Our efforts to engage the people of Marrero can be described as plowing concrete. While polite and open to passing conversation about the gospel, the hardest part has been dealing with what is best defined as skeptical reluctance.
The greatest barrier so far has been confusion about the concept of grace. With the spiritual climate in greater New Orleans dominated by Roman Catholicism, many have a misconception of God that requires them to earn their salvation based on good works and religious activity. Those who are ensnared by local prosperity false gospel churches also carry the unnecessary burden of producing enough faith for God to bless them.
This was made most evident when a small group of us went through our neighborhood delivering cookies and inviting people to our Sunday morning Bible study.
An elderly woman caring for her home-bound adult daughter came to the door and warmly welcomed two of our team. When offered the cookies she asked how much we charged for them. She simply could not understand that anyone would offer her a gift without expecting anything in return.
She finally pressed a crumpled dollar bill into the hand of the young man and begged him to take the money as a donation for the church.
We naturally fail to comprehend grace. There is always an angle or hidden motive when offered something for nothing. Scripture, however, declares that the only way for sinful people to experience a relationship with God is through grace.
Ephesians 2:4-9 tells us
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Grace does not merely sweep sin under the rug but lovingly confronts us with our depravity. When we recognize how sinful we are compared to the perfect holiness of God we finally realize our need for a Savior.
Jesus must do for us through His finished work on the cross what we are totally incapable for doing for ourselves. He willingly exchanges His right standing before God for our corrupt spiritual darkness.
The need for grace does not end after God extends His mercy toward us. Grace goes beyond saving to empowering us every day as we learn to totally depend on Christ for every aspect of our life and calling.
Pray that we would not only exemplify but experience grace as we
… share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. 2 Timothy 1:8b-9
We appreciate those who are faithfully praying, participating, and providing for us as we plant West Bank Baptist Church. Find out more how you can get involved.
Melsons on the Move 