)

You can see the picture of chaos and strife from when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of good and evil (not an apple as religion & tradition infer). Humanity has been attacking each other as seen in Adam blaming Eve for making him rebel against God when he ate from the tree God said he should not eat from. Adam failed to take responsibility for his actions. Eve also tried the deflection game, blaming the serpent for making her disobey God’s clear instructions.

Cain murders Abel as he was jealous that his younger brother Abel obeyed God and was blessed. This, unfortunately, has been the pattern of human history to date. The consequence we see is widespread poverty, inequality, nations attacking nations, family dramas displaying jealousy, hatred, envy, greed, self-righteousness, selfishness and all forms of wickedness in communities and governments. Simply, no one takes responsibility for their actions, with everyone pointing the finger to blame the other.

Christ came to our chaotic world not to judge us although He has every right to. Jesus Christ came with pure heavenly love to show us another way - the way of the Kingdom of God. He has come to seek and save the lost. “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”” (Luke 19:10 NKJV). He did not come to judge us (that is for another time in the future) and no one will have any excuse that the gospel (the Good News from God that the price for humanity’s sin has been paid for by God Himself) has not been shared throughout the world.

This is what Easter is all about. Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God, emptying Himself of all His divinity, came as a man to identify with humanity and by obeying His Heavenly Father with Whom He is equal, showed us that all things are possible. “Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.” (Philippians 2:5, 7 AMPC)

Jesus lived on the earth with us yet He did not sin “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV), showing us that people can live without being dominated by the power of sin. This is because the devil, sin and the grave were defeated on the cross of Calvary over 2000 years ago, setting the whole of humanity free from the power of darkness and the curse of sin and death.

This is the summary of the Gospel. The Scriptures say it best; “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”(Ephesians 2:4-10 NKJV)

We now have a choice, a decision has to be made knowing that the Easter season (the resurrection weekend) is a reality. Christ has risen from the grave! Will you continue to be a slave of sin or will you be a slave of righteousness? Today, identify with righteousness, the tomb is empty. Christ is risen!!! You and I no longer have excuses. We must live lives of dominion. We must live as ambassadors of Christ. We are to reign in life and make an impact. Once we make Christ our Lord and Saviour we are to reconcile others to Christ and set the captives free.

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”(II Corinthians 5:18-19 NKJV). Be encouraged my friends, and serve the Lord while you can.