Enjoy this wonderful music by Anthony Ojeah and be blessed.
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM – Part 1
The field is the world; the good seed are the children [sons] of the kingdom; but the tares are the children[sons] of the wicked one; (Matthew 13:38)
When we reflect on the parable of the wheat and the tares, righteous and wicked people come to mind. When we picture wicked people we think of murderers, thieves, drunkards, rapists, and so forth. When we consider righteous people we envision those who do not practice such things.
The record of the Scriptures suggests another kind of righteousness and another kind of wickedness. There is a righteousness of loving and seeking God and walking in His will. There is a wickedness of loving and seeking our own gain and walking according to our own desires.
It was not the murderers, the thieves, the drunkards, the rapists who crucified the Lord. It was esteemed religious people who loved and sought their own gain and walked according to their own desires. The original sinners, Adam and Eve, were not murderers, thieves, drunkards, or rapists. But they loved and sought their own gain and they walked according to their own desires.
SOWING AND REAPING – Part 3
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:11,12)
The central thrust of today's preaching is that we ought to try to please God by living righteously; but if we do not, grace steps in and covers our sins and carelessness. If we believe in the Lord Jesus we will go to Heaven when we die. If we have not been diligent, we may not receive as great a reward as someone who has served the Lord with their whole heart (some do not go even this far!) but basically we are "saved by grace," meaning that God sees us through Christ and will bring us to Heaven when we die.
The above concept of salvation is incorrect in both goal and program.
Is it any wonder the Christian churches are in moral chaos, and the secular governments, which depend on the Church for moral guidelines, along with them!
Perhaps if we will examine a few of the passages of the New Testament that include the word "grace" we will begin to gain a more accurate idea of what Divine grace actually is.
Does grace mean primarily that Christ suffered so I can neglect to live righteously and still enter the Kingdom of God? Let us see.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40)
"Grace," as used above, seems to be speaking of the favor, the blessing of God, rather than the overlooking or forgiving of Jesus' conduct.
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