disciples, discipleship

God’s Grace On Vessels Fitted For Destruction

4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:4-11

Other References: Ex 33:11-23, Romans 6:1-2, Titus 2:11-14

One attribute of God, our heavenly Father is that He is gracious. In scriptural context grace means unmerited favour. If we do a word count of Grace in the King James Bible, grace is mentioned some 150 times – about 50 in the Old Testament and 100 in the New Testament. Gracious and graciously are mentioned additional 35 times. Godly men of all ages have found grace in the sight of God, some of which were Noah, Abraham, Moses and Apostle Paul (Paul’s Epistles contained the word ‘grace’ than other books of the bible combined). Each of these people had a special connection with God – they feared God and in return enjoyed God’s grace. Is God partial? No. Ungodly people also find grace if they accept their sinfulness and repent. Even in the Garden of Eden, after the fall of the first man Adam, it was grace that made God to fashion a way for man’s redemption.

You can enjoy God’s grace in a wicked world if you separate yourself unto God. Noah enjoyed God’s grace when God destroyed the inhabitants of the earth in his days because he stood righteous in the midst of wickedness around him.

“5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” [Genesis 6:5-8].

We see that it was grace that made the difference between those that were destroyed and Noah who survived, because theirs was like the TV show Survival. It was a case of survival of the fittest in the sight of God. For a hundred years Noah preached to everyone, repent for the destruction of the earth is at hand. Nobody took Noah seriously and they all perished. Noah survived the deluge. Throughout the 100 years drama, Noah moved with godly fear mixed with faith and ultimately, his obedience preserved the continuity of the human race. To the believers, how do we take God’s assignment? Noah took his spiritual assignment seriously and was rewarded by a new covenant from God. “20And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” [Genesis 8:20-22]

Today how do you handle the grace of God on your life? Do you trivialize it or think God’s grace will last forever while you continue in your sins? No! We cannot continue in sin and expect God’s grace to abound. God is merciful and gracious but he is also a righteous judge. He was willing to show Moses his back parts but was also quick to prevent him from physically entering the Promised Land. Imagine, the great Moses whom God used to part the Red sea, God allowed him to see the land from a mountaintop but told him you will not enter because you disobeyed me at the waters of Meribah. There is a great teaching on this but suffice to say Moses lived his full 120 years on earth, was buried by God himself, an archangel had to contend for his body to rescue him from Satan who thought he had finally killed a great lion for meat. Moses ended up in heaven. [Num 20:1-4; Num 20:9-13; Deut 34:1-6; Jude 1:9]. Did he step on the promised land, yes he did but only by the grace of Jesus Christ. How? Lets read:

1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. [Matthew 17:1-4]

To those who have not connected with him by repenting of their sins, know that God’s grace is like a tension cord. He continues to forbear but it is for you to repent because there is a day of judgment awaiting everybody. In the midst of wickedness Noah found grace in the sight of God because he feared God. Moses enjoyed God’s grace even in death because of his faith and godly fear of choosing the reproach of Christ as greater riches than inheriting the throne of Pharaoh. 4By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: [Hebrews 11:23-26a]. This was the reason why Moses finally made heaven despite his disobedience at the water’s of Meribah. God graciously buried him and transfigured him later on the mountain of transfiguration. He saw the promised land with his eyes in Deuteronomy 34 but only stepped on it after he was glorified in Matthew 17.

In conclusion everyone should take the grace of God seriously. Enjoy the grace of God that is in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER OF FAITH

1. Oh Lord let your grace abound towards me. I purge my heart from every dead work and reconcile with you whole-heartedly in Jesus Name.
2. Oh Lord strengthen my faith. I move with godly fear. I refuse to be overcome by the wickedness of the world. I esteem the reproaches of Christ as my greatest riches. I have my inheritance in heaven because of the grace that is in Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord in Jesus Name. Amen.