Great grace and responsible response
Ghana was a nation in shock when Major Maxwell Mahama, a military officer on duty, was gruesomely murdered at Denkyira Obuasi.
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Horrific pictures circulated on social media. We all mourned and grieved that terrible incident. Reflecting on what happened at Denkyira Obuasi, we ask “was there no church in Denkyira Obuasi”?
Could we not find a handful of godly people in that community? Were they troubled about the mob killing process? Did any of them call the police and alerted the traditional leaders?
The Lord Jesus says of Christians, “you are the light of the community… you are the salt of the community. Living as salt and light means living godly and holy lifestyle in the community and nation in which we live.
That practical holy living and godliness includes both piety and practicing mercy and enforcing justice. Indeed, righteous living or practical holy living exalts a nation but sin and lawlessness is a disgrace to any nation.
The Christian churches in the nation have the onerous tasks to preach the pure gospel and raise genuine believers who will live godly and holy lives in every community. Great grace and responsible response is a call to practical holy living.
In Romans chapter 6, Christians are called to become what they are: “previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led even deeper into sin.
Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy…. do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life”. (Romans 6:19&22 NLT).
In Romans Chapters 3-5, the Apostle Paul has been celebrating the triumph of God’s great grace in our salvation history. It was when we were still throwing our fists of rebellion at the Creator God, the Almighty, loving and holy God, and were involved in various levels of wickedness, greed, lying, stealing, corrupt practices, sexual mess and lawlessness and more that God took the initiative to bring us back to a right relationship to Himself.
“He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25 NLT). Our new relationship with God which will result in salvation from God’s judgement is assured. And it is all by grace.
But the Apostle Paul risked being misunderstood. Should God’s abundant grace towards us mean people can live careless lives with regard to sin?
And so the natural question comes up in Romans 6:1: “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?”
The answer is swift and clear: “Of course not; by no means”. “May it never be, God forbid” and “No, no!” It is completely unacceptable to think that God’s grace encourages sin!
The Apostle Paul stresses the answer by asking in v.2 “since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” The genuine Christian is in Christ and their relationship with God will result in salvation from God’s judgement. They can be assured of eternal life.
“But what does this new relationship mean for our lives at present? Are we simply in limbo “waiting for the day of final salvation? Not at all!
• To be continued
The author is a Leadership Development and Cross-cultural Ministries Consultant, an International, conference speaker and formerly General Director / CEO of Scripture Union Ghana. Email: [email protected] / [email protected])