Reflections | 1st June 2013

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Throughout the Ministry of Jesus, the chief priests, scribes and elders were jealous of Him. If you think about it, they were the ones who wanted to Crucify our Lord.

In today's Gospel reading, the Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus: By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”(Mark 11:28) It is amazing how Jesus replied to the question of the Pharisees with another question. (Mark 11:29-33)

The main problem between the Pharisees and Jesus was that Jesus taught salvation by faith alone while the religious leaders stressed on salvation by works.

Salvation by faith alone has the power to transform the lives of people but it also liberates them from the control of religion. Selah. A person who believes in Salvation by faith alone is no longer dependent on his church, temple or mosque and its rituals for Salvation.

If billions of people began following the attractive and true Gospel of Salvation by faith alone, the Devil and religious institutions would lose billions of dollars in offerings as well as power over the ignorant masses. This could be one of the main reasons why the Devil and religious leaders do not like this Gospel. Selah.

But today, I would like to take this opportunity and share with you the True Gospel. It is the power of God unto Salvation for everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16-17)

(Taken from Mumbai Christian Diary)

The True Gospel teaches that you are saved and made right with God by His grace through faith and you should continue in His grace after you are saved. (Colossians 2:6) (Ephesians 2:8-9) Grace simply means it is nothing you did or deserve. It on on an unearned, undeserved basis.

Paul made it very clear that you cannot be saved by both grace and works. It can only be one of two, either by works or by grace (Romans 11:6). So if you ever do fall short and we all do at times, you should not base your relationship with God on what you did but on what Jesus did for you and rest in His grace.

For example, lets say you get really angry in morning with a colleague. You got to remember that God loves you because of what Jesus did on the cross and not because of anything you do and instead of feeling guilty you should repent and receive his grace and the gift of no condemnation. (Romans 8:1)

The minute you start thinking that God is unhappy with you because you got angry, you fall from His grace and begin to relate to Him based on works. Never let that happen. You either relate to God based on what Jesus did or you relate to God based on what you do. The former will bring you life and peace but the latter death. (Romans 8:6).

Paul made a very strong statement in Galatians 2:21. He said: I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. In simple words if you think that you can earn right standing with God based on what your works like good deeds, rituals and tradtions, then Christ died for you in vain.

When you trust in your own works and what you do, you reject the great salvation that God offers you in Christ. (Hebrews 2:3)

Paul had a powerful ministry in Galatia and many turned to Christ when they heard him preach the Gospel of Grace. But when he left, the people began to be deceived by false teachers that the Grace of God was not enough and that they needed to have certain works also to have right standing with God. When Paul found out, look at what he writes to the Galatians:

Galatians 1:6-9 (NKJV)
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

He says that even if we or an angel from heaven preach to you another Gospel than what we have preached to you let him be condemned to hell. Now that's powerful.

I have made know to you the Gospel of Grace (Also Read | Righteousness) and just like Paul told the Galatians, let no one deceive you into believing another Gospel. Do not try to earn righteousness but labour to rest in what Jesus has already done for you. (Hebrews 4:11)

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Also Watch: Saved by Grace through Faith by Benny Hinn