What Would You Do For a Klondike Bar? 

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NIVUK) 

Have you ever had a Klondike Bar? Perhaps if you’ve been to the USA, but it’s actually one of the best-selling chocolate treats around the world. And, if you’ve been exposed to it, I bet right now running through your head is their advertising jingle: “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” People all around the world have answered that question in many different ways: “I’d swim the English Channel”; “I’d walk 5,000 miles”, and “I’d act like a chimpanzee for a Klondike Bar.”

The responses are always funny. But did you notice how the questions and responses were phrased? What would you do to earn this reward? Unfortunately I’ve known people who put the same type of regulations on God’s gift of abundant life. But we know that that’s just not true. See how Paul addresses this error in his letter to the Ephesians—“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Paul actually turned the Klondike Bar jingle on its head. Instead of “What would you do to be saved?” he’s telling us that it’s actually “What would God do to save us?”—and I’m glad to say the answer is everything. Our merciful Father God has moved Heaven and Earth to bring us back into communion with him through the incarnation and atoning sacrifice of his son Jesus. He gave himself entirely for us so that we might have life in him.

It’s through him that the work of our salvation has been accomplished. And it’s through Christ alone that we are freely justified—put in right relationship with God. And it’s by his Spirit that we turn to him to acknowledge him for who he is, our Lord and Saviour, and surrender to him our whole lives in order to receive from him the complete life he has for us.

And while I personally like the occasional crunch of a Klondike Bar, I like even more knowing that Christ has already completed his redeeming work and brought me back into communion with our Triune God.

Prayer
Merciful Father, so often we fail to think through the gift of salvation that you have made available and given us. In exchange for that gift given freely to us, you ask only for us to repent and to believe. And a large part of that belief involves realising that your Son did it all for us; all we did was contribute our sin and brokenness. We can’t begin to thank you enough. But through Jesus Christ we will try to do so.
Amen 

Study by Joseph Tkach

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About the Author:
Joseph Tkach is the President of Grace Communion International (the Denominational name of The Worldwide Church of God UK), and resides in California, USA.

You are welcome to attend one of our local Church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation, check on our website, www.gracecom.org.uk under the ‘Churches’ tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.

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