Grace is God’s unmerited favor and help. I started learning about it
early in life, but school isn’t out yet. My godly grandfather etched
the words of the hymn “Amazing Grace” into my memory by frequently
humming, whistling or singing that hymn, his favorite, in his home, in
the car, at work and in the assembly. It meant so much to him because,
he said, he was a wretch who had been saved by grace and he would never
forget it. It would do us all good to share that sentiment. Nothing
gives more hope and blessing to mankind than God’s amazing grace. The
Bible couldn’t be clearer than it already is when it declares, “for by
grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9, cf.
Rom. 4:1-5). Salvation is a gift of God, by grace, and those of us who
know what that means can add our “hallelujah, amen!” The grace of
God is a comfort, a relief and an assurance to the one who
believes. Hebrews 4:16 encourages all believers to come boldly to
the “throne of grace” to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. I wonder if any of us has any idea how great and boundless a
resource God’s grace is. By it He has saved us, and by it He provides
for us throughout our entire life. How true are those well-known words,
“Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
Having said all that, I wonder if we are aware that God’s grace is
supposed to work out in practical ways in our life? We should
treat others with grace, as God treats us. We should speak with grace
(Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6). Christian behavior and speech should distinguish
us from the unsaved. We should neither behave nor talk like the world.
With respect to the Christian life, God’s grace is not a pillow on
which to lie back and relax. It is not a bed of ease, nor an excuse to
do nothing nor to live like the worldlings. This would be to pervert
the grace of God. Paul insisted that he had not received the grace of
God in vain. He knew that God intended it to have a practical effect in
our lives, and his own life graphically demonstrated that fact. Let’s
consider briefly some of the practical applications of grace that the
Bible gives us:
- In 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9 we see the example of our Lord Jesus, and
the great sacrifice that He made when He came into this world and went
to the cross bearing our sins. “For you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became
poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich.” This statement
is not made just to fill us with awe, gratitude and worship, but also
teach us something about sacrificial giving. The grace of God was
expressed in a gift of great sacrifice. One who was rich, by grace
became poor. The Apostle invites us, as it were, to deny ourselves,
take up our cross and follow the Lord in the matter of sacrificial
giving. How does the grace of God work out in the matter of our
offerings? -
In Ephesians 4:7 we learn that there is grace to serve in the
assembly. Here it refers to the spiritual gifts that our risen Lord has
given for the healthy functioning of the church. The words, “But unto
every one of us is given grace” (v.7) correspond to 1 Corinthians 12:7
which says, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man
to profit withal” [for the common good]. By God’s grace each believer
has a function in the assembly. No one is there just to observe or
occupy a seat! Ephesians 4:12 emphasizes this, saying, “for the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ.” God has given each of us grace to do
the work of the ministry, that is, to serve in some way in the local
assembly. There are no useless members in Christ’s body. So, how does
the grace of God work out in our assembly service? -
In Titus 2:12 we read powerful words about God’s grace. Grace
teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly,
righteously and godly in this present age. Hardly a soft pillow for
relaxing! Grace in action in our lives leads to separation from
the world, not imitation of the world. It leads to denial, that is, to
saying “no.” It leads to serious living, not frivolity and constant
joking. It leads to righteous behavior, not to cheating, dishonesty, or
corner-cutting. And it produces godliness, which is piety, or
devotion to God and the things of His kingdom. In Matthew 6:33 we are
instructed to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We
don’t do this in an effort to earn merit or favor with God, but rather
because we have been favored by Him! Today the evangelical community in
general is at an all-time low tide as far as devotion to God and
separation from the world are concerned. According to Titus 2:12 the
problem is that we are failing the lessons that grace teaches. It is
absurd to say that by God’s grace I don’t have to do anything, because
God’s grace teaches us to behave as His special people. Is the grace of
God visible in our separation, holiness and devotion to the Lord? -
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-12 the Scriptures teach us that there is grace
for suffering. There are groups that insist that if we have faith we do
not have to suffer, but they are gravely mistaken. To a suffering
Apostle who pled in prayer to be relieved, the Lord replied, “My grace
is sufficient for thee.” When we suffer physically, and pass through
all kinds of trials and difficulties, we have the promise of God’s
all-sufficient grace. Grace can give us strength to bear suffering and
not lose focus on spiritual realities. It can keep us from becoming
chronic complainers who, as one brother put it, “enjoy ill health,”
which means they enjoy complaining and talking continually about
themselves and their pains and problems. By God’s grace we have
something better to talk about! It can make us strong when we are weak,
and cause us to glorify God when that is the last thing that others
would think of doing. Grace sustains us in difficulties and turns our
gaze upward. Everyone goes through difficulties from time to time and
we all suffer in some way in this fallen world, but the Christian’s
sufferings are different, for he is sustained by grace. Are we focused
on the grace of God, and do we think it is sufficient? Can others
around us tell? -
In 1 Corinthians 15:10 the great Apostle of grace forcefully reminds
us that grace is for working, serving, not coasting through life taking
the path of least resistance. “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 labored
more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which
was with me.” Paul clearly states that having received God’s
grace, he worked. In this context he affirms that he did not receive
the grace of God in vain, referring to his work. Hebrews 12:28 speaks
of having grace to serve acceptably. In the life of the truly
born-again Christian, God’s grace is a dynamo, a mighty source of
energy for living the Christian life. Some appear to have been
still-born. Others, as one brother said, were born with tired blood and
went downhill from there. But a proper understanding of grace includes
this wonderful truth, that God’s grace gives us power to serve, to
labor tirelessly for the Savior. Not to gain anything, but in response
to the great love of God. Salvation is the cause, and works are the
effect. No wonder James declares that faith without works is dead! True
grace moves us to labor for the Lord, not to go through life
taking it easy, watching others serve. In the military the watchword is
“never volunteer.” But in Christianity we have the opposite.
“Here am I, send me,” should be our prayer, or in the words of the
newly converted Saul of Tarsus, “What wilt thou have me to do?” Grace
puts us in the family, and puts divine love in our hearts, love for
God, not for self. How is the grace of God seen in our labors? Can we,
like Paul, say, “I labored more abundantly...”?
We thank the Lord for His saving grace, and forever we will sing His
praises for that reason. But what about His serving grace? What
evidence is there of the grace of God in our lives? Are we
controlled by grace? What do we DO with the grace of God?