God's Grace Is Not Only Sufficient But Retroactive - Part 1244

"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner." (Psalms 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; I Peter 2:4-8)

"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

"For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4)

The scriptures tell us that no man can serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24) These will either serve mammon, and thus, their own self interests, or cleave to the righteousness of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ, who purchased our salvation through His own holy blood shed upon a cross. Thus, either we take up our cross and follow Jesus, or we deny Him in our hearts. With Jesus, there can be no sitting on the fence. We have a choice whether to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, or conversely, to reject Him.

We see the need for a heart decision repeatedly in the gospels. One such example comes to mind.

Jesus had just come down from the mountain. Therein, He stood in the plain, in the company of His disciples. A great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, came to hear Jesus, and to be healed of their diseases. What happened? Every single person "vexed with unclean spirits" was healed. "The whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all." (Luke 6:19)

One would think that a miracle of this magnitude, whereby all those that were sick were healed would be sufficient to prove God's abundant love for each and every one of us. As we know, God had already declared "peace and good will toward all men." (Luke 2:14) The prophecy of old stating, "Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest." (Luke 19:38)

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, "God with us." (Matthew 1:21-23)

"For God so loved the world ..." (John 3:16)

But as we also know, there were those who wanted nothing to do with Jesus, and as a consequence, continually sought to kill Him. The apostles encountered the same opposition when they preached the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, Jesus told us that we would similarly be hated for His name's sake.

“And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:13; Matthew 10 :22)

"But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hates Me, hates My Father also." (John 15:21-23)

Herein, Jesus is saying, "IF I HAD NOT DONE AMONG THEM THE WORKS WHICH NONE OTHER MAN DID, they had not had sin, but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father." (John 15:24)

Rather than accepting God's love for them, in that He Himself who knew no sin would willingly become sin for us, and then after being beaten, shed His holy blood on a cross, these wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Nothing to do with the King of kings and Lord of lords, who personally delivered His gift of grace that is retroactive. 

Still, as Jesus told Thomas, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 

"No man comes unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me. ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth, ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:5-7)

When Philip heard this, he then asked Jesus to show Him the Father "and it suffices us." How did Jesus respond? "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father, and how sayest then, "Shew us the Father?" (John 14:8-9)

You see, Jesus was in the Father and the Father in Him -- the words that Jesus spake not of Himself but the Father that dwells within Him, 

"He doeth the works ... Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works sake." (John 14:10-15)

This has not changed today, except that the Holy Ghost that overshadowed Mary and brought forth that "holy thing" as Luke describes Jesus in the womb, is the same Comforter that dwells within us now when we ask Jesus into our heart. The same He that walked this earth -- the same He that was in the world and the world was made by Him but the world knew Him not -- He desires to be Lord in our life.

But even He said, "or else believe for the very works sake." 

Now that is love beyond measure. He loved you and I before we even knew we were sinners. He formed His purpose in our mother's womb, and even though we have all strayed, He is still inviting us to the wedding feast. Come, all ye who are heavy laden, Jesus said, "and I will give you rest." 

Everything that Jesus did in this new testament dispensation of grace -- God manifest in the flesh -- was so that we would turn our hearts to the Master -- our Lord God and Saviour who never leaves us comfortless. He is the true vine. He is the living water wherein we will never thirst again. He is the Bread from heaven. He is the Light which shines bright even in the darkest corner of this earth.

"For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us] having abolished in His flesh, the enmity, [even] the law of commandments, contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom ALL the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:14-22)

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Yes, God's grace is retroactive. We just need to accept His gift of salvation by declaring Jesus both Lord and Christ in our hearts, and being water baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-38)

Stand in the offering plate.