GRACE HAS COME TO YOU - PART 1

THURSDAY 04 JANUARY 2024

Reference: 1 Peter 1:10-12 New International Version (NIV)

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things."

According to Petrine epistolary expressions, 1 Peter 1:10-12, referenced above, explained something important about the grace of God, and it reads, "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care."

Now watch this: They were trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. This means that GRACE was introduced by the Lord Jesus Christ, through His sufferings leading to the glory that follows us now. For this reason, the prophets of the Old knew that they would not meet the dispensation of GRACE because they came before the era of Christ on earth. Got it? But the striking cognizance is that even angels longed to look into the matter, meaning that they applied to understand the grace epoch because they've never seen such a privilege given by Supreme Deity.

Question: Why were the angelic hosts completely baffled about God's grace coming to mankind? They knew God differently. This implies that they had never seen God's mercy and compassion within such dimension. Remember that due to Satan's rebellion, he was banished from heaven. The old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, was cast out into the earth, with a third of the angels or morning stars who are now his demonic agents (fallen angels).

So the present angelic beings in heaven know there is nothing like God's grace to pardon what Satan, the Devil did in heaven with a third of the angels he deceived to leave with him as they were thrown to the earth. They know that Satan can never have a second chance. He is doomed for life. For this reason, the angels were eager to look into the news about the introduction of grace. Yes, they tried to explore the news because it is a serious thing to know that after Adam's fall, God would still imagine about giving mankind a second chance, which was never available to the Devil. Got it?

A Psalm of David says, "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet" Psalm 8:4-6 (NIV). Another Psalm of David reads, "O LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him" (Psalm 114:3 NIV).

Do you now understand why the angelic hosts joined to grasp the perceptive understanding of the complex nature of a research known as GRACE? They had a seldom thought, feeling and behaviour concerning the distinct degree of God's mercy on man's situation, which is in significant contrast to Devil's case. Are you with me?

For this reason, the angels were prepared to change their notion about God because God was about to introduce something new. When God says, "I WILL DO A NEW THING," understand that there are those who stubbornly refuse to change and accept a new thing when God is revealing it in line with His perfect will and purpose, and so, they have the tendency to resist the new concept of greater glory from above. Not the angels! 2nd Corinthians 3:12 says, "So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! (NLT).

The angels are not like the Pharisees, the very members of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written Mosiac law. For some people like that, none of them would ever receive grace unless they were prepared to change their belief system based on Mosiac law. Delightfully, John 1:17 says, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ" (NET). Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 1:16-17; Romans 6:14; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 4:15-16.

Exuberant Declaration:

Christ is the image of a luminous intensity called GRACE. This GRACE has brought salvation to every man, especially the human souls wallowing in the domain of darkness. Glory be to God!