ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu’apulelulu Me 12, 2022

FAITH EXALTS GOD

‘OKU FAKAHIKIHIKI’I ‘E HE TUI ‘A E ‘OTUA

JAMES 4:9-10

Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

SEMISI 4:9-10

Mou fakamamahi, mo to‘e, mo tangi: ke liliu ho‘omou kata ko e to‘e, mo ho‘omou fiefia ko e fakamāmāhu‘i. Fakavaivai‘i kimoutolu ‘i he ‘ao ‘o e ‘Eiki, pea te ne hākeaki‘i kimoutolu.

 

Sola Fide - Faith Alone - Ko e Tui´ pe    

Faith is a sensibleness of what is real in the work of redemption; and as we do really wholly depend on God, so the soul that believes doth entirely depend on God for all salvation, in its own sense and act. Faith abases men and exalts God, it gives all the glory of redemption to God alone. It is necessary in order to saving faith that man should be emptied of himself, that he should be sensible that he is "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Humility is a great ingredient of true faith: he that truly receives redemption, receives it as a little child, Mark 10:15: “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

 It is the delight of a believing soul to abase itself and exalt God alone that is the language of it, Psalm 115:1: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give glory." Let us be exhorted to exalt God alone, and ascribe to Him all the glory of redemption.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

Ko e Tui, ‘a e lelei’anga ‘o e mo’oni ‘o e ngaue ‘o hotau huhu’i; pea ‘i he’etau falala kakato ki he ‘Otua, ‘oku pehee pe, ko e laumalie ‘oku tui, ‘oku ne falala kakato ki he ‘Otua ma’a hono fakamo’ui, ‘i he ‘ilo mo e ngaue. ‘Oku tuku hifo ‘e he tui ‘a e tangata ki lalo, kae fakahikihiki’i ‘a e ‘Otua. ‘Oku fakalangilangi’i ‘a e ‘Otua tokotaha pe ‘i he huhu’i ‘o e tangata. Kuopau ke fakamaha ‘a e tangata pea ke ne fakamo’oni, “koe ia ‘a e mala‘ia taha, mo e tu‘utāmaki taha, pea masiva mo kui mo telefua” (Fakaha 3:17). Ko e anga fakatokilalo, ko e faka’ilonga ia ‘o e tui ‘oku mo’oni, he ko ia ‘oku ne ma’u ‘a e huhu’i, ‘oku ne ma’u ia hangee ko ha ki’i tamasi’i (Ma’ake 10:15): “Ko au ē, ‘oku ou tala atu, Ko ia ‘e ‘ikai te ne tali ‘a e Pule‘anga ‘o e ‘Otua ‘o hangē ko ha tamasi‘i, ‘e ‘ikai ‘aupito hū ia ki ai.”

Ko e mamana ‘a e laumalie ‘oku tui, ke ne hifo ‘e ia ki lalo, kae hiki hake ‘a e ‘Otua tokotaha pe, pea ko ‘ene lea pe ia, Saame 115:1: ‘OUA na‘a ‘amautolu, ‘Eiki, ‘oua na‘a ‘amautolu, Kae tuku ‘a e kolōlia ki ho huafa ‘o‘ou. Koe‘uhi pē ko ho‘o ‘ofa, Koe‘uhi ko e mo‘oni ‘a e ‘Afiona.