30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 15 11-32 To seek and the save the lost - The prodigal son 16 Living out of His grace
📖 Luke 15:11-32
27Feb2020 - *Living out of His grace* - _Luke 15:11-32_ - Bible reading: _I Timothy 1:13-16_
_Luke 15:18-19 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, (19) and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."_
Praise God that the process of repentance was happening for the younger son. The first step was the dethroning of the self. He had earlier made his decision to leave his father but now the self was being denied and he said, “I will arise and go…”. The next beautiful step was that he said, “…my father…’”. He was acknowledging and coming back to a relationship of a son, which he had cast aside. The third step was that within the relationship with his father, he confessed that he had caused pain to his father. In causing pain to his father, he also acknowledged that it was sin against God. Though in his heart he was returning to his father, in his mind, he was convinced that he had no more rights to anything. So, he was deciding to come back, to be cast upon his father’s grace and on his mercy.
God’s grace, is the common ground for all of us, whoever we may be, to come to Jesus. We have no other standing. The Pharisees found this very difficult to accept, that they needed to come to God on the basis of His grace. They thought that they could come to God on the basis of their achievements. Since they did not come to God on the basis of His grace, they did not enter eternal life. What an irony, as they were the teachers of the law.
_I Timothy 1:13-16_ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (14) And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus._ Apostle Paul was so conscious that his standing with God was purely by His grace and grace alone
_(15) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief._ He’s writing to Timothy at the very end of his life and he says that he is ```(present tense)``` the chief of sinners. What Paul is saying is that He is conscious of the glory and majesty of God. He then realises that God was restoring him and has elevated him to a high position, all by His grace and he remains as the chief of sinners.
_(16) However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life._ Paul, then explains God’s plan for manifesting His grace and longsuffering on us. God’s intention is that through us, beneficiaries of God’s grace, people around us will witness and believe in Jesus, to enter eternal life.
*Thought to ponder*
```Are you being a bridge, letting others around you to believe in Jesus?```