Have you received the grace of God in vain? (part two)

 

1. God’s forgiving Mercy.

The third significant aspect of God’s grace is His act of forgiveness. The medium by which sins are forgiven, diseases healed, life redeemed from destruction as alluded to by the Psalmist who wrote; “Praise the Lord O my soul; and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalms 103: 2-5).

 If this aspect of God’s grace is not being realized one should question him/herself and ask why? It is further stated in the scriptures saying; “If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

“You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. ‘Because he loves Me’, says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:9-16).

And we have been given the assurance that, “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful” (1Corinthians 1:9).

Therefore, if for any reason a true believer in Christ is not reaping the benefits of this aspect of God’s grace, it is simply because he/she is not partaking of the provisions provided, maybe not as often as he/she should, or he/she is partaking of the provisions provided in an unworthy manner.

As it is clearly stated; “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself, that is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep” (1Corinthians 11:27-30).

As often or whenever one eats this bread, and drinks this cup which represents the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he/she proclaims or makes known publicly, thus fulfilling the purpose for which Christ died, until He comes. Remember, the cup is the new covenant or agreement of Christ’s blood for the remission of sins, without which there is no forgiveness.

I again beg to ask the question, have we received this aspect of God's grace in vain?

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph