Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace. Randall Niles looks at the Good News that sets the message of Jesus Christ apart from the other man-made, religious attempts to reconcile with God.

Many people sincerely believe that they can earn Gods ticket to paradise by doing good works -- for example, by observing the Five Pillars of Islam, the Buddhist Eight-Fold Path, the Hindu Doctrine of Karma, the Jewish Law, or the New Age call to global, environmental unity. Even many Christian churches focus on what rules and rituals must be followed to earn salvation.

However, as much as we create religions to work our way to God, most of us ultimately experience emptiness an unfulfilled (maybe even despairing) state of our soul. The ancient scriptures are pretty clear They tell us that we can scrub and scrub using an abundance of soap but the stain of our guilt is still before God (Jeremiah 2:22). In fact, all of us are unclean, and our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

Whereas religion focuses on what we must do to earn Gods favor, Jesus Christ said, Done! Since none of our religious acts are good enough to achieve reconciliation with God, God sent his only Son to do everything for us to pay for all our wrongs. That's Amazing Grace.

Simply, Gods Grace has nothing to do with organized religion. Its not about hierarchical structures, ornate buildings, flamboyant preachers, ceremonial tithing, family connections, interpretive doctrines, or traditional rules and rituals. Its about trusting in Jesus and what He did on the cross for you and me. Jesus Christ is either the Son of God who offers the only true hope for our world, or hes not. Strip away everything else all the religious words and rituals because its all about Gods Grace in the end.

Does this mean don't go to church, respect your pastor, or give to charity? Of course not -- Its just a matter of perspective motivation heart.

Amazing Grace is hard to communicate as a mere Christian doctrine its ultimately a personal experience in the depths of a thankful soul.

John Newton was born in London in 1725. At a young age, he went to sea with his father, the commander of a merchant ship in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1744, Newton was conscripted into service on a British naval vessel. He deserted, was recaptured, and relegated to lower deck duties after a public flogging. Ultimately, he was transferred to a slave ship near Sierra Leone, where he served a slave trader under abusive conditions. In 1748, Newton escaped the ship, but then returned to the African shores as the captain of his own slave trading vessel.

John Newton was not a religious man. However, on May 10, 1748, while he was piloting his ship through a fierce storm, Newton experienced his self-described moment of great deliverance. His journals reveal that all seemed lost and the vessel was doomed to sink. Out of no where, he shouted for all to hear, Lord, have mercy upon us.

The ship survived the storm, and Newton believed that's where Gods grace began working in his life. He realized his wretched nature, and that he was saved by Gods amazing grace. Newton soon entered the ministry, and started writing hymns.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That savd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

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[biggbaddjohn]

CS Lewis said that grace was the one thing that differentiated Christianity from all the other world religions as well

-BTW repentance is granted by God as well.

[TheEdge012]

Oh how I wish that ALL Christians understood this!!! It's frustrating enough that the unbeliever does not get it.

[ThePhnxman1]

"By Grace are you saved through faith...it is the gift of God."

Faith does not save us; rather, Grace saves! Faith is the vehicle that leads us to repentance by God's mercy; our sins are "covered" by God's mercy, and faith again leads to to the remission of sins; and it is by faith that we are able to receive the gift of God, which is His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit, then, is God's Grace: that is, receiving what we do not deserve.

[kaybiscus]

Excellent Message. It's about time some one says it like it is! Hallelujah!!!!

[PrayForJerusalem]

We need to pray to God that He will open all mankind's minds and hearts , the spiritual-realm vail before them , the scales that are on their eyes ,.. so they will know the truth and the truth shall make them free, in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior most Holy name, Amen.

[havock89]

I disagree completely. Christ Jesus IS the example for us to follow as christians. Consider He was 100% God and 100% man. We have the divine nature co-existing with human nature, with no mixing and no confusion. Through baptism we become the temple of God, for through Saul's beatific vision we know christ referred to the persecution of the church as "persecuting me".

The one thing you dont get is that we need to cooperate with the divine to achieve our potential. Jesus warns us about this.

[dudeguy927]

I thank God for a person like you, Randall Niles. God bless!

[killBotisKill]

I thought by giving yourself to Christ you automatically reached atonement? Christ died for our sins so that we wouldn't have to live a life as described in the Old Testament, right? That he was our sacrificial lamb, the one by which we were saved?

Now, living in his footsteps might more liken you to him and thereby make it easier to accept him, but it's certainly not necessary, even by the Bible's standards.

Don't scare children into living lives they don't want/need to.

[havock89]

repentance comes from the greek work "metanoia" which means to change your mind/mentality.

God does not change.

We have to change to conform to Christ Jesus' example.

[havock89]

I agree with you.This is but the star point.

Accepting the grace of Christ Jesus is the necessary first and greatest step. But for the rest of our lives we must ever more conform to christs nature.

Christs nature was servant to the world.

Christs nature was conformity to all things righteous.

Christs nature was as a worker in His Fathers vineyard.

Not to turn away from the yoke, indicating the works to be done.

Not ot to usurp power but recieve it with the laying on of hands.

[iToyRobot]

Amen, Grace is a gift, an amazing gift at that :)

[theosophers]

Grace is received from God in response to prayer. Salvation is a grace received from God, because you ask for salvation.

Jews believe everyone and anyone can pray to God our father directly.

So how is what you are promoting different?