A STORY OF GRACE

Jesus had just finished creating Adam.  He sat back on the beach and looked at him with love, like a parent to a newborn baby.  As a “newborn” he was in need of educating.  He began by telling him of His love for him and the requirements for eternal life.  If Adam obeyed Him he would stay connected to Him, the source of all power and life.  If he disobeyed Him, he would be cut off from that power and would die.

Sometime later Adam and Eve were out and about walking in the garden.  They began to doubt the instructions that God had given them.  They disobeyed.  One could almost hear the collective astonishment throughout the universe as billions upon billions, trillions upon trillions of intelligent beings took a gasp.  No planet had ever disobeyed God.  Satan and his followers were the only ones and they were cast out of Heaven.  But God had said these would die if they rebelled.  What would happen?  What did “die” mean?  No one had ever seen death or experienced it.

Soon a communique was issued from the Throne of God.  The Tribunal had met and issued the following memorandum.  This was an amazing memo.  The entire universe wanted to know more about this “Kingdom of Grace” and how it was to be implemented.  What were the conditions of this “Grace”?

The “sons of God” gathered on a “New Moon” to discuss this wonderful, marvelous news with Michael.

Michael stood up and began to speak.  “The inhabitants of Earth have cut themselves off from the Main Generating Source of Life. But in order to give them an opportunity to be reconnected, We have implanted a temporary generating life force.  This is called ‘grace’.  “It does not save them spiritually or keep them alive forever.  It saves them physically from the wages of sin – immediate death. This will enable them to learn the requirements that each of us must follow for eternal life.

“Those who will accept the requirements will be inviting Me in as their Savior.  As their Savior, I will be able to empower them to keep the perfect Law that governs Our Universe.  As they learn and obey Our requirements, they will be able to live with us eternally.  (John 3:16, 17).

“This acceptance of Me will require faith. (Romans 3:22).  And this faith will produce obedience to Our Law.  (Romans 1:5; Romans 2:13).  I will teach them that to be Spiritual and enter eternal life, they must fully obey the Commandments.  (Matthew 19:17).

“By letting Me live within them by faith, they will no longer be disobedient and sin. They will be living without continuing in sin because they will have been reborn as My children. (1 John 3:8, 9).  They will count themselves dead to their sins and not offer the parts of their bodies to sin as instruments of wickedness, but will offer themselves to Me as instruments of Righteousness. (Romans 6:13). They will no longer go on sinning, not because of the grace we gave them, but because of the faith they will learn to have in Me.” Romans 6:1, 2.

The temple was hushed.  In breathless awe the vast assembly of the “sons of God” listened to the Plan of Salvation (the everlasting gospel) and the part that grace had to play.  They now understood that grace would not let anyone into heaven who did not stop sinning.   They understood that it would only keep them alive physically so they could learn to live faithfully in the power of their Savior to be obedient to the Ten Commandments.  Heaven would be safe!

Then a hand slowly rose up.  Jesus looked with love into the eyes of the one who was going to ask the most important question ever to be raised.  The “son” stood and asked, “How will this be possible since the Law requires the death of the sinner?”

A glow of Divine light began to radiate from Jesus as He spoke.  “I will go and give My Life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28).   I will be killed and will be raised on the third day. (Matthew 16:21).  Then My Divine Power will give them everything they will ever need for life and godliness through their knowledge of Me.  Through their knowledge of Me they will be able to participate in My Divine Nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3, 4) .  If they obey all that I tell them, they will never fall.”   (2 Peter 1:10).

Then all the “sons of God”, and all the inhabitants of heaven stood and threw their crowns at the feet of Michael, bowing and saying, “…because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth… Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!… To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:9, 10, 12, 13).   AMEN!