Davo Roberts

The Surprise of Grace Davo Roberts

Have you ever been surprised by Grace? Grace is not only amazing, but it is also surprising! Alphy the WOWChurch Cat investigates Romans 5:1-11 and discovers what it means for the Christian to be living under the grace of God. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul is logically stating his case about God and humanity. In Romans 1-3, Paul highlights humanity's separation from God. What can be done about that? The answer to that comes in Romans 4! Paul declares that God has provided the very means for people to be justified - that is to be declared right before Him! Paul's argument is that people can be in a dynamic relationship with God, no longer separated from God, and it is by faith alone in God that is the key to having been justified by God. It is by faith in God alone, through God's grace alone as to how people can be justified before God and be able to stand in His presence which is Paul's argument. Being justified means the removal of guilt and the penalty of sin from the person while at the same time being declared right by God. How is that done? We will come to that shortly! People choose to be in this relationship with God. They can avail themselves of it as many have done or simply ignore it as many people do. God does not force but He does compel. Love never forces but it does compel, urge and encourage! You have taken up that offer and now you are in a relationship with God? WOW! Awesome! Excellent! ! Good! So what? That is where Paul is with his argument in this letter to the Romans. Now in Romans 5, Paul gives 8 different glimpses from different angles about the Christian living under and within grace - God's unmerited favour to undeserving sinners. Paul here is creating a fabulous stained glass sphere depicting life for the Christian believer who is now under grace and has Jesus as their master and Lord. Come on in and see what Paul has to say about these blessings or consequences for those who have taken up God's free offer of being justified by faith through God's grace alone? Let's investigate Romans 5:1-11 together.