ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tokonaki Ma‘asi 10, 2018

Ko e kelesi ‘ata‘atā pe ne fou mai ai hotau fakamo‘uí

( salvation is truly all of grace)

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 (cont…)

…the Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts so that we embrace the risen and reigning Christ . . . This amazing truth has huge implications for how we view our salvation, the Christian life, and worship.

First, it confirms that our salvation is truly all of grace. None of us can boast that we're saved because we made the most of the salvation offered to us. We certainly aren't saved because we had enough moral and spiritual sense in and of ourselves to believe the gospel or because we were catechized so well (although that is important). No, we are saved only because, in his divine compassion, the risen Christ gave us the spiritual sight to believe the gospel. By his Holy Spirit, Jesus tilled the rocky soil of our hearts so that as the seed of the gospel was sown, it would bring forth the fruit of faith and repentance. If we believe the gospel, we should praise God for giving us the grace to believe it, for he is the only One who made the difference for us. Therefore, the Christian life must be marked by gratitude and humility. In and of ourselves, we are no better than our non-Christian neighbors. The only difference is that something (or, rather, someone) absolutely

wonderful has come into our lives and changed everything.