THE WORKS OF GRACE VII

 Open Heavens Daily Devotional

Pst E. A. Adeboye

Tuesday September 12 2023

Topic:

THE WORKS OF GRACE VII

Memoriae:

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

1 Corinthians 10:23

Read:

1 Corinthians 6:11-12

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Message:

Over the past six days we learnt that God first draws you to Him and if you yield, He saves you by cleansing you with His blood. Sanctification and baptism in the Holy Spirit then follows, after which you receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. We will round study today by looking at how the Lord brings His children to perfection.

Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." In this context, perfection can be easily understood as when you only do things that edify. There are some things that may not be regarded as sin in themselves but then, they are not edifying. The place of perfection is when you avoid such things. This is when you begin to see some things that, though lawful, are not expedient for you to do (1 Corinthians 10:23).

For example, gossip may not be viewed as a sin, but does it edify you? Only a few people get to this stage in their walk with Christ - where they have gone beyond just what is sin and what is not, engaging only in things that edify them while avoiding things that don't

One of the signs that a person is experiencing this work of grace is that the fellow will pay attention to doctrine. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that all Scripture is given by the inpiration of God and is therefore profitable, amongst other things, for doctrine which will lead you to perfection. Thus, even when you have been performing miracles, signs and wonders, you still need to pay attention to doctrine because "Forever O Lord, thy word is settled" (Psalm 119:89).

God is therefore saying to you, whatever level you are in now, "Come up higher." Don't just stay on the level of being cleansed of all your sins, move to being sanctified. Don't think that the moment you can speak in tongues, then you have arrived; go on to receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit and then ensure you also produce the fruit thereof, so that the gifts don't destroy you. And lastly, be amongst the rare set of people who are made perfect (Matthew 5:48). You have to keep going higher until you become perfect, such that people would look at you and say that you are a true child of God.

Prayer Point:

Father, I want to be perfect as You are; please take me to this level, in Jesus' name.

Bible in one year:

Daniel 6-8

Hymn 10

In Christ Alone

1. In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

‘Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live.

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

3. There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

4. No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here, in the power of Christ, I stand.