Grace preachers, that is, ministers of the Gospel of Christ, of which I am one are so often accused of making light the salvation of God. We are accused of oversimplifying the requirements for entering heaven. They fail to realise that it is God Himself who made the way to heaven easy for you and I. So they are better advised to challenge God, who made it possible for you and I through the cleansing blood of Jesus to appear before the Holy Righteous King blameless. That is why we worship God without apology. When the Gospel is preached like this, the religious world quickly accuse us as heretical in order to bar multitudes and themselves from entering heaven. Dear reader, please trust Jesus, who died for you, in order to qualify you to appear before God guiltless.
DEVOTION: Erasmus Makarimayi
Grace churches are accused of accommodating members, who simply want a church to belong to while they live in sin. Oftentimes ,these churches are labelled as churches of prostitutes, thieves and liars. I am not here to defend any denomination, ministry or assembly, but to present the Gospel. For starters, we do not condemn sinners, but sin. So when the unsaved enter our church doors, we embrace them because their Saviour, who died for them is opening His arms to receive them. As they experience the love and forgiveness of God, their minds are renewed and life transformation happens through repentance. We do not load guilt on them, but Christ and Him crucified.
Sin has no power and its effects melt away under the power of the Gospel. Apostle Paul knew it and remarked in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” So we continue to present Christ or the Gospel or the Grace of God or the Good News of Jesus Christ or His Glad Tidings to sinners. We do not present sin to sinners, but we present the Gospel, which is the antidote for sin. As they continue to hear the Gospel, its power enables them to change. Unfortunately, the unregenerated hard and stubborn religious mind cannot grasp this. 1 Corinthians 2:14 points: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Open and receptive audience experience the power of the Gospel.
Sin will not keep you out of heaven. It is only the rejection of Jesus that can keep you from heaven. As a believer, when you sin, you break your fellowship with God, but your relationship is not broken. You do not change the birth certificate of your child when they do not do dishes or other chores. That is why it is so important for Christians to run to Jesus, and not away from Him, when they sin. Romans 8:1 encourages us: “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” You are not condemned. Please note the word now in case you want to explain your present circumstance and past sin. Religion wants people to hate Jesus driving them away from Christianity.
We are saved not by being sinless, but by Jesus’ life. Sometimes we are misled into works or self effort. Jesus did not die for us because we were innocent, but we had trespassed or transgressed. Romans 5:8 aptly declares: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Never forget this. We are justified by the blood of Jesus and saved by His life. This assures us of eternal redemption. His blood will not lose power and His life will not cease. Please saturate yourself with this revelation. Romans 5:9-10 comfort us: “[9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Relax, a crown of righteousness awaits in the age to come. 2 Timothy 4:8 sums: “Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Oftentimes, many have thought the crown is for a selected few. Apostle Paul knew beforehand of the crown awaiting him and everyone else awaiting the return of Christ. Please remember you are already righteous in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 settles: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Sin’s power is deflated, you are the righteousness of God in Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge. You are going somewhere.
All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. Feedback: [email protected] Fellowship with Pastor Makarimayi on Facebook and on www.twitter.com/PEMAKARIMAYI. Telephone +263 712 332 632
