Grace
Grace
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9-10
The word grace is not used much in conversation or writing these days. However, it is frequently mentioned in the Bible. This is an especially important word because it is only because of God's purpose and grace that we are saved. Therefore, understanding what God's grace is and how it impacts our lives as Christians is basic to how we live our lives. First, what exactly is grace. The Greek word for grace is χάρις or charis. We get our word charisma from this. One definition of grace is acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy). Another definition is the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues. Perhaps the simplest way to put this is "favor freely given" or "gift of grace." As the verse above says, this grace was given to us in Christ before the beginning of time. God's grace has always been there. In the beginning, God created humans and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Everything was there for them that they would need or want. They did not do anything to deserve this. It was all because of God's grace or unmerited favor. After the fall, Adam and Eve were forced out of the garden. They now had to earn their livelihood by hard work. After some time, most of their descendants forgot about God and began to do horrible things. Fortunately, one man still believed and had faith in God.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:8 (NKJV)
God had decided to destroy what he had created with a great flood. But Noah found grace or favor in the eyes of the Lord. Humanity survived through him, and many generations followed. After the birth of Abraham, his descendants became God's chosen people. The Israelites then grew into a mighty nation. After several more generations, they found themselves in slavery in Egypt. God then sent Moses to lead them out of slavery and into the Promised Land. Upon leaving Egypt, they traveled in the wilderness and ended up at the holy mountain where God met Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments. As we now know, while Moses was on the mountain speaking with God, Aaron, and the Israelites at the base of the mountain made a golden calf to worship. When Moses came down from the mountain, he saw what they had done, and he smashed the tablets that contained the Ten Commandments. God was angry.
And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."
Exodus 32:9-10
This situation seems in some ways parallel to what happened in Noah's day. The people had gone astray and were not worshipping God or keeping his commandments. But there was one man, Moses, that walked with God. Fortunately, for the Israelites, Moses pleaded for them before God.
Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' " So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Exodus 32:11-14
Again, because of God's grace, He relented. God’s chosen people, the Israelites, were saved. Not everyone survived but those that were left repented. After some time, Moses went back up the mountain and obtained two new tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were again written.
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation."
Exodus 34:5-7
God is compassionate and full of grace. He is slow to anger, abounds in love and is willing to forgive wickedness, rebellion, and sin. The Israelites though forgot that God was not only full of grace but also just and righteous. They continued their evil ways and rebellion against God. Many generations later, they again found themselves on the brink of extinction when God allowed the Assyrians and the Babylonians to conquer them. Jerusalem including the temple was destroyed and the Israelites were exiled to Babylon. But God once again showed his grace and allowed a remnant to return to Jerusalem and try to rebuild the temple. The exiles faced many trials but managed to lay the foundation of the temple. But after that, their progress stopped. Zerubbabel, the governor, and others were frustrated with their inability to finish the temple. But God once again showed them his grace.
'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "
Zechariah 4:7 (NKJV)
The temple was completed through God’s grace. Once again God's grace had enabled his children to succeed. God knew though that his people needed a permanent solution to their problem of rebellion or sin. So, he sent his son to earth. Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary in a manger on that Christmas night so long ago. After he was born Joseph and Mary followed all the requirements of the Law and took him to the Temple.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Luke 2:39-40
Jesus grew physically strong; he become filled with godly wisdom; and the grace of God was on him.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is the one I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'") Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
John 1:14-16
Jesus, God himself, was full of grace. Out of this fullness, God provided our solution. When we believe, we receive this grace of God and are saved.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:4-10
God showed his love for us by making us alive in Christ. After his resurrection, God raised us up with Christ in the heavenly realms. Even though we were dead in our sin, by His grace we were saved. In this way God can now show us the incomparable riches of his grace. This is not because of anything we have done, but it is a gift of God, his grace. After Jesus returned to heaven, the apostles continued to testify about Jesus and God's grace worked powerfully in them.
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all
Acts 4:32-33
As you read through the book of Acts and the remainder of the New Testament, you can see how the path of God's grace worked through the church. We can see it in those men who were appointed to serve in addition to the original apostles. One of those men was Stephen who was full of God's grace.
Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 6:8
After Stephen's death, believers were scattered but the grace of God went with them. They not only went to the Jews throughout the region but also to the Greeks who were in Antioch. God’s grace did a great work there.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
Acts 11:19-23
The church in Jerusalem heard what the grace of God was doing and sent Barnabas to witness it himself. When he saw what was happening, he was glad. He immediately went to Tarsus and found Saul who would soon be Paul. Together they would teach in Antioch for the next year where believers would be called Christians for the first time.
For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 11:24-26
Of all the apostles, Paul had the clearest understanding of the grace of God. From the beginning of his ministry in Antioch until the end in the city of Rome, Paul had been committed to the grace of God.
After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
Acts 14:24-26
Later when he was led to return to Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit, Paul made it clear that his task was testifying to the good news of God's grace.
"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
Acts 20:22-24
In his letter to the Romans, Paul spoke again and again about this grace which we have been given.
regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake.
Romans 1:3-5
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Romans 4:16
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21
Paul's experience with God's grace was different from the other apostles. He had met Jesus on the road to Damascus. At the time, known as Saul, he had been persecuting the church. But it was God's grace that changed the direction of his life.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
1 Corinthians 15:9-11
Paul understood what the grace of God could do. He still had to work hard just as the other apostles, but the grace of God working in him enabled him to do many things that otherwise could never have occurred. He also understood his limitations or weaknesses. In fact, he had what he called a thorn of the flesh. We are not sure what it was, but he asked God three times to take care of it for him.
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:6-10
Paul knew that God’s grace was sufficient. In fact, he understood that God’s power worked more perfectly in our weakness. How can all of this help each of us understand the power of God's grace in our lives today? As Christians, we are each a benefactor of God's grace. The same grace that Noah found in the eyes of the Lord; that Abraham found on that mountain where he took his son; that Moses found when he pleaded with God for the lives of the Israelites; that Zerubbabel found to rebuild the Temple; that Stephen found in serving; and that Paul and the other apostles found worked so powerfully through them is ours. This same grace has been given to us.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Ephesians 4:4-7
Since each of us has been given God's grace, we have become stewards of his grace. His grace was given to us because God loves us. But it is also given for us to share. We need to be faithful stewards of God's grace and use the gifts God has given us to testify to others of God’s grace. In this way, we can spread God's grace to others so that in all things God may be praised.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11
As Paul and others have found, having God’s grace does not mean life will be easy. All of those in the past who knew God's grace also had trials of many kinds. Christians today continue to go through trials and challenges every day. But with God’s grace, we can use our gifts and share God’s love with others. Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
The key to all of this is that through Jesus Christ we have access to God's throne of grace. As we go through whatever events transpire in our lives, we need to always remember that we can confidently go before God's throne anytime and find the grace we need.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
At the beginning of this study, we noted that God's grace was given to us through Jesus Christ before the beginning of time. Therefore, it seems most appropriate that the very last verse in the Bible is about his grace.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
Revelation 22:21