“Saved By Grace To Save Others!”

“Saved By Grace To Save Others!”(Rom.4:1-8).
Today is my first Sunday in Njenka my new parish in my home town. Njenka congregation is where my journey of faith kicked off. I grew up to be a man of the world, but I read the Bible quite so often among other literature books.
As a young carpenter I practiced in Bali, Bamenda, Mutengene and Douala. At a certain point in time, I decided that home was best. And that is how I went back home, opened a cafeteria at Ntanfoang, which at that time was the most modern cafeteria ever in Bali.
It was Friday, November 4th, 1986 that I went to the pastor of Njenka, Rev Asamba and told him that I wanted to be baptized. Pa was embarrased because he had not planned any adult baptism. He had to baptize a baby on Sunday 6th. He asked me a few questions, asked me to recite the Lord’s prayer and the Apostles’ Creed, which I did. And that is how on Sunday, December 6th, 1986 the Rev Asamba baptized me.
That same year I registered for the GCE O Levels as an external candidate. I got my papers in 1987 and in 1988 I wrote and passed the entrance into the Presbyterian Theological College, Kumba. This brief history is to let you know that Njenka congregation is where it all started.
Today I have come to minister to the congregation/parish that initiated me in my journey of faith. Those who have made a scrutiny of the stories of conversions conclude that there are three moments of conversion. Conversion may happen before baptism, at baptism or after baptism. Mine was conversion before baptism, where God called and then asked me to fulfil all righteousness through baptism before sending me to be an evangelist of the word.
Dear friends, we are not justified by works of righteousness. Rather we are justified by faith(what we believe) and it is reckoned to us as righteousness.
We are blessed because the Lord forgives all our past transgressions, covers our sins, and he will never count our sins against us.
We should not at any point take glory for our works. Rather we should count it all joy that God’s grace gives us opportunity to be what he wants us to become. We are saved by grace and not by works of righteousness. But we are saved by grace to do works of righteousness.
May we all kneel at the foot of the cross where all our sins are taken away, so that tnrough that same grace we may do works of righteousness to win all lost souls into the kingdom.
Sunday prayer: LORD, like Abraham of old, I believe. Holy Spirit help me not to boast of my works but to depend on the grace of God. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.