Grace

Our theme for the month of March  continues to be: “The Gift of Grace” from the text: Ephesians 2:8-10.
In this text, the apostle Paul makes two bold, deliberate and life-changing declarations:

1. You are saved.
2. You are God’s workmanship.

Firstly, you are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and to God alone be all the glory. Like so many today, I didn’t always understand, nor appreciate this truth. I grew up in an era where salvation was a set of do’s and dont’s – more dont’s than do’s. Consequently, like so many of my peers, I served God out of fear of losing what I thought I could lose. Hence, in the process I lost the joy of living. But now, I know that God loves me too much to have me living on the ‘edge’ – in doubt – in fear. “For God has not giving us the spirit of fear, but of love, of power and of a sound mind.” In fact, I now know that there is no fear in love; for perfect love casts out fear. I am now free to live the abundant life – life to the fullest, with joy!

Secondly, you are God’s workmanship created unto good works. It’s truly amazing that we who were once slaves to sin are now created – born anew – given a new nature that not only gives us a desire to do good, but actually enables us to do good. Wow! For as the Word declares: “It is God who works in us: both to will, and to do of His own good pleasure.”

So then, we no longer serve God out fear, but out of love. As the writer says, “We love Him because He first loved us  … His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit … teaching us to love one another.” We no longer think too much or too little of ourselves. We rather confess that we are ALL that God says we are, we can do ALL that God says we can do – we are are His workmaship! We do not write off anyone. As recipients of grace, we cannot help being gracious to others.

By. Rev. Dr. Melvin A. Turnbull, Senior Pastor