 THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD
Few themes of Scripture are as prominent or important as the grace of God. Tragically, many know little of God's marvelous grace. Others hold a distorted view of grace. A proper understanding of grace will revitalize our spiritual life.
ATTRIBUTES OF GOD'S GRACE - Grace is "the friendly disposition from which the kindly act proceeds; graciousness, loving kindness and goodwill generally." The grace of which we speak is God's unmerited favor toward us, demonstrated in the gift of his only Son for our salvation (John 3:16).
- God's grace is exhibited in Christ (Eph. 2:7; Tit. 2:11).
- It is inexhaustible. "With everlasting loving-kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith Jehovah" (Is. 54:8). "Where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly..." (Rom. 5:20). We can never use up or wear out God's grace. It is like the air we breathe: there is always enough to go around. It is sufficient to meet any need in your life (II Cor. 12:9). Paul believed that "God shall supply every need of yours" (Phil. 4:19)
- Grace is always immediately available. "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so Jehovah is round about his people from this time forth and for evermore" (Ps. 125:2; Ps. 145:18-19). Like the atmosphere, it surrounds us, waiting to be let in. The moment we admit our need and comply with his terms it floods our souls.
- God's grace is constant and dependable. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). With God and his grace, there "can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning" (Jas. 2:17).
What God's Grace Does For Us - It saves us from our sin. "By grace have ye been saved" (Eph. 2:5). It is all-forgiving and offered to all men. "The grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (Tit. 2:11). It is able to forgive all sins, no matter how heinous. As Paul put it, even those of the chief of sinners (I Tim. 1:15-16). The one sin that grace cannot cover is the refusal of God's offer. Jesus "came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:11). Christ made it plain that "except ye believe that I am he ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ hath not God..." (I John 1:9).
- Grace causes us to serve God and others. "Let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God..." (Heb. 12:28). We all have "gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us..." (Rom. 12:6-8).
- His grace makes us to stand. Through Christ "we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." (Rom. 5:2). "It is good that the heart be established by grace..." (Heb. 13:9). "Be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 2:1).
- The happiness His grace brings to us makes us sing with joy. Paul exhorted the Colossian saints to sing "with grace in your hearts unto God" (Col. 3:16).
Grace Must Not Be Abused
Some think that since salvation is ours by God's grace, there is nothing for us to do in receiving it. But Jesus is the author of eternal salvation "to all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). There is also the temptation for carnal-minded Christians to think that since God is gracious to forgive, therefore they can sin with without penalty. Shocked at such thinking, Paul asked, "shall we sin, because we are not under law but under grace?" The answer is no! He urged the Corinthians to "receive not the grace of God in vain..." We are warned to look "carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God" (Heb. 12:15).
Lost souls need to hear the good news, that "When the kindness of God our Savior, and his love toward man appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved, us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Tit. 3:4-7). Every child of God should lift up his voice with that mighty chorus that sings, "Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous, yea our God is merciful" (Ps. 116:5).
JHW |
