The Grace Appeal October 2008 "Our Ethos"

Membership Matters (The Ethos of Bodylife)

At Grace we have a high view of committed community. The Church can only fulfill the mission Christ has for it, when “each member does its part” (Eph. 4:16).
We are celebrating membership this month, starting with a communion service symbolizing our unity on September the 28th, we move out to act together as the hands and feet of Christ in October and November. It is encouraging that we have experienced such a great response. Our people want to belong, and they want to serve.
Through each other we are growing up into our goal of being the body of Christ, making disciples in south Calgary.

Discipleship Matters (The Ethos of Faithfulness)

Christianity is a cyclical disciple making worldview. All those who are Christ’s obey his command in Matt. 28:16-20, in His power.
The command: “Make Disciples” is qualified by three participles:
1. go 2. baptize 3. teach
The most effective way to reach the world for Christ, is not the fastest way, its not the flashiest way, it is the simple, long term, personally demanding vision of 1-1 discipleship. Most conversion happen through long term personal contact with a Christian, whose life “adorns the doctrines of God” (Tit. 2:10) and whose “good works” cause others to recognize their source, “and glorify your Father who is in Heaven” (Mat. 5:16).

We want to be the kind of Church that is always engaged in discipling, and being discipled.

Participation Matters (The Ethos of Citizenship)

We need to remember as citizens of two kingdoms, the heavenly, but also this earthly one, to participate in the upcoming Canadian elections; “the only thing necessary” it is said, “for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. Christians should be careful to vote for those candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who most closely resemble Biblical ethics and morals. Vote:
1. As if totally disinterested in the outcome, vote for the good of others (Phil 2:3). Think about the safety and well being of our fellow Canadian citizens, knowing that they only have this realm to call on for justice.
2. As in “whatever you do” vote “for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). God is glorified when his principles are recognized, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).
3. Find out what your candidates believe on moral issues, especially in the promotion of life, family and religious freedom, God’s top priorities for any peoples (Gen. 1:27, 2:24 and Gal. 5:1).

The Humility of Faith

What makes Christianity unique, amongst all the other religions that are in the world?

We believe that we are saved by grace through faith alone. As Romans says, "all have sinned and are falling short of the glory, which is God" (Rom 3:23), "and are made right with God by his grace as a gift through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus... to be received through faith" (Rom 3:24-25).

If we understand that it is a gift, that we can contribute nothing to that gift, then we come to the conclusion: "what then becomes of our boasting? It is excluded" (Rom 3:27). 

Every other faith teaches our cooperation, in some way, with God for our salvation, whether the pillars of Islam or the scales of karma. 

The Christian faith teaches the absolute dependance of people on God for all aspects of salvation. Therefore a Christian cannot feel that he is better than his unbelieving friend, relative or neighbor, because any righteousness, or goodness in a Christian is "God's righteousness" (3:21) working within, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

Christians then out to be the most humble people alive. But then, who would want to be a Christian? No one likes t be humbled.

But there is one more reality, "God  resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). That Grace grants sonship (John 1:12), and the inheritance of heaven (Gal 3:29). The humble shall truly "inherit the earth" (Matt 5:5).

Not only that, but at the present we have the power of God to aid us a mere prayer away. We know the truth, have certainty about the future, and absolute invincibility to any deadly assault or illness, until God decides its time for us to come home. 

And not only that, but we are experiencing the absolute joy, the gratification and satisfaction of being in our glory, that is in THE glory, the presence of God, in whose presence "there is fullness of joy" and at his right hand "pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

The cost... giving up our pride, confessing our poverty and lostness, and accepting by faith that Christ died for our sins, as the Scripture says, that he was raised for our justification (that we would be right with God), as the Scripture says. 

And in humility recognize that our ability to realize the truth of the gospel is a gift of God, and so we have absolutely nothing in which to take pride, save that we know him.