Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Grace of God: More than a Baseball Game

One pastor explained our walk like a baseball game.

"Jesus has already hit the home run. All you have to do is hit the home bases."

At first, this view on the Gospel sounded good.

Then the questions emerge: How should I run the bases? Should I be doing what I am doing? Am I missing the bases?

Right away, the moment that someone, anyone adds: "All you have to do.  . .", there is nothing but trouble and conflict.

We do not add one thing to all that Jesus has done:

"8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 8-10)

We cannot run anything without Christ Jesus.

Apart from Him, we can do nothing, no thing, not one thing (John 15: 5)

All of this talk about "He does His part, and you do your part"

People, we don't have a part, and when we accept that part, then we have played the best part we can play.

All of Christ. None of us.

The game has been played, the war has been won, and He lives in us.

We live in Him today, and we reign in His life.

This is not a life of winning a game.
 
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

 It is a life of having won, and receiving a greater revelation of all that we have received.
 
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3: 18)

 The grace of God is not a baseball game which He has set up for us.

The grace of God is a certainty, and a message we send to all others, that they can stop trying to win what Jesus has already more than won for us.
 
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)

 That message from that preacher did not help me as much as confuse me.

If Jesus has taken care of everything, then what am I supposed to be doing?

Such confusion reigned in me, and confused me.

He has provided all things, and has destined us to reign in life, in His life.
 
"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? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)
 
and also
 
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)

 Life is not a game, nor a journey, or a destination.

Life is Revelation, a Person named Jesus, and His resource and blessings are never-ending.

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