Saturday, 11 December 2021
Title: But by the grace of God I am what I am
Author: Pastor Johnson Chong
Translator: Margaret Ong

1 Corinthians 15:10 ““But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.”

Dear brothers and sisters, when we quietly think about what we have become today, we have to admit that it is by God’s grace that we have become what we are. In the objective aspect, both God’s creation and especially the redemption accomplished through Jesus Christ, are all by the grace of God. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all me.” (Tit. 2:11) “To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. “(Eph. 1:6~8) So dear brothers and sisters, we should know that this is all God’s glory, God’s riches, and God’s abundant grace for us.

In Romans 3:20-24, the apostle Paul clearly tells us, “20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

We thank and praise God, who has not only justified us freely, but also enables us to receive all the spiritual blessings in heaven. We have not only won the status of sons, but also an eternal inheritance. He made us to be the heirs of God with Christ and “ By whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”( 1 Cor. 1:9) The grace of the Lord is really amazing and precious. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” ( 2 Cor. 8:9 )

Dear brothers and sisters, as far as each of us is concerned, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” ( John. 15:16) it is the Lord who chooses us. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44). The same is said in Ephesians 1:4, “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.” So this is God’s choice in Christ before the creation of the world. Because God “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.” ( 2Tim 1:9 ) Therefore, “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” ( Eph. 2:8 )“not of works, lest anyone should boast.” ( Eph. 2:9 ) It is God’s mercy that saves us, an unworthy and undeserving people.

Dear brothers and sisters, after we are saved, God’s grace has not ceased, but has grown even more abundant. It is in the midst of grace that we can come to the throne of grace at any time, for He has an inexhaustible source of gifts, and the grace of the Lord is sufficient for us. Dear brothers and sisters, we must grow in His grace, and we must not accept His grace in vain, and we must not use God’s grace as an opportunity to indulge in our own lusts, so as to lose God’s grace. The apostle Paul pointed out that some Galatian believers deviated from the truth of Christ, turned to follow the law, and wanted to be justified by the law. ” You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Gal 5:4) Some people may fall from grace, so stay in His goodness. Dear brothers and sisters, do you know that pride is the greatest hindrance to grace?

Dear brothers and sisters, how do we treat the great grace of God? In addition to our constant thanksgiving and praise, don’t forget that we must “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1).

Prayer:
Dear Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for giving us such abundant grace. Thankfully, through the help of the Holy Spirit, we finally understand, I am who I am today is only possible by the grace of God. Oh God, we ask that you help us. Since we are called, we should act and behave in a manner worthy of the grace with which we were called. We thank and pray and worship in the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen!

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
2021 年 12 月 11 星期六
主题：然而我今日成了何等人，是蒙神的恩才成的。
作者：张胜牧师

哥林多前书15：10 “然而我今日成了何等人，是蒙神的恩才成的。并且他所赐我的恩，不是徒然的。“

亲爱的弟兄姊妹，当我们安静下来，思想一下我们今日成了何等人，就不能不承认自己是蒙神的恩才成的。在客观方面，不论神的创造，特别是藉着耶稣基督而完成的救赎，都全是神的恩典；（提多书2：11）因为神救众人的恩典，已经显明出来。（以弗所书1：6~8） “这恩典是他在爱子里所赐给我们的。我们借这爱子的血，得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照他丰富的恩典。这恩典是神用诸般智慧聪明，充充足足赏给我们的。“ 所以亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我们应该知道，这全是神的荣耀、神的丰富、和神赏给我们充足的恩典。

罗马书3：20~24节，使徒保罗清楚的告诉我们，“20所以凡有血气的没有一个，因行律法，能在神面前称义。因为律法本是叫人知罪。21但如今神的义在律法以外已经显明出来，有律法和先知为证。22就是神的义，因信耶稣基督，加给一切相信的人，并没有分别。23因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了神的荣耀。24如今却蒙神的恩典，因基督耶稣的救赎，就白白地称义。”

我们感谢赞美神，祂不但使我们白白地称义，也使我们得着天上各样属灵的福气。我们不但得着儿子的名分，也得了永远的基业。祂叫我们和基督同作神的后嗣，和基督一同得分，主的恩典真是太奇妙宝贵了。（哥林多后书8：9）“你们知道我们主耶稣基督的恩典。他本来富足，却为你们成了贫穷，叫你们因他的贫穷，可以成为富足。“

亲爱的弟兄姊妹，就我们各人来说，不是我们拣选主，乃是主拣选我们（约翰福音15：16）。若不是父的吸引，没有人到主那里来（约翰福音6：44）。在以弗所书1：4节也如此说，“就如神从创立世界以前，在基督里拣选了我们，使我们在他面前成为圣洁，无有瑕疵”。所以说这是神在创世之前在基督里的拣选。因为神救我们，以圣召召我们，不是按我们的行为，乃是按祂的旨意和恩典。所以我们得救是本乎恩，也因着信，这并不是出於自己，乃是神所赐的，也不是出於行为，免得有人自夸。一切是神的怜悯，救我们这些不堪、不配的人。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我们得救以後，神的恩典并不是停止了，而是更多更厚了。我们就是居於恩典之中，可以随时到施恩宝座前，因祂有说不尽的恩赐，主的恩典也是够我们用的。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我们要在祂的恩典上要有长进，不可徒受祂的恩，也不可把神的恩当作放纵情欲的机会，以致失去神的恩。使徒保罗指出，有些加拉太信徒们偏离基督的真道，转去随从律法，想要靠律法称义 。“你们这要靠律法称义的，是与基督隔绝，从恩典中坠落了“。（加拉太书5：4 ）有人可能从恩典中坠落，所以要长久在祂的恩赐里。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你可知道，骄傲是蒙恩最大的拦阻。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我们怎样对待神这麽大的恩呢？我们除了不住的感谢、赞美、称颂之外，别忘了我们要紧记住，我们的行事为人就当与蒙召的恩相称。（以弗书4：1）

祷告：亲爱的天父，我们感谢赞美祢。感谢祢赐给我们如此丰盛的恩典。感谢圣灵的帮助，我们终于明白，然而我今日成了何等人，是蒙神的恩才成的。主啊！求主也帮助我们，我们既然蒙召，我们行事为人就当与蒙召的恩相称。我们感谢祷告祈求，是奉靠主耶稣基督的圣名，阿们！