Insight Into the Grace of God

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Today’s Reading:

1Corinthians 15:1-11

“For I am the last of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace towards me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet, not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (vv. 10-11)

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Six (6) things in this passage for us to take note of (vv. 1-2) –

1) Apostle Paul declares the gospel, announced it openly, clearly, firmly, and formerly asserted it;

2) He preached the gospel, delivers it as a message to the people;

3) The people received the message of the gospel;

4) The people stand in the message of the gospel

5) If the people hold fast and live the message, they will be saved

6) But if the people do not receive and hold fast to the message, it will be in vain. Meaning the message will not prosper in their lives.

And what is this message which Paul received and preached?

a) That Christ died for the sins of the world; b) he was buried and c) that he rose again the third day. As a witness, He was seen first by Cephas (another name for Peter), and then by the twelve disciples. Then by over five hundred people at the same time, some still living then and others dead. He was also seen by James and all the apostles. And lastly, he was seen by Paul himself, the last of the apostles (vv. 3-8).

The Scripture gave several account of how Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church of God (Acts 9:1-2, 11-16). But Paul received the grace of God and by His mercies, this grace upon Paul was not in vain, How? He recognised this grace and laboured relentlessly, abundantly than everyone else in the vineyard who received the grace to believe in Christ. And now he appropriates the grace and the strength of his efforts to God (vv.9-11).

A good insight into the working of the grace of God is clearly seen in the story of Paul as told by himself in this scripture.

By grace, God is still workings out His purpose and plan in the midst of his people today. The power of Resurrection of Christ is unchanging and is sufficient for our salvation (v.2). Paul received the gospel in an encounter with Jesus Christ himself (v.8), and this was confirmed by the real apostles (Gal. 2:2-10) and the whole church.

We like Saul have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Before his conversion, he lived a life devoid of genuine spirituality. He was really never interested in things of God and was aggressively working against Jesus himself, until humbled him by strike him blindness for a while (Acts 9:19) In the sense of it, Paul deserved a fierce judgement of God for all the atrocities he mated upon the early church. But God extended his love, mercy, and grace towards him. He said he is not even worthy to be called apostles, because of the ways he persecuted the church – the believers (v.9).

We are all what we are and can do what we do towards the growth of the kingdom of God by shear grace of God (v.10). God’s grace gives message of truth of our world that is highly engineered by self-achievement and selfish help books and personal accomplishment and selfish kingdom building. Many at the pinnacle of success when interviewed would say they are what they are by the grace of God.

The question now is - what are you doing with the grace of God upon your life? Are you working to contribute to the growth of the Kingdom of God or are you frustrating, persecuting and killing genuine, conscientious workers in the vineyard of God. Are you busy tarnishing the image of others or blocking the way of progress of others out of envy. Or do you think it is you alone that can do it well. Remember, the grace of God is available to all who believe, both good and bad. Stop! Think! and recognise this rear grace, then ask for forgiveness. If you have not given your life to Christ, do so and ask the holy Spirit to guide you, teach you and inspire you on how to put the grace of God to good use to build and save lives. May God help us all!

OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE

Prayer:

1. Father, thank you for your mercies and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in

Jesus name.

2. Father, if I am not in your plan for my life, this year 2020, redirect my

steps, in Jesus name.

3. You the strongman assigned against my spiritual life, I bind you, paralyse

your operations, and cast you out of my life, in Jesus name.

4. Powers assigned to block my mind from things of God, fall down and die,

in Jesus name

5. Every satanic promissory note issued on my behalf by my ancestors, be

reversed by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

6. Every garment of opposition designed by ancestral idols for my life against

the will of God, roast and burn to ashes, in Jesus name

7. All consequences of ancestral idol worship upon my life and family, be

wiped off by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name

8. Father empower your church to stand firm in the word of the gospel of truth,

in Jesus name.

9. Father help our leader to be focused; give them wisdom, knowledge, and

clear conscience in revamping the economy, law, and order in the nation,

in Jesus name.