Grace, 10of10

~ The Outworking of God’s Grace ~ 

Key Scripture  ~  “For I [the Apostle Paul] am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.  Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (1 Corinthians 15:9-11).

Comment  ~   God’s grace that has been received and appreciated always works it out in terms of service to others and the furthering of God’s kingdom.  We have an example of the Apostle Paul who persecuted the early Church, received God’s grace, recognized how he was unworthy of God’s grace (“I am the chief of sinners” – 1 Timothy 1:15), and was in the process of being transformed into Christ’s image, and later in life summed it up this way: 

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Contemplate This  ~  “We are [being] transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as [the grace of] God enters our lives and we become like Him” (2 Corinthians 3:18b, The Message). 

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I [the Apostle Paul] am chief.  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.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen” (1 Timothy 1:15-17).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Quote: Prevalent But Not Seen

~ Hidden Until Complete ~ 

How about you?  Have you seen it? 

The following is an excerpt from a book.

My wife is fond of saying, with a twinkle in her eye, “Isn’t it funny how you always find something in the last place you look for it!” For sure, when an item is found, the search is halted.

The pearl remains hidden until complete. Man does not see the pearl until it is finished growing, because once it is removed from the oyster it stops growing. By definition it is complete at that point. Notice also that the pearl must be removed from the place of its formation in order to become a lovely ornament.

The world does not recognize the Church of Jesus Christ or the kingdom of heaven today. The Church is all around, yet the natural man does not recognize the Church for what it is. In Ephesians 3:9 we find the Church has been a mystery since the beginning of the world: “This mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” In Colossians 1:26 Paul speaks of the Church as “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” The mystery of the Church is now made known to His saints, but the world does not see it. The world at large is spiritually blind, blinded by Satan, and has not seen Christ’s Church.

It is true that there is both a visible and an invisible church. While the Church universal is unseen, local church buildings are seen and to some extent local churches are visible to the world at large (the local churches are not buildings but the individual believers that make up the local church gathering). However, the clear teaching of Scripture is that the Church universal is unseen by the world at large.

Earth has never seen the one precious pearl. The nations have no real concept of it. Natural unregenerate man does not see the Church. But Christ has seen the Church from eternity. Our Lord and Savior waits patiently for the accomplishment. As is true of the pearl, the Church is hidden from man until complete.

There is coming a day when the one precious pearl will be on display as adornment for Christ. Jesus Christ will return to earth and then His bride, the Church, will be with Him forever in eternity future. The Church will be removed from earth, the place of its formation, and will be for the adornment of our Savior in heaven.

~ from “ONE PRECIOUS PEARL: God’s Design for His Church, pgs 111-112  (ISBN: 9780741462329)

Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Identity in Christ, 62

~ I Am Accepted By God ~

Introduction  ~  When Christians understand the various characteristics and aspects of the birthright which came with their second birth, they comprehend their identity in Christ.  Once Christians understand their identity, their destiny is also clear!  This series of “Abundant Life Now” posts will look at one of those facets each week. 

This Week’s Verse  ~  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “IDENTITY IN CHRIST” NOTES ~~~  

(1)  Each Monday ALN posts an example of Scripture’s description of aspects/characteristics of Christians—those who have personally trusted in Jesus Christ, The Messiah, as their personal Savior.

(2)  This series is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

(3)  God the Father described Himself to Moses as the great “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  God the Son also said “I AM” (John 8:58). 

(4)  Jesus Christ is the Son of God and several times in the Gospel of John He refers to Himself as “I am.”  “I am the Bread of Life” (6:35-51), “I am the Light of the World” (8:12, 9:5), “I am the Door” (10:7-9), “I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11-14), “I am the Son of God” (10:36), “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25), “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6), “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me … Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10-11), and “I am the True Vine” (15:1-5). 

(5)  Individual Christians are also sons and daughters of God.  This series will show some of the various “I am” aspects of a Christian. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .