Give Grace

Read Romans 1-3:20
 
Romans 1:5-6 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
 
WHAT motivates you? Sometimes we do things to fulfill responsibilities in our work, to help out at home and to be in relationship with our family members. Hopefully, our activities are based on our desires to live well in peace with God and one another. Paul defines the purpose God has given him as “the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them.” Paul received God’s grace and immediately began to work under Jesus’ authority. Saved in Christ, Paul offered Jesus’ salvation to all who would listen.
   Of course, our objective is the same. Keeping quiet about our faith and the LORD God’s gracious work would be as if we knew the cure for a dreaded disease but kept it hidden. Our knowledge would do no good. Loved ones, neighbors and the world in general would suffer. Yes, God will move his gospel forward in his sovereign purpose. But to be silent is to be unfaithful to the Gift Giver and to those who need the gift.
 
Love the Good News
 
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
 
ONCE I talked with a “good, church-going man” who had done some Jesus -like work in his church and in his community. The conversation shifted to heaven. I asked if he was sure heaven was his eternal home. “I hope so.” he replied. “If I do enough good, God will allow me to be in heaven.”
    “You know, there’s nothing you can do to be welcomed into heaven on your own work. That’s why Jesus has made the way for you through the cross.” He stopped talking and sat silent. Then I said, “Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son and your risen Lord and Savior?” He didn’t reply.
   Should I have pursued this further? Was there something in me that rejected the Good News. Was I ashamed of, “Jesus saves”. Possibly I didn’t trust the Bible enough at that point in my life to press the good news to someone I had just met. Maybe I was too concerned about his discomfort and not concerned enough about his eternal life. Am I still now making excuses?
   Yes, God saves his own in his time. Salvation doesn’t come from us. Still, we are God’s slaves to obediently and completely trust his Good News and his Holy Word. Christ has commanded we present him to the lost. That, then, is what we must do. Our regard must be to please the LORD, not to appease the lost.