THERE IS ENABLING GRACE AND HELP FOR US

What is grace?

Imagine yourself driving on the highway; and perhaps your tendency is to drive over the speed limit.  You then notice a police officer behind you, signalling for you to pull over.  The officer is justified in doing this because we all are under the law, correct?  So you know you’re in the wrong, but you still ask the officer for mercy; and then officer says to you “fine, I’ll just let you off with a warning, you’re free to go”, and shows you grace.  So do you now push the gas pedal down to the floor, spinning your tires and flicking up gravel behind you onto the hood of the police car, because you’re no longer under the law, but under grace?  I must say, certainly not!  We are all still under the law, yet at the same time God shows us infinite grace–grace which is there to help us, and the law which is there to correct us.

“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Ps. 34:13. The wild beast of the forest may be tamed, “but the tongue can no man tame.” James 3:8. Only through Christ can we gain the victory over the desire to speak hasty, unchristlike words. When, in His strength, we refuse to give utterance to Satan’s suggestions, the plant of bitterness in our hearts withers and dies. The Holy Spirit can make the tongue a savour of life unto life.

Gift of Speech

“Of all the gifts that God has bestowed upon men, none is more precious than the gift of speech. If sanctified by the Holy Spirit, it is a power for good. It is with the tongue that we convince and persuade; with it we offer prayer and praise to God, and with it we convey rich thoughts of the Redeemer’s love. By a right use of the gift of speech the canvasser can sow the precious seeds of truth in many hearts.” CE 86, 87

Grace

“We owe everything to grace, free grace, sovereign grace. Grace in the covenant ordained our adoption. Grace in the Saviour affected our redemption, our regeneration, and our adoption to heirship with Christ.”  AG 54

“Divine grace is needed at the beginning, divine grace at every step of advance, and divine grace alone can complete the work. There is no place for us to rest in a careless attitude…. By prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit.”  AG 220

“And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do”. Exodus 4:15

God wants us to be peacemakers. “’Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Grace and peace rest upon those who refuse to join in the strife of tongues. When vendors of scandal are passing from family to family, those who fear God will be chaste keepers at home. The time that is so often worse than wasted in idle, frivolous, and malicious gossip should be given to higher and nobler objects. If our brethren and sisters would become missionaries for God, visiting the sick and afflicted, and labouring patiently and kindly for the erring,–in short, if they would copy the Pattern,–the church would have prosperity in all her borders.” 5T 176

“Are you without guile before God? Words exert a telling power.  Satan will, if possible, keep the tongue active in his service.  Of ourselves we cannot control the unruly member.  Divine grace is our only hope.” Test. Vol. 5, pg. 175

Leone Chiatto

Toronto, Canada