Grace and Humility!

(Romans 11:6) “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

I am rather excited about today’s blog and with it, I hope, will come a clearer understanding on what is needed to walk victoriously as Christians. It is the Apostle Paul who will teach us these valuable lessons. It has taken me a lifetime to get my head around this truth but just a little. I realize I know only in part, but what I have seen and is now coming into fruition is glorious. My disobedience to this truth has taken its toll on my body and with it I have had to deal with serve consequences, with many of life’s scars still evident in my body.

Grace is the weapon needed; call it the magic ingredient for daily living. We should all understand what I am about to share but do we really? If we did we wouldn’t actually miss the mark so often, which is, to walk more victorious as Christians than the day before. Our daily sanctification would be evident to all, in fact we would share Jobs testimony; “His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.” (Job 1:4-5) – He lived an unselfish life! Do we rise early and pray for our lost ones?   

From the beginning even grace saved Noah, grace is the enabling catalyst through faith. Grace and faith lock hands in order for us to enjoy their strength and walk as faithful stewards with the measure of Christ we have been given. “God is for His children and not against them”, it is the wiles of the devil that looks to deceive and trip us up, and how does he do this? He shows us his very own character, which is “full of pride” and this is what brought him tumbling down from the portals of heaven and it is what will bring us crashing to the dirt if we linger here too long. No! Even if we flirt with it! God most certainly resists the proud, who then will find favour? It is the humble that our glorious Father reaches out too.

What is it that is needed from God to overcome? Grace is needed! Therefore; “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Without humility we will not find grace in time of need!

Grace is needed for us to be more “Christ minded” and to walk as He once walked. This is a daunting proposition if we understand what that means. Yes, we may flippantly rattle of words and cliché’s like "to die is gain" and yet give it no real thought once it has left our lips. To die… is gain! Self-denial is what is needed from all, but it is impossible to do it through our flesh “this body of death”, it is grace we must seek out in order to overcome. It may appear that some may walk more victoriously than others as we glance across the congregation, but the light of Christ cannot be hidden, darkness must flee from it. It is this light we are after and not man-centered patch work.

“O, when will all professors, and especially all professed ministers of Christ, learn the difference between the law and the gospel? Most of them make a mingle-mangle, and serve out deadly potions to the people, often containing but one ounce of gospel to a pound of law, whereas, but even a grain of law is enough to spoil the whole thing.
It must be gospel, and gospel only. "If it be of grace, it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; and if it be of works, then it is not of grace, otherwise work is no more work." (C.H.Spurgeon)

With that said, look at Paul’s emphasis throughout his writing and remember where he came from prior to salvation, roots of arrogance; “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.” (2Corinthians 11:22) - But look how he concludes his deliberation to those who were boasting against his doctrine; “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2Corinthians 11:29-30)   

 

May God now show us the importance of this understanding and may we learn from probably one of the greatest teachers that ever lived; grace high on his agenda! But it wasn’t always like that in fact; the exact opposite seemed to be His guise. Pride filled his life as he persecuted the Christian in his unbelief.

And then he came face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ…

In the ESV translation he uses the word grace 86 times if we account the book of Hebrews to Timothy, if not 94 times. And in his concluding sendoffs, he almost always ends with grace and the Lord Jesus as his focal point…

“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” (1Corinthians 16:23)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (1Corinthians 13:14)

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (Galatians 6:18)   

 “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” (Ephesians 6:24)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philippians 4:23)

 “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (Colossians 4:18)

The list goes on, may we make it of utmost importance to make this truth our very own. God give us the strength to find grace through humility, to be about his service and not our own agendas.

Signing off

Tyrone