The Grace of Jesus with You 1 Corinthians 16:23

Paul the apostle continued his benediction of this letter to the Corinthian church members as he wrote, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-three of First Corinthians, Paul wrote concerning, “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”, where we read:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

The verse begins, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ...” Paul began with the words, “the grace” which means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor” “of our Lord” or “of Paul and the church members' one to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding and the title of God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” or “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Paul began this letter with the “grace” of the Lord Jesus, and he included it in his benediction as well.

The verse goes on to say, “...be with you.” Paul added the words, “be with” which means “be among, after and behind” “you” which refers to “the church members in Corinth”. Paul desired and prayed for the Lord's “grace” to “be with” the believers in Corinth.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we note the “unmerited favor” that he desires to be upon the church members in Corinth. God Almighty has offered “His grace” or “unmerited favor” upon everyone who will believe in His Son Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for their sins. God wants us all to be saved, and this indeed is when His “grace” is “with” us.

Next time we finish the book of First Corinthians as Paul writes, “my love be with you all in Christ Jesus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.