ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tokonaki Siulai 9, 2022 

DEEDS OF GRACE

KO E NGAAHI NGAUE ‘A E KELESI 

ROMANS 6:14

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

ROMANS 6:14

He tala‘ehai ‘e fakaehaua kinautolu ‘e Angahala: he ‘oku ‘ikai te mou nofo kia Lao ka kia Kelesi.

 

Sola Gratia - Grace Alone - Ko e Kelesi´ pe   

The whole Bible tells us, from beginning to end, that salvation is not by the works of the Law, but by the deeds of grace. Martin Luther declared that he constantly preached justification by faith alone "because," said he, "the people would forget it; so that I was obliged almost to knock my Bible against their heads, to send it into their hearts." So it is true we constantly forget that salvation is by grace alone.

We always want to be putting in some little scrap of our own virtue; we want to be doing something. I remember a saying of old Matthew Wilkes: "Saved by your works! You might as well try to go to America in a paper boat!" Saved by your works! It is impossible! Oh no; the poor legalist is like a blind horse going round and round the mill, or like the prisoner going up the treadmill, and finding himself no higher after all he has done; he has no solid confidence, no firm ground to rest upon. He has not done enough-"Never enough." Conscience always says, "This is not perfection; it ought to have been better."

CHARLES SPURGEON

‘Oku talamai ‘e he Tohitapu kiate kitautolu, ko hotau fakamo’ui ‘oku ‘ikai ko e ngaue ‘a e Lao, ka ko e ngaue ia ‘a e Kelesi. Na’e pehe ‘e Matini Lutelo, na’a ne malanga’i ma’u pe ‘a e fakamo’ui ‘i he kelesi pe, “koe’uhi, he na’e ngalo ma’u pe ia ‘i he kakai. Pea na’e a’u ki ha taimi, na’a ku loto keu tuki’i kinautolu ‘aki ‘a e Tohitapu, ke to ki honau loto.” ‘Io, ‘oku mo’oni, ‘oku faingofua ke ngalo ‘iate kitautolu, ko e fakamo’ui, ko e ngaue ‘ata’ataa pe ia ‘a e Kelesi. 

‘Oku tau loto ma’u pe ke tau fakahu atu ha ki’i konga ‘o ‘etau ngaue; he ‘oku tau loto pe ke fakakau atu ha’atau me’a ki ai. ‘Oku ou manatu ki ha lea ‘a e tangata ko Matiu Uike: “Fakamo’ui ‘i ho’o ngaue! Kapau ko ia, ‘e tatau pe ia mo ha’o feinga ke ke folau ki ‘Amelika ‘i ha ki’i vaka la’ipepa.” Mo’ui ‘i ho’o ngaue! ‘Oku ta’emalava! ‘Oku tatau pe ia mo ha hoosi ‘oku kui hono mataa pea ‘oku takamilo noa pe ‘i he potu ‘oku ‘i ai. Pe ko ha popula ‘oku ne laka ‘i ha sitepu ‘alu tu’uma’u; ‘oku ‘ikai ha laka ki’ua; ‘oku ‘ikai ha falala’anga pau, ‘ikai ha makatu’unga ke fakatetu’a ki ai. ‘Oku ‘ikai pe ke fe’unga ha’ane ngaue - “Oku ‘ikai pe fe’unga” - ‘Oku lea ma’u mai pe ‘a konisenisi, “ ‘Oku ‘ikai pe ke fe’unga; kuopau ke toe lelei ange.”