But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Message: Keeping Grace Gracious
Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.
What the Lord is Saying:
Life is about doing, for in life we live. Each day we are doing something, even if to others it looks like nothing. Each day as I go to work I have tasks that I do and am responsible to do. I have a new position at work I am learning. There are things I need to know about that position and there are things I want to accomplish so that at the end of its assignment I will have done it successfully. I think that is partly why I have been given this new task because the work I did previously was accepted as good and true. My desire is to do work that adds value, that meets expectations, that is pleasing to others and pleasing to myself.
Beyond work, I am a person that believes I am not here randomly but on purpose and that purpose was designed by my creator-- God. He is the reason I am here.
Because He created me, I believe He has a plan for me. Just like I have a job to do each day and it is defined a certain way as to how I am to work, God designed me to live a certain way. Yes, I am unique but my uniqueness still has an order to it and a way I am to live. Thus, my question to God is "Am I living according to Your design?"
The Bible is a book that tells the story of God and his creation and how people go about pleasing their creator. Early on is the discovery that the reason I am not living my life according to His plan is sin. Sin is disobedience to God. He has a plan for me but I get off track from that plan and this happens when I sin and seek after my plan. I think many people in the world believe there is only one plan - the plan of man. But I believe there are two plans - a Godly plan and the plan of man. The goal is for them to be in agreement.
