ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Ma‘asi 9, 2018

Ko e foaki kotoa mei he ‘Otua ‘oku ‘a‘ana ‘a e mo‘uí

( God intervenes and gives new life)

Fehu‘i #35

Koe‘uhí  kuo huhu‘i kitautolu ‘i he kelesí ‘ata‘atā pe ‘o fou ‘i he tuí  ‘ata‘atā pe, ‘oku ma‘u ‘a e tui ko ení  mei fe?

Ko e ngaahi me‘a‘ofa kotoa pe ‘oku tau ma‘u meia Kalaisi ‘oku tau ma‘u ‘o fou mai ‘i he Laumālie Ma‘oni‘oní, ‘o kau ai ‘a e tuí.

Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?

All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy

Spirit, including faith itself.

TAITUSI 3:4-6

‌Ka ‘i he faifai pea fakahā mai ‘a e angalelei ‘a hotau ‘Otua Fakamo‘ui, mo ‘ene ‘ofa ki he tangata, na‘e ‘ikai tupu ‘ene fakamo‘ui kitautolu mei ha ngaahi ngāue na‘a tau fai ‘i ha‘atau mā‘oni‘oni, ka ko e me‘a pē ‘i he‘ene ‘alo‘ofa na‘a ne fakamo‘ui kitautolu, ‘i he pālutu‘anga ‘o e fanau‘i fo‘ou, pea mo e fakafo‘ou ‘e he Laumālie Mā‘oni‘oni: ‘a ia na‘a ne lilingi mai ‘o lahi kiate kitautolu ‘ia Sīsū Kalaisi ko hotau Fakamo‘ui;

TITUS 3:4-6

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Commentary - MIKA EDMONDSON

This question deals with how believers come to faith and so receive the salvation purchased by Christ. It's a question best asked in retrospect, as we look back over our lives and ask, "How did I, a fallen sinner, come to love Jesus and believe his gospel where so man have not?"

In order to understand the magnitude of this, you have to understand that “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”(1 Cor. 1:18). Although we can intellectually comprehend the facts of the gospel, apart from the gracious intervention of God, we would reject it as folly. But the catechism reminds us that God does intervene. The Holy Spirit gives new life to sinners who were otherwise "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). As the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts so that we embrace the risen and reigning Christ as he presents himself through the gospel. Even faith (our obedient response to the gospel) is a gracious gift of God. This amazing truth has huge implications for how we view our salvation, the Christian life, and worship.