By The Righteousness of One, This Free Gift Came - Part 1014

"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord." (II Corinthians 4:5-7)

"As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth --- that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever, Amen." (I Peter 4:10-11) 

There emerges a couple of points here worth identifying. First, when I try to do a comparison search of these scriptures, I am most often referred to "gifts" of the Spirit rather than "gift" in the singular. My question is this. What if the "gift" (which is singular in this verse) refers to the gift of salvation? Would the intended message be different, placing the onus on each and every one of us as believers in Jesus the Christ to become "ministers" and "good stewards of the manifold grace of God?" 

Second, if Jesus Christ is not the very same God who dwelt among us in the flesh (according to John 1:1-18), then how can we wholeheartedly obey His first commandment --  to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind -- if we give all our praise and dominion for ever and ever to Jesus Christ? For now, I will focus on the first point. That is, salvation is a "gift" of God. 

"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves -- [it is] the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) "For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) 

Further, the scriptures state that this free gift of salvation is offered to us because of His abundance of grace. His gift of righteousness that came as a consequence of the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross for you and I.

"But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. 

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. Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life." (Romans 5:15-18)

Paul wrote, "Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power." (Ephesians 3:7)

In other words, we need to be thankful unto God for His unspeakable gift. (II Corinthians 9:15) Certainly, the woman at the well serves as a prime example. 

Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, "Give Me to drink," thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." (John 4:10) 

But what happens next? When this woman realized that Jesus was the Messiah, "which is called Christ" she left her waterpot at the well, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, "Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?" (John 4:23-29)

You see, when she believed in Jesus as the prophesied Christ, she ministered the same one to another in the same way that a good steward of the manifold grace of God would do. Herein, she set out to preach Jesus Christ to everyone she met. We have the same responsibility to become ministers and good stewards of the gospel.

How do we know this? Because every one of us who believe in Jesus, seeking His righteousness is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7)

But if on the other hand, "our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 

Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Corinthians 4:1-18)

Therefore, "neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of hands of the presbytery." (I Timothy 4:14) Rather "stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:6-7)

And remember too, that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (II Corinthians 9:15) 

Stand as a minister and good steward of the manifold grace of God today. Stand in the offering plate with Jesus.