ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Pulelulu Sune 15, 2022

GRACE AND MERCY WE PROCLAIM

KO E KELESI MO E MEESI ‘OKU TAU MALANGA’I

GALATIANS 1:10

For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

KALETIA 1:10

He ko e fē ‘eni ‘oku ou fai ke loto mai? ‘a e kakai, pe ko e ‘Otua? Pe ko ‘eku feinga ‘eni ke mālie‘ia ‘a e kakai? Ka ne u kei fai ke mālie‘ia ‘a e kakai ‘iate au, pehē ‘oku ‘ikai te u nofo ni ko ha pōpula ‘a Kalaisi.

 

Sola Gratia - Grace Alone - Ko e Kelesi´ pe    

We say that we obtain grace by the free mercy of God alone for Christ’s sake. This is no preaching to please men. This sort of preaching procures for us the hatred and dis-favor of the world, persecutions, excommunications, murders, and curses. "Can't you see that I seek no man's favor by my doctrine?" asks Paul. "If I were anxious for the favor of men I would flatter them. But what do I do? I condemn their works. I teach things only that I have been commanded to teach from above. For that I bring down upon my head the wrath of Jews and Gentiles. My doctrine must be right. It must be divine. Any other doctrine cannot be better than mine. Any other doctrine must be false and wicked."

With Paul we boldly pronounce a curse upon every doctrine that does not agree with ours. We do not preach for the praise of men, or the favor of princes. We preach for the favor of God alone whose grace and mercy we proclaim.

MARTIN LUTHER

‘Oku tau lau ‘oku tau ma’u kelesi mei he anga’ofa ‘ata’ataa pe ‘a e ‘Otua, koe’uhi ko Kalaisi. ‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha malanga eni ‘oku fiefia ki ai ‘a e tangata. Ko e fa’ahinga malanga eni ia ‘oku ne ‘omi ‘a e taufehi’a, fakafepaki, fakatanga, fetu’usi, tamate mo e kape ‘a e mamani ko eni.  “ ‘Ikai ‘oku mou fakatokanga’i mai, ‘oku ‘ikai te u kumi ‘a e me’a ‘oku lelei ki he tangata ‘i he tokateline ‘oku ou malanga’i?” ko e fehu’i ia ‘a Paula. “He kapau na’a ku tokanga ki he lau ‘a e tangata, na’a ku lea fakaoleole kiate kinautolu. Ka ko e ha ‘eku me’a ‘oku ou fai? ‘Oku ou fakata’e’aonga’i ‘enau ngaue. ‘Oku ou ako’i pe ‘a e me’a na’e fekau’i au ki ai mei ‘olunga. Pea ‘i he’ene pehee, ‘oku ou hilifaki ki hoku ‘ulu ‘a e fakamaau mo e taaufehi’a ‘a e Siu mo e Senitaile fakatou’osi. Ko ‘eku tokateline ‘oku tonu. Pea kuopau ko e fou mei he ‘Otua. ‘Oku ‘ikai ha toe tokateline ‘e lava hake ‘i ha’aku. Ko e ngaahi tokateline kehe, ‘oku nau hala mo kovi.”

Te tau lea fakataha mo Paula, ke tau fakamala’ia’i ha tokateline pe ‘oku kehe mei he akonaki ne tomu’a talaa. ‘Oku ‘ikai ke tau malanga’i ‘a e fakahikihiki ‘a e tangata pea ko e loto ‘o e hou’eiki. ‘Oku tau malanga ‘a e finangalo pe ‘o e ‘Otua tokotaha pe, ‘a ee ‘oku ‘a’ana ‘a e kelesi mo e meesi ‘oku tau talaki.