Gospel

Gospel Part 2: The Saving Grace

Series Part 2: Saving Grace: Salvation is God’s mercy and grace. 

Salvation is part of God’s merciful and graceful gift. Paul rebuked the doctrine of grace plus work.  Grace is a gift from God that we don’t deserve. Grace is an extension of our existence through the state of sanctification that we will surely fail without divine intervention or assistance. Grace is the only way we can make it through all the thorns blocking our way to righteousness. With God’s mercy, we passed the first state of sanctification through the work of Jesus Christ that ended his life on the cross.

The second state of sanctification is ongoing (some called this a place of repentance, this doctrine is no longer as acceptable as it was before), we should not lose focus and keep our relationship with God and the family of God must always be updated.  Always be mindful that the enemy of faith whose expertise is to tempt, lie, and deceive the faithful and the dark is non-stop working to devour the weak and the innocents. King David was under grace by faith because he believed in and trusted God to save him from his sins. He repented, confessed and his sins were forgiven. 

Let us be thankful that grace provides an extension to be free from sins. Any eternal consequences that sins had done have been wiped-out but we have to be mindful to always call on the name of the LORD with a pure heart and blameless hands. As recorded in the book of Deuteronomy 31:6—“Do manfully and be of good heart: fear not, nor be ye dismayed at their sight: for the Lord thy God he himself is thy leader, and will not leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

The confirmation in the New Testament is in the book of Hebrews 13:5—“Let your manners are without covetousness, contented with such things as you have; for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.” (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition).

Abraham is God’s friend (Isaiah 41:8) and later the fulfillment of the promise to be the father of many nations. Abraham’s seed becomes the chosen people of God—Israelites; but due to their relentless disobedience, God spoke to Moses and the laws were handed to him to tell the Israelites it has to be obeyed. The Israelites preferred to worship the golden calf that they can see, rather than God who is unseen. They have the guidance of the law written in two tablets of stones that they can see, but the spirit to disobey the law was more powerful that made them servants of God.  Leviticus 25:55—“For the children of Israel are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt.”— (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

Jesus is the grace of God that is seen by many, sent by God to proclaim the divine Word of the Father and His Kingdom at hand. Through him, the world may be saved. He did not condemn it instead, he chose to save the world of sins. He was rejected and accused of being a false prophet and being a divine person by the majority of the Israelites and those who believe in him, this is what Jesus said in John 15:15-17: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant, does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you…” from being the chosen people to servanthood to becoming the children of God” This is how the Jewish people will improve their relationship with the Father is through believing the message of the Son.

All these things were addressed to the Jewish people, and about the status of the Gentile people who faithfully believed in God as well as the Son. We do not have to be worried about it because God’s grace is given not only to the Jewish people but also to the Gentiles. Minister means servant and when we serve the gospel to other people for the glory of God it is through the heart that made us do it, it is the heart filled by spirit, and the Spirit of God made the heart righteous.  

Servants work under the laws of the master for wages so they can buy food to survive, but those under grace are already survivors and are called the children of the Highest. God provides wages redeemable in heaven. Children of God are also called the sons of God. Sons share the word of God to the lost souls so through the sons they may also see the light that sons already have seen. We are shareholders of the godhead and being a shareholder, we have the rights to be called the I Am’s of God. The I Am’s of God made the godhead government complete and that is the glorious time of the sons of God to have access to what the Father is doing—John 5:19.

Under the law which is an obsolete covenant to New Testament heirs, God was the Master and the chosen people become the servants. Under grace, we were given the right to be called the children of God, and as partakers of the Divine nature of God, we are blessed to be born again, born from above and through Jesus the Christ, our friend and brother our freedom to enjoy life in eternity is at hand.

 God is all in all.

Bishop Joseph

Dr. Joseph Vitug, Ph.D. - Bishop Emeritus

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