THE MESSAGE PART 8. FULL OF GRACE

THE MESSAGE PART 8   FULL OF GRACE
The Message is Christ and all that He did for us in His death, burial, resurrection  and ascension. So far, we have explained to a great extent what  this means.  This message is centred on the graciousness of God not on man’s effort. Please do well to click below and read the previous parts of this series. 
Part 1. Christ the only message worth preaching.
Part 2. The sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.
Part 3.  One message, different topics and emphasis.
Part 4. Ministry is in the message.
Part 5. The Message is beyond results.
Part 6. The Message is beyond experiences, supernatural encounters.
Part 7. The Message is beyond mediums. 
Grace is not just a topic that is preached. It is the core and the balance of all that we preached. Grace is hinged on the person of Jesus who we preach. First, WHAT DOES THE WORD GRACE MEANS ? Grace is from the Greek word charis, it means that which affords pleasure,  favour, divine influence on a heart, gift or thankworthy. These are its various  applications in the Bible. So, when we say the message of Christ that we preach is a message of grace, what does it mean ? 
CHRIST REVEALS THE GRACIOUSNESS OF GOD.
  Let’s see the testimony of John about Jesus. 
John 1
14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth
15  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
CHRIST is the revelation of God. We see from verse 14 that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Before the coming of Jesus, no man has seen the face and the image of God. Verse18 clearly explains that. Many times, when we read about God before the coming of Jesus, it looks like Jesus came to make God look good. No. Men couldn’t know God before Christ. Many times, they confused the actions of the devil, angels, or men as the actions of God. For more on the nature of God please click the links to  read God’s selfie and God revealed part 1, part 2, and part 3. How many persons did Jesus kill on earth ? Who did He made sick ? Who did He use evil to teach a lesson? None. Rather, we see Christ showing mercy and grace to all even to worst sinners. In fact, it was religious persons who thought they could merit God’s approval by the works of the law that Jesus kept antagonizing.
Note that the law was given by Moses but grace came by Jesus. Grace was not given in that grace is the person of God so He became manifest in Jesus full of grace that is truth. The word full of means to be covered on every part, to be completely filled.  God is covered on every part of grace. This means you can never talk about God without talking about His graciousness.  Hence, the message we speak must be centred on grace. That is the only message. Notice Grace is truth. See how the psalmist described God. 
Psalm
86: 15  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
145: 8  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
God is plenteous in mercy. Full of compassion. You cannot see the end of His mercy. When the Bible says that God is longsuffering and slow to anger, the slowness is that you can never live to witness His anger. HIS ANGER IS HIS MERCY. God is of great mercy. The word great used in Psalm 145 means great and large in extent and magnitude. The God we serve is of great and large mercy in extent and magnitude. 
This is the God that put on flesh in Christ. We saw Him walk the earth. Now we can be certain of His nature. This is the message we preach in Christ.
God righteousness is seen in Him justifying the ungodly.
Romans 4
1  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin
Abraham discovered this about God and believed then it was counted unto him for righteousness. Note verse 5, Believe the God that justified the ungodly. TO BE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN BASED ON GRACE. You cannot use your efforts and actions to merit not being guilty before God. The best of your righteousness is filthy rags before God. A man’s struggle ends when he realizes that ONLY WHAT GRACE  HAS DONE can make him not guilty before God. 
Romans 5
1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
It is actually pride and an insult on what Jesus has done to think that you are accepted before God base on your actions. Note the verse above, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ not through our behaviours. The best of moralist is still guilty before God without Christ.  This is the core of the message of Christ. Full of grace. 
Apostle Paul warns us about any message against this.
Galatians 1
6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Note verse 6, what Paul calls another gospel which is not even a gospel is any message outside the grace of Christ. If any man including me, or Angel or any one preaches anything outside the grace of Christ, you treat the person as accursed. Do you even realise that why it is called GOSPEL is because it is good news. The gospel is always good news. In the part 6 of this series, we established that the message is beyond supernatural encounters. So, if an angel appears to you and tells you that your sins are not forgiven because of Christ has done, let the Angel be accursed. This message is hinged on the truth of the graciousness of God. No matter the topic, it should never disregard the grace of Christ. If you preach power, remember it is a grace gift in Christ. If you preach forgiveness of sin, remember we are forgiven only based on what Christ has done and we forgive others as we are forgiven. We have one message of the grace of Christ different topics as explained in part 2. If you preach conduct, remember our conduct is to reflect who we are in Christ. It is not the basis of our acceptance before God. God is forever pleased with man in Christ no matter the person’s conduct. God is also pleased with your good conduct because of men.
Finally, we see that the first time grace was used in the Bible, it was the man Noah who found grace. He discovered the graciousness of God, hence he was seen as justified. 
Genesis 6
8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9  These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God
We know that certainly Noah was not perfect in action. The Bible is such a complete book. We see in Genesis 9, Noah was reported to be drunk and we also see him pronouncing curses. Does that sound like a man perfect in actions.  He was so drunk that he was naked without knowing. 
Genesis 9
20  And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
21  And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
22  And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
23  And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces werebackward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
24  And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
25  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
God is the definition of Grace and Mercy. 
He is full of compassion.
If it is not Grace, it is not God.
God’s compassion is limitless.
We give thanks to God for being full of mercy and grace. For indeed, if not for His graciousness, all men will be guilty before Him. Does the message of grace in any way play down on our responsibilities in Christ ? NO. Watch out for the next part of this series: our commitment to the message  of Christ.
It is revolution time, for indeed men are coming to know the true nature of God as full of grace. For I see religion like a pursued armed robber running and running until it was no more. For the knowledge of the true nature of God in Christ covers the earth as the water covers the sea.
Glory to God. Amen.
By OBIAZIKWOR EMEKE MODESTY 
www.emekemodesty.com

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