Vol. 18.08.38
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THE PRESENT-Grace into good works
Titus2:11
Grace produces works. It is God that woks in us both to will
and to do. For grace to be effective in our lives, we need to be a participant.
Once we were slave under the old master [sin and devil].For the years that man
had spent with the former master, he has learnt some characters, life styles
that are not in relation to his new master’s policy. Looking at Leviticus 25v47-54.We discovered that the master
has only bought the man and took him out of Egypt but has not been able to take
Egypt from him [Israelite journey is a good example]. Any little challenges,
they remember the way they use to do, eat, and behave while in Egypt. The man
need to unlearn his previous lifestyle to obtain the new lifestyle of whom that
has purchased him. It is only those that took upon themselves the new lifestyle
of God among the Israelite that left Egypt entered into the promise land. This
is known as transformation and conformation and it is a process;
children are born but they are not given the inheritance
until they become son (Galatian’s 4:1-7).
Trust is earned, not given by emotion. Jesus earned the trust of God because he
learnt by obedience.
We grow in grace more and more as we conform to the image of
Christ because Christ is full of grace. Grace produces good substance .One of
the purpose of grace is not to generate or condole or develop a habitual
practice of sin but to kill it.
1Peter 1:17.If
you can see clearly as a believer and having an understanding of the work of
grace on the cross, there is an attitude we must exhibit which is FEAR OF GOD.
Does fear has any connection with grace? YES. Any man who
understands the work of grace on the cross must live in fear because of this
very word FATHER.
What does He judge? .He doesn’t judge or accuse you but
looks for product of grace in your life; His works.
2 Peter 3:14-‘wherefore,
beloved, seeing that ye look for such things [i.e. things ahead now] be diligent
[work] that ye may be found of him in peace without spots and blameless’. Any
man who can see clearly ahead will live in fear with all diligence. This is not
unto the unbelievers but to those that are purchased by grace. Grace is telling
us in Titus 2:10 to deny ungodliness and
worldly lust, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
Grace produces works (Ephesians
2: 10). It is God that works in us both to will and to do. You have to
be very careful to produce this work in fear. Any grace without work is not
grace. When you encounter grace it produces works. The works of the law cannot
bring you to Christ. You can’t equate grace and
the law. In fact the only man who fulfilled the works of the law is Jesus
Christ and it was because he was righteous and in/through his
righteousness we became righteous not by works but by grace. Ephesians 2 vs 3-16.When God gives you this grace;
he expected this grace to produce works. God is not barren. He is a God of
reproduction .When the Judge comes, he’ll identify his own by the product of
the works, that’s why the bible says live in fear and be very careful in the
kind of products you produce by your work. Revelations:
2 - 3. The letter wrote to the churches was about their works. He said
emphatically that if your work is not equaled to that work of grace given to
you that you should REPENT. He knows
what he has deposited in you. You must make haste with every effort and keep
examining yourself to make sure that the works of grace is not absent. Taking a
deep look into the parable of the seed sowed [the produce of the earth]]. We
discovered that God is ultimately interested in the result/harvest that is product
of works that are complete. Where is the distorted
message of grace of today coming from?
Looking into the parable of the banquet, there was a wedding feast; people
originally involved gave excuses for not coming. The master of the feast sent
out men to invite as many as they can see outside there in which they did and
garment was given to them as a means of identification. As the master of the feast went about
inspecting row by row, he was inspecting for work of grace but lo and behold he
found a man without a wedding dress and sorted it out.
Some modern preachers likes the crowd unlike the Lord Jesus.
God is very specific; no wonder grace is teaching us to produce good fruit. Why
this? Because the master will inspect. God doesn’t inspect you at the coming to
the cross; he says come as you are to Christ. He never judges you after because
he expects the grace in you to produce good fruits. Grace does not leave you
alone but builds you. It creates in you what the master wants .Romans 6:12; 2 Thessalonian 2:17; 2 Peter 1:9-10.
He that lacks the product [works] of grace is blind and cannot see afar off
[the glory that is preserved for us]. The product of grace allows you to see
afar.
What makes us as a Christian to stand when everything is
gone is what is ahead of us by the glory that shall be revealed. No
wonder some Christians forsake God and curse him, when things are rough; this
is because they lack vision. Such can’t see the cross. Abraham in his days when
God called him and showed to him his glory, he did not erect a permanent
building but a tent, this allowed him to
continue to look afar and moved always. Most people build on the things of this
world which will soon pass away thereby laying them down to one place.
2Peter 1:10.Give
diligence to make your calling and election sure; the way to make our calling
and election sure is by our products of works. Pastors cannot save you because
they themselves is trying to make their own election sure, likewise your
parents, your brothers and sisters. We must exhibit the fruits of the Spirit
.Gal5:19-23 and let go the works of flesh. For if ye do these things ye will
never fail; your Christians life will be firm. The heart of God is bleeding for
the church.
GRACE UNTO GLORIFICATION -
THE FUTURE
1 Peter 2:13
The last focus of grace is the glorification. (Romans 3:9-10, Ephesians 2:5-7, 1Peter 1:3-5).The
grace you obtained now is to make you receive the exceeding riches of grace to
come. The grace of God points towards the end. What grace has for us according
to 1Peter 1:4-5;
·
Grace produces us, made us Christ heritage.
·
Grace made us to sit together in heavenly places.
·
Grace makes us God’s master piece.
·
Grace gives us incorruptible inheritance,
undefiled and that faded not away.
This is the dying wish of God for us. This glory has nothing
to do in this present hour but shall be revealed at the last minute. The
purpose of God’s grace is in the future and he wants us to have a clear vision
of it. The glory that God wants for us is not heaven itself but the glory is in
heaven. In other to get it you have to enter into heaven. Romans 8:18-19[present time suffering]. What grace
preserved for us is far better than whatever we have now or the best thing in
this world.
False teaching of grace
1.
Once saved is forever saved or once saved is always saved. Philippians 2:12 says we should continue to always
work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Also Romans
6us-7 shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ‘God forever forbid
it. As a Christian, living in sin, you are under the authority of the devil you
cannot see the dying wish of God in heaven. Such Christians living in sin is
still under condemnation. Romans 8:1-4;
Note: Those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit are those that
are warning to us. 2Peter 3:15-18. Most of
this people uses Paul’s write up and misinterprets them. I guess Apostle Paul in heaven
will be looking at them and back to God and says oh my father that’s not what I
meant. Brethren let’s beware else you also find yourself in the wrong
teachings. The true grace in which you stand, you can fall from it so grow in
grace. Husbands, wives and children, youths, adults, at home, working place,
church, society .Let us live according to Titus 2:11
and Hebrews 5:22. Free from condemnation .Hebrews 5:19-22
2.
There is no record of repentance in the New Testament for the
believers .Repentance is for the unbelievers. This means as a Christian you
don’t need to repent and repent again even after committing one sin or other.
Hmmm ‘’’ There’s a clear instruction
that the bible said repent to believers .Jesus himself said it. Revelation is
the book of revelation about Jesus Christ. The message of repentance in the
book of Revelation was written to the believers not unto unbelievers. The word
repent occurs ten times .Jesus was the one talking to John the beloved there
and He dedicated seven letters to the churches. He wrote this letters of
repentance to the churches, the body of Christ; in churches that were not
living right .He mentioned it eight times and four times outside the letter. Revelations 16:9 and 9:21
There is a clear difference between repentance and asking
God for forgiveness. God want his people to repent not asking for forgiveness
always.
3. Hebrews 4:16.To
come boldly into God’s presence .You can’t just enter God’s presence boldly
after you have committed sin, it is not done. It is being rude. The way the
false teaching put it is that since the bible has said it, you don’t need to be
broken or have a contrite heart. Just come and He [God] will pardon you. This
is a fat lie from the pit of hell.
The boldness the bible talked about
here is the assurance and confidence we have in Christ after [note the word
after] being broken to obtain grace for help in time of need. Psalms 51:1-17, this is the perfect example of how
to be broken before God when we commit sin. You have to acknowledge your
transgressions. Verse 17 of Psalm 51 says
the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O
God, thou wilt not despise. God has despised a lot of people that have
come to him and will continue to despise if
there’s no genuine brokenness. Brethren whatsoever are right, true and just
think about this.
What God is saying about those that
truncate or distort the teachings of grace? 2Peter 2:17-22,
Revelations 3:10. We must understand that God’s word is sacred. .They
are in bondage and a servant of sin .They are under the legal right of the
devil because sin has given the devil authority over them. Their later end is
worse, except of course if they repent and truly follow the sound doctrine of God.
Let’s be careful
Let’s be careful
Author
Opomulo Abimbola Nita
| abimbolaopomulo@gmail.com |
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The Quiver is the Official Bulletin of The Change of Taste Group (a non-denominational mission intercessory and support group ©2018
Edited-in-Chief: Ogunsuyi Opeyemi B. (opeyemiogunsuyi@gmail.com)
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