Some Thoughts On Grace

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Grace . . . the apostle Paul writes of its importance in his letter to the church at Ephesus,

“For by grace you have been saved . . .” (Ephesians 2:8 – NASB)

There has been much written regarding this word “grace.” Many great men and women of the faith have sought to describe it, to write of it, to make it more understandable to us. One thing is for certain, “grace” is a biblical word of gigantic proportions.

A. W. Tozer said of it, “Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits on the underserving.”

Another person has written, “Grace is the love and mercy of God in action. Mercy is negative and love is positive; both together mean grace. To show mercy in love is grace. God showed mercy in love when He sent His Son to bear our sins in His own body on the cross.”

You do realize, don’t you, that without the “grace” of God there would be no salvation from sin, there would only be justifiable wrath brought to bear on every rebellious sinner? “By” His “grace” we “have been saved.” So simply put it seems, but oh so profound a statement! Oh so powerful a word that speaks of God’s love and mercy in rescuing lost souls. Yes, the writer is right, that mercy and love “together mean grace.”

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “At the heart of the term grace is the idea of divine favor . . . It is favor bestowed on sinners who deserve wrath.” Someone has written that “grace” is best defined as, “unmerited favor.”

Grace is not dormant or some abstract quality but an active, working principle . . .

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men . . .” (Titus 2:11 – NASB)

It has “appeared to all men” in Christ. And it continues to be active through the Word of Christ as applied to the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit through the written Word of God. Yes, “grace” is active and it is working and it is not by any means dormant.

MacArthur warns regarding “grace” that, “We must take care not to nullify grace through legalism (Galatians 2:21) or corrupt it through licentiousness (Jude 4).” The constant danger of the ism’s and the cults and the false religions and the secular, humanistic thinkers is their efforts to undermine God’s “grace” by adding human works . . . their persistent efforts to proclaim that man is somehow reconciled to God by his works. But note well the Scriptures . . .

“For by grace you have been saved . . . not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 – NASB)

Grace is efficacious, meaning it is sure to produce the intended results. Charles Hodge defined it as, “The almighty power of God!”
I most heartily agree . . . grace, “The almighty power of God” that is able to take me, a sinner, worthy of no favor, and make me a saint in Christ.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound — That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

Have a good day brethren . . . and as you walk take time to ponder the wonderful grace of God . . . . sing of it, recalling to mind that by it God has saved a wretch like you and me . . . Oh how sweet the sound!

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