ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite ‘Akosi 5, 2022

NOTHING BUT DIVINE GRACE

‘IKAI HA TOE ME’A, KO E KELESI PE ‘A E ‘OTUA

1 CORINTHIANS 12:4

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

1 KOLINITO 12:4

Pea ko eni, ‘oku tufa kehekehe ‘a e ngaahi kelesi, ka ‘oku taha ai pē ‘a e Laumālie

 

Sola Gratia - Grace Alone - Ko e Kelesi´ pe   

What remains now for free will if all the good works which proceed from us are acknowledged to have been the gifts of the Spirit of God? Let godly readers weigh carefully the apostle's words. He does not say that we are assisted by God. He does not say that the will is prepared, and is then left to run by its own strength. He does not say that the power of choosing aright is bestowed upon us, and that we are afterwards left to make our own choice. Such is the idle talk in which those persons who do their utmost to undervalue the grace of God are accustomed to indulge.

But the apostle affirms that everything good in us is His creation, by which he means that the whole man is formed by His hand to be good. It is not the mere power of choosing aright, some indescribable kind of preparation, or even assistance, but the right will itself which is His workmanship; otherwise Paul's argument would have no force. Man is nothing but by divine grace.

JOHN CALVIN

Ko e ha leva ‘etau lau ki he tau’ataina ‘a e fili ‘a e tangataa, kapau ko e ngaahi ngaue lelei ‘oku tau fai, ko e ngaahi me’a’ofa pe ia ‘a e Laumalie ‘o e ‘Otua? Tau tuku ki he kau lotu mo’oni ‘oku nau lau ‘a e tohi ni ke tau sivi fakalelei ‘a e lea ‘oku fai ‘e he ‘aposetolo.  ‘Oku ‘ikai te ne pehee, ‘oku tokonia kitautolu ‘e he ‘Otua. ‘Oku ‘ikai te ne pehee, ‘oku teuteu’i ‘a e loto ‘o e tangata pea tuku atu ke ne fili ‘i hono ivi pe ‘o’ona. ‘Oku ‘ikai te ne pehee, ko e ivi ki he fili ‘oku tonu, kuo ‘omi ia kiate kitautolu, pea tau toki fili leva. Ko e ngaahi lea eni ‘oku anga ki ai kakai ‘oku nau tukuhifo ‘a e mahu’inga ‘o e kelesi ‘a e ‘Otua ka nau ‘asi hake.

Ka ‘oku fakamo’oni mai ‘a e ‘aposetolo, ko e me’a lelei kotoa pe ‘oku ‘iate kitautolu, ko ‘Ene fakatupu ia. ‘Io, ko e tangata, kuo ngaohi ia ‘e he to’ukupu ‘o e ‘Otua ke ne hoko ‘o lelei. ‘Oku ‘ikai ko e mafai ke te fili ‘o tonu, pe ko ha fa’ahinga teuteu makehe mo ha poupou; ka ko e loto kuo ‘osi tonu ‘o fakatatau ki he’ene fakatupu fo’ou kitautolu: ‘Io, ko hono aofangatuku, ko e tangata, ‘oku ‘ikai hano tu’unga, talunga mo e kelesi ‘a e ‘Otua.