Christian Living

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God’s Grace Brings Hope 1,558 words
© By Robert Schaetzle

The grace of God is the true assurance of our salvation. When someone asks why we believe biblical teaching and accept it as hope and purpose for our living, many are confused about it all. What do you mean; ‘you’re saved by grace or, saved from what’?

Today, perhaps more than any other period of history we are living so much for self and self-gratification, not recognizing the thought of ‘Self Centered Living.’ People have lost or let go of any true biblical foundation to recognize an absolute conviction of right and wrong.

To answer the question, ‘Saved from what?’ goes much deeper than to say; ‘from the penalty of sin,’ because too much of our world today does not consider their life as being anything wrong with the way we live.

Over the past 50-60 years especially here in America, the standard of biblical morality has diminished so much the present generation has nothing to compare their ways of living as being anything but, “What’s wrong with that?
This has led to more divorce, depression, despair, alcoholism, drug addiction, where people are not able to recognize or even understand grace, forgiveness, and what the bible defines as hope and real purpose to living.

Consider this fact; when growing up, we were instructed by our parents, taught from teachers, kindergarten to high school for most of us born and raised here in the United States. Then we might go on to college or trade school or maybe serve in some apprenticeship, but we still kept hold of biblical values.

The point being we learned much from our parents and others, right and wrong from biblical definition; educated in our profession or skilled trade with absolutes and moral guidelines. Putting our skills to work in our vocational choice with a high degree of biblical moral standard, even if we not raised or brought up in church.

Today, in this ‘new age of enlightenment’ and high technology of computer science, you hear the term of one being trained or skilled as being ‘computer literate,’ if he or she pursues any application of computer engineering. I have a son who is a software engineer or programmer as the term is called. He is one who is ‘computer literate.’ We’re growing with computer applications to most all areas of our living, no matter what the vocation might be; from auto mechanic, airline pilot, to medical advances. I thinks it’s great to witness what advanced technology has done; enabling us to live longer and healthier lives. But what about continuing to live with God’s hope and grace in view?

Living life through Christ
Like any trained or skilled technician, doctor, or airline pilot, to perform their respective job description well, they must first learn the qualifications to perform the responsible task. This hasn’t changed over time, except our Lord is now left out of our lives to the point how not giving Him honor for those skills we’ve learned.

A believer, or follower of Jesus Christ, if he or she is to wear the name ‘Christian’ well, should want to grow into knowing God, bringing Him honor, apart from the way we lived before coming into grace.

Referenced from many biblical truths such as 2 Corinthians 5:17; ‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things have passed away, behold the new has come.’[NKJV] We can wear the title Christian, and still perform our choice of vocational goal, allowing God to give greater wisdom and knowledge. What God promises will come into focus to understand why His way will succeed with greater success than rest upon human reasoning.


Some 40 writers God chose in a period of 1200 to 1500 years, ‘God breathed onto those individuals ‘His Word of Truth;’ that we not be tossed to and fro like a grain of sand on the seashore, because of human change and man’s incompleteness to be all knowing.

If we truly want to become a product of true grace, then consider what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, ‘I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.’[Galatians 2:20]

For much of our nation, we don’t know how, or even desire to present the ‘Good News’ to a lost and dying people. How much is taught correctly by parents to their children from their own lifestyle? Like the person who is not computer literate, too many of us in the family of God fail to bring God’s ‘Amazing Grace’ into view for others. We don’t reflect His light enough in this dark world to bear spiritual fruit for others to taste and desire.

Peter in his epistle is so eloquent to define biblical re-birth when he says, ‘Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.’ [1Peter 1:23]

Too many souls in the Christian culture who claim to have ‘new birth’ I’m afraid fall short of God’s definition. To be trained for military service the soldier has to be prepared for his or her combat assignment, so likewise, the soldier of the cross should want to be training for spiritual struggles and have the proper defense against the powers of darkness.





Bring His grace into view

To bring His grace into view is also to recognize God’s own purpose which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, ‘Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but to His own purpose, and the grace He gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago.’ [2 Timothy 1:9 RSV]
‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’
[2 Tim 1:7NKJV]
We ought to want to search out what it is that brings rest to our soul through grace and hope.


Looking at Romans chapter 11 Paul shares, ‘And if by grace then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.’ [Romans 11:6NKJV]

Our love we build toward one another is a product of hope through grace, not by some accidental purpose to say ‘I love you’, but recognizing the grace of God. Demonstrating to us His purpose and His action; given to us through His Son as our Savior, to worship Him and celebrate Him.

Living the ‘new life’ is a growing and learning process that matures only from living the word of hope and grace. A heart change must happen of letting go self, and self-serving habits that take away desire to recognize and obey the Holy Spirits prompting. Where we’re at today in our lives for most of us, is not about having to get up, go to work and be overcome with all the anxieties around us. But find rest to our soul with each new day, in knowing to recognize those small things we define as a measure of God’s ‘Amazing Grace.’

New Hope

We witness loved ones stumbling through life because of disobedience and a rebellious heart, it is our hope and promise through prayer, we’ll see new life come alive in our children, grandchildren and citizens across America

The writer of Hebrews said, ‘And they shall not teach everyone his fellow or everyone his brother, saying, ‘know the Lord’. For all shall know me. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’[Hebrews 8:11, 12]What a measure of His grace to place our hope in!
‘Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.’[Hebrews 2:1] This admonition is so essential to keep that which we have received from His word for hope and victory in our faith given us. Don’t let go of continuing to seek his word daily for renewed strength and vision to lead; not forgetting we are God’s Temple and His Holy Spirit dwells within us.

‘For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.’ Romans 8:24-25 RSV

For sure, hope must be understood to be one of God’s promises. It’s not some whimsical fairy tale illusion without assurance. Much like the truth of recognizing ourselves as God’s Temple. We’re not some edifice or structure, but rather, we’re to understand upon receiving Christ, we now have His Holy Spirit abiding in us; to recognize the power of His presence to lead.

Hope and grace become an integral reality in trusting Him more and ourselves less. Comprehension and seeing become evident toward expanding our faith. We fear what we don’t understand, and learning to reach up through faith takes on a whole new dimension in our growing and learning.
Expanding our borders of faith through hope not yet seen is; empting our self into God’s authority.

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