We have received “grace upon grace,” “manifold” and “unsearchable riches” of His grace.
We may ransack every dictionary in the world only to discover that there are no adjectives that adequately describe the grace of God. It is so multifaceted, versatile, all-inclusive, and all-embracing. By this we dare to mean that there is no circumstance that can put the true believer in Christ beyond its reach or rob him of the help he constantly needs. “Amazing grace” the once-profligate John Newton called it. John Bunyan wrote a weighty tome on the subject and titled it “Grace Abounding.” And every true Christian may sing from the heart with Robert Robinson, “O, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be.”
More recently, Bernard Osborne has reminded us that the word “grace” is found over 160 times in the New Testament. He goes on to say that,
• In the past, grace provided salvation (Titus 2:11; Eph. 2:5, 8)
• In the present, grace pledges sufficiency (2 Cor. 12:9)
• In the future, grace promises satisfaction (Eph. 2:7)1
This division of grace into its past, present, and future influence in the life of a believer is concise and helpful. Here I am focusing on His present grace. Yet we must not think that grace can be compartmentalized, or that it is possible to be blessed by God’s grace in the past and yet not be the subject of God’s present and future grace.
It may be compared to a river. Once the stream begins to flow, it flows on irresistibly over all obstacles until it reaches its estuary. “He which began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Php. 1:6). Without a firm grasp of the grace of God, we cannot become fruitful; we need to know it in truth (Col. 1:6). Let us think together through some of its aspects. As a starting point, we are all familiar with…
Grace and the gospel
Grace is something inherent in, and essential to, that liberating message. It is called “the gospel of the grace of God” (Ac. 20:24). Self-righteous people find it difficult to accept undeserved favor because it sets aside self-effort and the works of the Law. Perhaps, in order to make it easier for them to grasp the nature of this grace, we may use the acronym, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” But, while true, that does not do full justice to the word or the far-reaching effect of grace. Shortcuts on a journey will often get us to a desired destination more quickly, but in the process may rob us of a magnificent view. So it is in this case. God does much more than save perishing sinners and promise them a home one day in heaven, wonderful though that is. Those destined to be “forever with the Lord” are “born again”; they are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”; He “abides with them forever” (1 Thes. 4:17; 1 Pet. 1:23; Eph. 1:13-14; Jn. 14:16). These blessings and all their tributaries are included in His saving grace.
But no one should think that mere gratitude for this undeserved outpouring of His kindness towards us will result in lives of total devotion. Ingratitude is part of our fallen condition. We need a…
Grace that motivates
We may easily sing,
After all He’s done for me,
After all He’s done for me,
How can I do less than give Him my best
And live for Him completely,
After all He’s done for me?
But that chorus makes us ask, if this is the case, why is it that so few of us are living sacrificially for the Lord? The truth is we are not naturally thankful enough. Ten men were healed but only one came back to give glory to God and to thank His Son (Lk. 17:11-19). And the initial gratitude which we may feel at being freed from the penalty of our sins will soon wear off if it is not refueled by being taught in the Word and abounding in it (Col. 2:7). Only this will sustain a lifetime of devoted service. Paul was truly grateful for the grace of God shown in his salvation but also knew he had to give credit to the grace of God for a lifetime lived for the Lord (1 Tim. 1:12-14; 1 Cor. 15:10). It is the continual supply of grace that will inspire, motivate, and sustain believers in “giving their best” throughout their lives.
It might be appropriate at this point for some of us to get down on our knees and say, “Lord, I am by nature an ungrateful person. Much of my service lately has been perfunctory, done because I knew it was what my brothers and sisters would expect. I have gone along with the crowd and have been content with a mere show of devotion. I come to You for the ‘more grace’ You have promised to those who humble themselves” (Jas. 4:6).
But it is one thing to have it in our hearts to live for Christ and another to have the wisdom and understanding to do His will. Along with grace that motivates and inspires we need also…
Grace that instructs
It is His grace that enlightens us as to what the will of God is. Can there be a true Christian who does not struggle to know this? Often our difficulty lies in thinking of the will of God primarily in terms of what profession to follow, where to live, who to marry, etc. Scripture does not provide specific instructions for each individual regarding these things, only principles by which we may come to a decision. But it does speak to all believers, and with great clarity, regarding our daily conduct: “…this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thes. 4:3).
It is in these areas of holiness and separation that sinners need, not only motivation, but instruction. The grace of God provides both. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). It will help us to understand how this happens if we remember that, along with written instructions, we have the Instructor Himself permanently dwelling within us. It is He who prompts us to love when our nature might tell us to hate, to give to others when nature might tell us to care for our own interests, to go on happily serving when nature might tell us it is time we got a break, etc.
That leads us to think of another aspect of our subject which is…
Grace that enables
We have thought of God’s grace as proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel, of that same grace motivating those who believe to do the will of God, of that grace also that goes on to teach us through the holy Scriptures and by the Holy Spirit. But the opposition to such a life is exceedingly strong and we lack the power to overcome our formidable foes: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
We need to be sure that what God provides is more than equal to the opposition. His grace is sufficient in every area of conflict. Our recognized vulnerability to the world’s allurement, our inability to subdue the flesh, and our susceptibility to the wiles of the devil should drive us to Him instead of relying on our native wisdom and strength. Confessed weakness and bold asking provide opportunity for His grace to be supplied (Heb. 4:16). But deliverance is not experienced by those who are self-confident. We must appropriate the grace that God supplies with the strength to will and to do what pleases Him. Even that spiritual giant Paul confessed that it was “by the grace of God I am what I am.” Before we gladly avail ourselves of such enabling grace, we have to come to the place where we confess, “I am as a man that has no strength” (Ps. 88:4). That is a bitter pill for anyone to swallow. Paul elaborates graphically on that experience in Romans 7: “I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I do not find.” Obviously we cannot rely on the strength of our wills to carry us along. Kate Wilkinson wrote,
May the Word of Christ dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.
There is still more. The Scriptures show that we are surrounded by an…
All-encompassing grace
All who are justified by faith also stand in grace (Rom. 5:1f; 1 Pet. 5:12). That is, it is the position, territory, or sphere in which we are placed; it is the very atmosphere in which we live. His grace surrounds us as believers and (happily) we cannot go beyond its limits. Any of us may fall badly or fail miserably in some way, but even then the grace of God is present and encompasses us to bring about the necessary chastening to ensure our restoration.
Someone may object that these views of the grace of God promote antinomianism; that they have known of those who professed faith, persisted in living in known sin, and died unrepentant. We can only reply that it is unwise to let case histories determine or modify the plain teaching of Scripture. But I need to speak tenderly. Most of us have loved ones who provide an example of the case cited above. We have hopes that somehow things are better for them than we fear. Yet we all must remember that the Lord knows those that are His. The assurance, as far as we are concerned, comes when there is a departure from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19). Scripture plainly speaks of those who have superficial faith, those in whom the Lord put no confidence (Jn. 2:23-25). There were those also who believed in a way but afterwards left Him (Jn. 6:66). And the situation becomes more difficult when we know that true believers may go so far as to disown Him under pressure, as Peter did. Yet such cannot continue in sin. Why not?
They stand in grace. The discipline which they will surely now experience is a mark that they are true sons and not illegitimate children. Mere professors are not the subjects of such grace. That is why they justify their actions, persist in their evil, seem to have little concern, and no corrective discipline seems to overtake them.
So, if the Father has to teach those of us who “believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39) by humbling experiences, He will do it. It is an expensive way to learn though. Better to learn the grace of God from His Word and gratefully accept it. I pray that we all may do so. As for me, I am still learning—but enjoying my lessons.
Endnote
1 Bernard Osborne, “Grace,” in Treasury of Bible Doctrine, ed. J. Heading and C.E. Hocking (West Glamorgan, UK: Precious Seed Publications, 1977).