God is self-existent(Ex 3:14).
Through Him, by Him and for Him all things were made.
God lets those who live by His grace live and
Lets those who put effort by His grace do things(Mt 25:29).
Faith is knowing all that one is as grace, and
The life of this faith is working hard so that grace may not be without effect.
When things go well, people credit themselves,
While when things do not go well, they blame others.
Those who are satisfied by themselves are proud,
While those who complain and blame others, their luck and even gods fall into despair.
This is the tendency of the sin that
Adam, the ancestor of all men, committed(Ge 3:4-6), for which
He blamed his wife and God(Ge 3:12-13).
Nevertheless, God warned of the judgment against the devil, the origin of sin,
Of the coming of the offspring of the woman(Ge 3:15).
The people of Israel are the chosen people of God.
Thus, He let them know that
God alone is self-existent(Ex 3:14) while men are not.
By grace, He sent Moses and struck Israel with many plagues,
After which Israel took the plunders of the Egyptian as they left(Ex 3:20-21).
After they survived the sword,
The Israelites found favor in the desert(Jer 31:2), as
It was a place where man can live
Not on his own but only by the grace of God(Dt 8:14-16).
The sanctuary(the golden vase and the mercy seat) reminded
For generations that, by the grace of God
They were delivered from the slavery of 400 years and
Survived 40 years in the desert.
On the other hand, the Law made them realize that
Man cannot wash away his sins on his own(Jer 2:22), that
Man cannot know God on his own, and
Let them despise themselves and repent(Job 42:2-6).
Misunderstanding the function of the Law(Rm 3:19), however,
The Pharisees amended regulations to the Law of Moses and
Led a self-righteousness movement(Lk 16:15).
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days, because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body(Jn 2:19-20),
He would let men live through Him for
He is before Abraham was born(Jn 8:56),
The Only Begotten Son whom the Father sent(Jn 7:28).
As He died, Jesus said, "It is finished(Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
1. Fulfilled the Father's will that sent Him and commended His soul to Him(Jn 10:18);
2. Judged the devil who left his proper domain on his won(Is 14:12-15; Jude 1:6); and
3. With His blood redeemed all men and let them live by His grace(Eph 1:7).
The Father raised Him from the dead(Ac 3:15) and
Seated Him on the heavenly throne of grace -
He is the Lamb(Rev 22:3).
The Spirit of grace whom He sent(Ac 2:33; He 10:28) is
The gift of God given to those who want to believe and live(Ac 2:38), and
Lets them understand what God has freely given them(2Co 2:12).
The man of the Spirit is he who
Knows all things - becoming righteous, child of God, having faith and duties in the church,
Overcoming, receiving answers to prayer, having power etc - all that he is
As the grace of the Lord.
Therefore, he neither boasts about the things that he has,
Nor falls into despair because of his circumstances, for
God lets those who want to live by His grace live and
Lets those who put effort by His grace do things(Mt 25:29).
O Lord,
Without grace, I am the wretch of all wretches,
Without grace, I am the weakest, the most unable!
Let us all pray, preach and give devotion
By the grace of God.
Amen.
