ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Sune 20, 2022

GRATUITOUS MERCY

KO E MEESI OPE ATU

GENESIS 6:9

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

SENESI 6:9

Ko e tohi eni ‘o e hako ‘o Noa. Ko Noa ko e tangata angatonu: na‘a ne haohaoa pe ‘i he ngaahi to‘utangata na‘e fe‘unga mo ia: na‘e takaua ‘a Noa mo e ‘Otua.

 

Sola Gratia - Grace Alone - Ko e Kelesi´ pe   

“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This is a Hebrew phrase, which signifies that God was propitious to him, and favored him. For so the Hebrews are accustomed to speak: "If I have found grace in Thy sight" instead of "If I am acceptable to Thee" or "If Thou wilt grant me thy benevolence or favor." Which phrase requires to be noticed, because certain unlearned men infer with futile subtlety that if men find grace in God's sight, it is because they seek it by their own industry and merits. I acknowledge, indeed, that here Noah is declared to have been acceptable to God, because, by living uprightly and holily, he kept himself pure from the common pollutions of the world; whence, however, did he attain this integrity, but from the preventing grace of God? The commencement, therefore, of this favor was gratuitous mercy. Afterwards, the Lord, having once embraced him, retained him under His own hand, lest he should perish with the rest of the world.

JOHN CALVIN

“Ka ko Noa na‘e ‘ilo ki ai ha hōifua ‘i he finangalo ‘o Sihova” (Senesi 6:8). Ko e kupu’i lea ko eni ‘i he faka-Hepeluu, ‘oku ne faka’ilonga’i ‘a e hoifua mai ‘a e ‘Otua kiate ia. He ko e lea ‘a e kau Hepeluu, te nau pehee, “kapau ‘oku hu’u mai kiate au ho’o kelesi” - ‘o kehe ia mei he fakalea; “Kapau ‘oku lelei kiate koe ‘eku to’onga” pe ko e pehe, “Kapau te ke ‘ofeina mai au.” Ko e kehekehe o e kupu’i lea, ‘oku tefito ia ‘i he fakakaukau ‘a e tangata, kapau ‘oku hoifua mai ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku tefito ‘i ha’ane ngaue pe lelei.

‘Io, te tau fakamo’oni, na’e fakatupu hoifua ‘a Noa ki he ‘Otua, ‘i he’ene mo’ui ma’a mo ma’oni’oni ‘i he ‘ao ‘o e ‘Otua, pea na’a ne faka’ehi’ehi mei he kovi ‘a hono ‘atakai. Ka na’a ne ma’u fe fe ‘a e mo’ui angatonu ko eni, ‘o ka ne ta’e’oua ‘a e kelesi ta’ofi ‘a e ‘Otua? Ko e ikuna’anga ‘o ‘ene mo’ui, na’e fou mei he meesi ope atu ‘a e ‘Otua. Pea hili ia, na’e puke nima’i ia ‘e Sihova, na’a faifai pea ‘auha mo e toenga ‘o e mamani fonu angahala.