Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Freely Receive, Freely Give

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10: 8)

Anything that we have, we have received from God:

"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." (John 3: 27)

Jesus could not have made it clearer about our need for Himself:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)

and then

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 5)

Because of Jesus, we can freely receive all things:

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)

Because of Jesus, we are made complete:

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2: 10)

Also:

"21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3: 21-23)

We are invited to keep receiving from Him:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

So, when we realize that we have all things because of Christ Jesus, that we are justified from all things because of Him (Acts 13: 38-39), that through Him we are cleared from all trespasses, and because of Him we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, then we find that we can freely give to others.

In fact, Paul exhorts us to be gracious, just as God through Christ has been gracious to us:

"31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)

Freely you have received and keep receiving, Beloved, so thus you can freely give and keep on giving.

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