Amazing Grace
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh; and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36: 26
This is the miraculous work that the Lord will do for us. But do we believe it? Do we want Him to do this work in us?
I have always wondered about what exactly it is that is:
a) Our part to play?
b) What is the Lord’s part in our salvation?
The last thing my grandmother said to me at the airport coming back to Australia was, “remember that we have our part to play.”
For years I have struggled and believe me I ant still struggling because the more I study the more the Holy Spirit is revealed. But I have found out a few things I would like to share with you.
One person that I would not want to be is, the one who prophesied in Your name, in Thy name have I cast out demons, in Thy name done many wonderful works. (Mathew 7:21,22)
The Lord says to this person, “I never knew you, depart from me, ye that worketh iniquity. ”
How can I not be that person?
I bought a daily devotional called God’s Amazing Grace and it is changing my life.
Let us read first Romans 5:1,2 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God; through our Lord Jesus Christ, By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we begin to have access to this grace.
“Moreover the law entered, that he offence might abound. But where sin abounded; grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ Our Lord ” Romans 5:20-21.
Dearest Brothers and Sisters, I believe that grace is what sets us apart. Accessing God’s grace. His free gift to us; a gift that we do not deserve.
“Grace is unmerited favour, and the believer is justified without any merit of his own, without any claim to offer to God. He is justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who stands in the courts of heaven as the sinner’s substitute and surety. ” 1 SM 398
Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4: 13,
And, “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him.” 2 Corinthians 13:4.
Okay so we have “Grace” what is the world doing with it – nothing – they talk about it but that is all. If you received a gift what would you do with it? Leave it sitting there and say: “I’ve got Grace I’ve got grace? “Grace is a verb, a doing word – it is something that Sister White has written about extensively. Let us read a few lines from her writings.
“All heaven is interested in the work going on in this world, which is to prepare men and women for the future, immortal life. It is God’s plan that human agencies shall have the high honour of acting as co-workers with Jesus Christ in the salvation of souls They should look upon the work of God as sacred and holy and should bring to Him, every day offerings of joy and gratitude in return for the power of His grace, by which they are enabled to make advancement in the divine life… ” 5T pp. 573, 574
“In the religious life of every soul who is finally victorious, there will be scenes of terrible perplexity and trial… Summon all your power to look up, not down at your difficulties,. then you will never faint by the way. You will soon see Jesus behind the cloud; reaching out His hand to help you,. all you have to do is give Him your hand in simple faith and let Him lead you God gives you intelligence and a reasoning mind; whereby you may grasp His promises,. and Jesus is ready to help you in forming a strong, symmetrical character. ” 5 T p. 578, 579
Study the Bible. How else will you know the promises?
So now we have found out that we both have a work to do.
Jesus says, “Come unto me… my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Mat. 11:28,30. Give your heart truly to Jesus.
But we also have our part as Sister White writes in the above quote – “Summon all your power to look up.” With your intelligence and reasoning mind study the scriptures – then you can grasp the promise; then Jesus can help you to form a strong, symmetrical character.
“Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God; through our Lord Jesus Christ. ” Romans 5: 1,2
But now the best part of all.
We know and believe that the Elijah message (which IS the gospel and the law) has to be preached by us. We are the Elijah messengers of today.
“The gospel is to be presented not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to its power … … He would have his servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of his great love. He would have us bear testimony to the fact that He cannot be satisfied until the human race are reclaimed and reinstated in their holy privileges as His sons and daughters. ” DA p. 826.
“While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit’s working, the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful propensities, and to form new habits. ” COL p. 354
‘To make God’s grace our own, we must act our part. The Lord does not propose to perform for us either the willing or the doing. His grace is given to us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. ” 4 B.C. p.1167
The influence of grace is to soften the heart, to refine and purify the feelings giving a heaven born delicacy and sense of propriety.
“There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ.” SC p.18.
His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.
“We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord; are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. “2 Corinthians 3:18
“The work of transformation from unholiness is a continuous one. Day by day God labours for man’s sanctification, and man is to cooperate with Him, putting forth persevering efforts in the cultivation of right habits. He is to add grace to grace; and as he thus works on the plan of addition, God works for him on the plan of multiplication. Our Saviour is always ready to hear and answer the prayer of the contrite heart, and grace and peace are multiplied to His faithful ones. Gladly He grants the blessings they need in their struggle against the evils that beset them
“John and Judas are representatives of those who profess to be Christ’s followers. Both these disciples had the same opportunities to study and follow the divine Pattern. Both were closely associated with Jesus and were privileged to listen to His teaching. Each possessed serious defects of character; and each had access to the divine grace that transforms character. But while one in humility was learning of Jesus, the other revealed that he was not a doer of the word; but a hearer only. One, daily dying to self and overcoming sin, was sanctified through the truth; the other, resisting the transforming power of grace and indulging selfish desires, was bought into bondage to Satan.
“Such transformation of character as is seen in the life of John is ever the result of communion with Christ. There may be marked defects in the character of an individual, yet when he becomes a true disciple of Christ, the power of divine grace transforms and sanctifies him. Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, he is changed from glory to glory, until he is like Him whom he adores .,” God can be honoured by those who profess to believe in Him, only as they are conformed to His image and controlled by His Spirit. Then, as witnesses for the Saviour, they may make known what divine grace has done for them. ” AA 532, 558, 559
“I am the Lord your God; ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for lam holy.” Lev.11:44
“It is the glory of God to give His virtue to His children. He desires to see men and women reaching the highest standard; and when by faith they lay hold of the power of Christ, when they plead His unfailing promises, and claim them as their own, when with an importunity that will not be denied they seek for the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be made complete in Him
“Before the believer is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ, obedient to all the principles of the law. But of himself man is utterly unable to reach this condition. The holiness that God’s Word declares he must have before he can be saved is the working of divine grace before he bows in submission to the discipline and restraining influences of the Spirit of truth. Man’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. Constantly he is to pray to the Saviour to heal the disorders of his sin-sick soul. He has not the wisdom or the strength to overcome; these belong to the Lord; and He bestows them on those who in humiliation and contrition seek Him for help.
“The Holy Spirit will be given to those who seek for its power and grace and will help our infirmities when we would have an audience with God Heaven is open to our petitions, and we are invited to come “boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4: 16).” We are to come in faith, believing that we shall obtain the very things we ask of Him.
“If you have a sense of need in your soul, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself.
“If we will empty the soul of self, He will supply all our necessities.” God’s Amazing Grace, p. 217.
May God Bless You