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Monday, January 19, 2009

The Grace of God and the Life of Man

Since a man cannot, by any means whatsoever, commend himself good enough in any respect - such that no tiny bit of nobility in him can please God with all the strength in him; such that it would be true to say it is God who works and wills in us, which means that it is God who supplies both the desire and the power that we may become acceptable to Him - such that apart of Him, we of ourselves have neither desire or power to please Him:

Since a man cannot do that, how then shall he live in his thoughts that are God-ward? Since that our election is by grace alone, and works have no part of it, such that grace will remain grace from before Creation till Consummation which lasts forever - Does this man therefore ought not to live his whole life unto God being eternally joyful to an unmerited divine choice, in it recognizing the eternal indebtedness that he is in no position to possibly even working out a means to repay.

Since such is the case for this man's relationship with God, how then does it show up in this man's relationship with his fellow men? Since God is One and there is no other, it seeks the soul of the man, asking "What are you doing?" when a man lowers his honor to another man, not out of gratitude toward God, but in a manner, with thoughts knowing that the other man is flattered by such a gesture. Why does the man seek to please another man - not so much an overflowing out of his love for God, but in such a manner that replaces the pleasing of God.

Does he not know in such he is insulting the grace of God and denying God His glory.

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