Reverend Jean-Paul Agidi, a Minister of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, has reminded Christians that life does not function on a transactional scale where rewards correspond to entitlement, effort, and sweat. In an online sermon titled "Grace, not merit," Rev Agidi emphasized that the kingdom of God operates on an entirely different economy. The sermon, monitored by the Ghana News Agency, was based on Exodus 16: 2 – 15, Philippians 1: 21 – 30, and Matthew 20: 1 – 16.
Rev Agidi distinguished between merit and grace, noting that merit refers to earning something by right, effort, works, or entitlement. In contrast, grace is God's unearned, unmerited, and unconditional favor given to humanity despite their unworthiness. He urged Christians to recognize that every blessing, salvation, and divine provision they receive is an overflow of God's sovereign generosity, not a wage they earned.
According to Rev Agidi, because God is faithful to His covenant, He blesses Christians with a good life and provides for their needs, not because they earned His goodness. He stated that faith, perseverance, and daily sustenance are all divine gifts granted to Christians freely by God. This perspective encourages Christians to rely on God's generosity rather than their own efforts.
Rev Agidi warned that those who operate on a merit-based mindset become bitter when God shows abundant mercy to others they perceive as less qualified. However, he noted that the Cross of Christ destroys such human scorecards, emphasizing that God does not owe anyone anything, and everything received beyond judgment is pure grace.
The Minister of the Gospel reminded Christians that their standing before God rests securely on His goodness rather than their personal achievements. When Christians abandon the merit mindset, envy dies, grumbling ceases, and their hearts are liberated to celebrate what God is doing in their lives and in the lives of those around them.
Rev Agidi advised Christians to let go of the notion that God owes them a blessing because of their service to Him and others, their giving, or moral performance. By releasing this mindset, Christians can focus on God's generosity and sovereignty, rather than their own efforts.
The sermon, delivered on September 20, 2026, was part of the Reverend's effort to encourage Christians to rely on God's grace rather than their own merit. The Ghana News Agency monitored the online sermon, which was widely disseminated.
Key points
- Rev Agidi emphasizes that God's Kingdom operates on a different economy, one that prioritizes grace over merit.
- Christians are encouraged to recognize that every blessing and provision comes from God's sovereign generosity, not their own efforts.
- Abandoning the merit mindset allows Christians to celebrate God's work in their lives and the lives of others without envy or grumbling.
