Welcome!
Today: A gift like no other!
Passage: Titus 2
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2, NIV 84) emphasis added
This is the second in this series, “back to basics”
The grace of God teaches us to live a life of bearing the fruit of salvation. As babies, our parenst taught us how to do things right. Otherwise, we would do them in the wrong way. Many children go bad because of the environment in which they grow. Children growing up in the “red streets” think and grow accordingly
Once the church gets the right and strong teaching on salvation, it will go in the right direction; otherwise, the church becomes a mixed gathering of sinners and saints, where they go parallel, never converging to God. In such places, there won’t be any stability; you will hear all kinds of noises and sparks, “thunder and lightning”, until something major happens.
Salvation is not like changing from one lane to another; it is taking a “U” turn. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus (John 3) that he needed to be born again, and anything less than that would not qualify. God has provided a way to Him. If we choose our own way to reach Him, we will end up in “our own” place, not God’s!
When the angel of God spoke to Mary that she was chosen by God to have Jesus, it was not easy for her. She had to undergo shame and suffering, being a virgin herself. When you allow Jesus to come into your heart, it is not a funny experience. Some churches make it a “no cost, no pain” experience. When Jesus comes into you, the world will look at you like you have a “foreign body” inside of you. You are a “stranger” to the world, when you become a friend of God
When Mary accepted the word of God, the word took flesh in her womb. She was free to accept or reject it. She chose to accept it, and was blessed!
Unlike the natural child birth, there was no physical seed involved, but it was the seed of the word of God. God created matter through His word, in the beginning. The word of God is the energy/power of God which can create matter as well as life, from nothing. When a person receives the word of God and says “yes” to it, Jesus takes “flesh” in that person. From that moment onwards, he/she becomes a new creation, where a “cremation” of the old happens!
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1, NIV 84)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1, NIV 84)
From that point, growth starts. Church must have a major role in helping the “spiritual baby” grow. The one who got Christ on the inside, is now “in Christ” because the Church is (to be) the body of Christ.
May God bless us, as we continue this topic
BG
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the greatest gift of all, in and through Jesus. Thank you for saving me from hell fire and making me part of your heavenly kingdom. Help me to grow in your grace as I share this love to others. Amen
“Salavtion takes us from slavery (to sin and satan) to the sonship of God- changing our status from sinner to a saint”