The Word of His Grace

May 17, 2015

Devotions:

        "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." 

(‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭32‬ KJV)

        This is Paul's goodbye speach to the church at Ephesus.  He could not be with them forever but God would so he commended them to God.  That is he acknowledge that they were in God's care.  He also committed them to the wod or God's grace.  This is what Paul had been teaching them all about God's love and forgiveness and His life in them as they were born again.  He did not teach them the law of Moses or the Hebrew traditions but the grace of God.  All of the Old Testament is a picture that points to Jesus.  

        "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." 

(‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ KJV)

        The grace of God is the life of God within us that is our forgiveness and our power to live before Him.  This is not based on our obedience but on Christ's obedience. We were sanctified (made holy) only by the blood of Christ.  It is a gift from God not a payment for our labor.  Paul in Acts 11: 25,26 Paul taught a whole year in Antioch and they were first called Christians in Antioch.  Christian means little Christ.  What did Paul teach. Grace, Christ in you the hope of Glory.  This is our identity.  Our identity is unchangeable no matter our actions.  If our actions are consistently sinful Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 ask if Christ really dwells in us.  His presence will produce behavior that is consistent with who we are as we believe it.  

        Paul says that this grace will build us up and bring us to maturity where as we try to be pleasing to God though our own efforts to keep the law of Moses we will never come to maturity. We will perpetually stay a baby.  We will never be sure if we are going to heaven or if we are even loved by God.  No human being will grow up and mature without knowing unconditional love.  As we are built up we become more and more aware of our sonship in Christ and that we are coheirs with Christ of the whole universe.