Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Daily Bible Thought: Not of Yourselves; it is The Gift of God

Eph.2:8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 2:9 not of works, that no one would boast.

How does one qualify grace, or unmerited kindness, undeserved kindness in legal terms? We human cannot, we can in our depth of depression and unworthiness for a moment appreciate God's loving kindness towards us, but like a mist it seem to disappear as quickly as it came.

Isa.40:6 The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. 40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever."

True freedom exist with God, why? Because we are told from the holy writings God is love, we experience that love in our hearts from the life of Christ indwelling us, true freedom is love. Love does not owe anyone a single thing but love. Hence, love is a gift it does not have strings attached, its not based upon us, but the giver, and the giver is love, Jehovah God.

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God.

Do you believe God offers us his love as a gift with no strings, no hidden clauses? “I will love you if you do this or that?” Yes, it true, as unacceptable as that seem to our fleshly mind, no matter that our entire existence as a human fights against this thought, it is nevertheless truth!

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

In other words, if God love expressed in grace towards us was of us, we would make it conditional, owing each other, without complete freedom as God's love is towards us. The problem we are faced with, is putting faith in this great of love as a mere human born into sin. Here is our dilemma, if God's love is free, without strings, and he gives it freely than the only love he can accept is the same love. Do we love God based upon certain conditions, what he does for us, or what we think we should be doing for him, or do we love him as God love us, freely?

Romans 5:15 But the free gift isn't like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

This is a stunning thought if your a honest person? No we don't and can't that is why we fall short of God's glory, all of us! Now God express to us his undeserved kindness through his son Christ Jesus who took our sins, or weakness of not being able to give love as God does too us substituting his life for ours undeservedly. Now in our weakest form, we can put faith in the merit of Christ life, not in ourselves, which cannot make the grade, but in the incorruptible life of Christ Jesus whom conqueror this world in his life, in loving the Father to redeem us not by works, but by the power of his life. In this we can understand the great love for which God loves us, in some small measure as if we look into a haze mirror so we can endure to end of this course in faith.

2Cor.12:7 By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. 12:8 Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 12:9 He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

1Cor.13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. 13:13 But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.

If it is based upon works of law, we cannot come all the way into love, the freedom we must have to understand the love of God or we will hate the Father because our relationship is quick pro quo.

1 Peter 4:10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

1 Peter 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.

James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."{Proverbs 3:34}

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe.

See also: www.nu-truth.com