Faith

It Is All About Grace

by John Clark 
02/21/22
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The definition of God’s grace can be defined as divine or unmerited favor. It is God doing for someone what he or she could not do for themselves. This article will address five areas concerning grace. 

     The Reason For Grace

      Romans 3:23-24 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, it is necessary to be “justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 5:12 and 15 adds, “Just as sin came into the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and so death spread to all people...for if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”

     Nothing can save a person’s soul except God‘s grace, not religion, doing good works, living a moral life, or following some law or creed. Galatians 2:16 says, “a person is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus...For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not on your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9). Romans 11:6 says,”But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

     The Receiving Of Grace

     Romans 5:17 says, ”those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Christ Jesus.” Going back to the Book of Ephesians we read that grace is a free gift of God (3:7). Then in 4:7 we are told that “grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” God gives grace to those who have humbled themselves before God (James 4:6). The receiving of grace does not depend upon what kind of person you are or what you have done. It will be given to any person who has a humble spirit before God and admits their need as a sinner who is unable to justify themselves for salvation. There is simply no other way than calling upon God’s grace to save you. 

     The Response To Grace

     Grace is not a license to sin. Never justify sin because of God’s Grace! Romans 6:1-2 make it very clear: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Quite the opposite; heed the teaching of Romans 2:4. “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forebearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Going to Romans 6:15 we read, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!” Now here is the real clincher in Galatians 5:21. If righteousness is through the law, then Christ died needlessly for no purpose. 

      The Result Of Grace

     Even though “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), each person can be “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”(3:24). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”(6:23). When we receive grace, we “become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”(Titus 3:7). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people”(2:11). Grace also gives power to live through the adversities of life. Second Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Grace also covers our past, says Dr. David Jeremiah: “When looking backward don‘t dwell on your own failures and mistakes. They have been swallowed up in His grace.” * Joyce Meyer adds, “God gives us grace to overcome all the temptations and negative or evil tendencies in our lives so we can live in obedience to Him.” **

     The Rejection of Grace

     Have you ever heard the phrase, “fall from grace?” Galatians 5:4 defines it. “You who would be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace.” A person can also reject grace by adhering to a “different gospel” or by distorting the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-8). Bitterness can also stand in the way of receiving grace. Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled...” Dr. David Jeremiah states that “Bitterness is remembering an offense that should be buried by grace.” ***

     Because of grace Christians have been “delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sin”(Colossians 1:13).

     The very sad thing is that so many people know nothing about God’s grace. I hope you are not one of them. If so, admit your need for THE Savior, Jesus Christ, and call upon his grace today.

*Turning Point Devotional Magazine, February issue, pg. 40

**From Meyer’s book, James, pg. 117

***From Jeremiah’s book entitled, Forward, pg. 68