5. The Gospel
The fifth aspect of the Grace of
God is the gospel which is the medium by which one receives the word to grow in
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the means
by which one can be renewed in the spirit of their minds, to put on the new
man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
God’s grace can be received in
vain if one follows the example of the servant who received the one talent and
did not invest it but hid it in a napkin. The gospel is the means by which one
comes to the knowledge of the truth, and are therefore responsible to
"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in
the ear, preach on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27).
Anyone who does not make maximum
and effective use of the knowledge they have received, has unfortunately
received the grace of God in vain. For it is written; “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 (John14:26; 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 parable, “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 the irony of truth 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 not a lie, and just as it has taught us, we 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. We
are 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 learned from the scriptures, we are to be changed 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. 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? (Proverbs
24:12).
Each one will be rewarded
according to his own work; For God repays man according to his work and makes
man to find a reward according to his way. And 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.
Therefore, if anyone has faith,
let him/she has it to him/herself before God. Happy is he/she who does not condemn
himself in what he/she approves.
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?
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To be continued
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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