The five integral components of God’s grace
We
grow up and live in a society where very few people emerge as leaders and the
vast majority as followers. In the Christian life however, each one must learn
to stand on his/her two feet firmly planted on the solid foundation which is
Jesus Christ. Whatever one builds on this foundation, his/her work will be
shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work (1Corinithians 3:12-13).
For
it is written; “But to each one of us grace was or has been given according to
the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians
4:7).
Grace
is what brought us thus far in life, and it is grace that will bring us to our
final destination. Grace is what taught our hearts to fear, and grace relieved
us of fear. Grace is God’s unmerited favor, mercy and compassion which He
bestowed on humanity as a free gift without man’s input for we have been duly
instructed saying: “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).
Nevertheless,
we have further been instructed saying; “For we are His workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk
in them” (Ephesians 2:9).
And
so, in order for us to have a good knowledge and a better understanding of
grace so as not to receive it in vain it is imperative that we know, understand
and believe the of grace of God which consist of five integral components which
are:
- Eternal life
Eternal
life is a gift mankind received from God despite our unworthiness as we have
been duly admonished saying: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus Christ is the source by
which mankind receives the gift of eternal life. For thus says the Lord; “And
this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom You have sent.” The apostle John also wrote saying; “And we know
that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may
know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternal life (Romans 5:23; John 17:3, 1John 5: 20).
The
testimony or witness which the Father has given us regarding His Son is that;
“There are three that bear witness on earth: The Spirit, the water, and the
blood; and these three agree as one." The Spirit is Christ, the living Man
from heaven, the water is His flesh, and the blood is His life.
It
is clearly stated that, "if we receive the witness of men, the witness of
God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His
Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does
not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony
that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who
does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1John 5: 8-12).
Jesus
Christ who is eternal life gives to all men life, breath and everything else so
that men will seek Him, and perhaps reach out for Him, and find Him although He
is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our
existence.
It
is by one Spirit we were all baptized or immersed into Jesus Christ at His
death and was begotten by Him at His resurrected from the dead. According to
the words of Jesus Christ, “I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls
to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it
produces many seeds” (John 12:24).
This
He said referring to His body which is the true vine, and we are the branches.
The branch that does not bear fruit, the Father who is the husbandman cuts, and
the one that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
But for any branch to be fruitful it must remain attached to the vine, because
without Him one can do nothing.
So
how does a person receive this precious gift of eternal life from Jesus Christ
who is the source of life? Jesus said quite emphatically; “I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He again
said to Martha; “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me,
though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall
never die. Do you believe this?" (John 14:6; 11:25-26).
The
question is, do we believe this? If we believe this, then the other question is
what it is about Jesus Christ as being the resurrection and the life that we
believe? And if we say that we believe, how does a person receive eternal life?
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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