Have we received the grace of God in vain (part three)

1. The Gospel

The fourth aspect of the grace of God is the gospel the medium by which we can grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because, the new man whom we have become is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created Him  (2Peter 3:18, Colossians 3:10).

God’s grace can be received in vain if we act like the servant who received the one talent and did not invest it, but hid it in a napkin. By abandoning God’s grace, never invest it, not making maximum, effective use of it and by not using it properly. This also refers to those who hold on to men’s traditions as alluded to in scriptures saying, “This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:6-9).

No matter what portion of grace one has received, it is grace that trains and teaches us. Our teacher is the Holy Spirit whom the Father sends in the name of Jesus Christ to teach us all things, and bring to remembrance all things spoken by Jesus Christ. We have an anointing from the Holy One and know the truth (John 14:26; 1John 2:20).

When we do not believe and understand the truth, we allow the wicked one to come and snatch away what is sown in our heart. According to the scriptures, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19).

But we have received the consolation saying, “The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1John 2:27).

As the Spirit teaches, our duty is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not to be conformed to this world, following the Status Quo, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God, and as we behold the glory of the Lord from what is learnt from the scriptures, we are to be transformed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another. Christianity is one’s personal relationship with God. It is, “To him who knows to do what is good, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

”If one says, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? Remember, each of us shall give account of himself to God. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (Proverbs 24:12; Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

One thing we should all bear in mind is that, “God repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way; Each one will be rewarded according to his own work, the righteous judgment of God is to render to each one according to his deeds, each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor (Job 34:11; Psalms 62:12; Romans 2:6; 1Corinthians 3:8; Matthew 16:27).

Now when it comes to having faith it is also a matter between the individual and God, for we have been duly admonished saying; “If anyone has faith, let him has it to himself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves” (Romans 14: 22).

Since Christianity is one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ, where does the church fit in this dispensation, or the stewardship that has been entrusted to it? Firstly, in this new dispensation we are all sufficient or competent Ministers of the new covenant. “Not that we are sufficient or competent in ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2Cornthians 3:4-6).

So then, where does the church and its leaders fit in our New Testament dispensation, inasmuch as it is the anointing which we have received from Him abides in us, and we do not need that anyone teach us; but as the same anointing teaches us concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught us, we will abide in Him. I therefore beg to ask the question again, have we received the grace of God in vain?

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph