The Great Gift of the Glorious Grace of God
There is a perennial danger of transforming theological words into sociological customs. It is nothing less than trifling with the sacred and trivializing the divine. Grace is just such a word. Grace is often reduced to a cultural value of communicating nicely or being physically smooth on the dance floor.
In the Old Testament the term translated grace means showing favor, having pity, or being kind. Grace does not presuppose reciprocity or a quid quo pro, “something for something.” It is a gift that is unearned. In the New Testament we see the word grace used over 160 times with the same concept in its general use, but even more in its specific theological use.
The apostle John declares that Jesus is the one “who is full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Paul declares, “for by grace you have been saved through faith it is the gift of God - not because of works lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Grace is a gift, and like all gifts it is free. It is not a loan. We do not work to earn it, nor do we bribe God to receive it. The free gift of God’s grace is that which provides for us the free gift of salvation - Eternal Life.
The grace of God is first experienced in Genesis and exhibited through the patriarchs and the prophets. It is also the heart of the New Testament and goes right through the book of Revelation. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.” (Revelation 22:21) This is the most sublime way to close out the New Testament, the same way it began.
I like these quotes from Lewis Sperry Chafer:
"Grace, as used in the Bible in relation to divine salvation, represents the uncompromised, unrestricted, unrecompensed, and loving favor of God toward sinners. It is an unearned blessing. It is a gratuity … God saves sinners by grace. God keeps through
grace those who are saved. Those who are saved, God teaches in grace how they should live and how they may live, to His eternal glory."
“Pure grace is neither treating a person as he deserves, nor treating a person better than he deserves, but treating a person without the slightest reference to what he deserves."
Oh thank God it is true.
Serving Him with you
Until He comes for us,
Fred