Grace in general terms is simply God’s unmerited favour and undeserved spiritual blessings. Favour we could say is goodwill, benevolent regard; a kind or helpful deed. I would go further to say, Grace is the manifestation of the love of God, however, is it truly unmerited? Can we abound in sin and still enjoy God’s favour?
2. Apostle Paul in Romans 5:20 taught that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”, but he quickly went on to say that this is no incentive to careless living: what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6: 1-2). So, I ask what really is the grace of God and how does it avail us? In defining grace, I shall attempt to use propositions and statements used by various authors.
3. Grace is a dominant attribute of God’s dealings with man. His justice, His holiness, His omnipotence, and His omniscience are all integral parts of the attributes or character of God, but grace stands apart and has always been a part of God’s character as evidenced in the Old Testament. Men of God like David knew Him as a God of grace. Psalm 103 is full of praise and thanksgiving, acknowledging His grace.
4. But what epitomizes God’s grace is the entire work of Christ in coming to earth, dying for us sinners, and being crowned with glory (Hebrews 2:9). Our redemption is according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Our calling, the sovereign act of God by which we are drawn irresistibly to Him, is said to be “through His grace” (Galatians 1:15). Justification, the judicial pronouncement that we are innocent of any guilt whereby we are declared righteous through the work of Christ, is a gift of His grace (Romans 3:24; Titus 3:7). All said every element of the work of salvation is the work of God through grace and not of our making.
5. Even though the epitome of God’s grace is the cross of Calvary, Grace is also expressed in various forms.
i. Common Grace- This is God’s grace which He avails all ……for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:44-45). God is gracious in making salvation available to all men, in delaying His judgement, giving us a long rope to repent (2Peter 3:9).
ii. Saving grace. It is the general provision of salvation on the cross of Calvary (Acts 15:11).
iii. Sanctifying grace which is that grace which works within a true believer in such a way as to bring growth, maturity and progress in the process of becoming Christ like.
Happy are they and only they who from his judgement fear to stray, who know and love His perfect will and all His righteous laws fulfil.
iv. Serving Grace is that grace that enables you to use your spiritual gifts to the glory of God and for the good and welfare of humanity.
v. Sustaining Grace: This grace availed man in times of need especially during adversity or suffering.
6. Grace seeks us, saves us, keeps us, secures us, motivates us and enables us to serve and to endure the tests and trials of life. Our life’s journey is truly a subject of divine grace.
This brings me to a controversial or rather confusing belief that grace avails us and we could do away with The Law.
LAWS AND GRACE OF GOD.
6. Would we say our fore fathers and other men of faith lived in the belief that grace has covered and will cover all sins and made the law no longer binding on man?
The relationship of Law and Grace is one that continues to confuse Christians. Some Christians insist that we are under no obligation to any rules or commands and that we may live as we please.
However, Apostle Paul in I Corithians15:10 says “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”.
7. Apostle Paul here is saying grace is not without responsibilities and a grace is bestowed upon His Elects according to their efforts, aspirations, intents and deeds. The grace of God is always sufficient because its measure is always perfect …. Raphael, Anael, Gabriel
8. Paul the greatest advocate of the grace of God in Romans 3:21-31 concluded in Vs 31, DO WE THEN MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH FAITH? CERTAINLY NOT! ON THE CONTRARY WE ESTABLISH THE LAW. He goes on to say in Romans 6:1-2 “…. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly Not! In Romans 6:15-18 he went further to express his indignation by asking “what then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?” Paul here, is stressing the absurdity that grace somehow removes our obligation to obey God’s law.
9. My study of the grace of God though still limited, reminds me of the goodness, love, benevolence of God to mankind. We should all realize that whatever happens to us is perfect, it has come from God of all grace. It however also occurred to me that Men do not fear God, they actually treat Him with disdain. They interpreted His grace as weakness and His delay of judgement as inability to achieve His purposes. Men who wallow in evil and sinful ways do not want to admit their own guilt due to the deceit of the devil and therefore in obstinacy do not think they need to petition God for grace. But God is gracious, if we all as sinners, could admit our sins and helpless state and call upon Him for salvation. His grace is for sinners like you and me. He will either deal with you in grace, or you face the consequences of rejecting His gracious offer of salvation.
May we find the grace of God sufficient for our every need, and may others see the grace of God through us “to the praise of the glory of His grace”. Amen.
