SOUNDING
OUT:
The Grace Of God
Thanks to John Newton the first thing
that comes to my mind when I think of grace is "amazing."
Perhaps I would have come to that conclusion on my own.
I trust I would have, but it was sure wonderful to have
a preacher of grace teach me and have it passed down hundreds
of years through that wonderful song, "Amazing Grace."
Yes, we sing of "amazing grace,"
"wonderful grace," "matchless grace,"
"wondrous grace," and "infinite grace."
God's Word talks about "great grace," "abundant
grace," "exceeding grace," "all grace,"
"manifold grace," and "true grace."
But of all the descriptive words we could use to enlarge
our appreciation and understanding of God's grace, I love
"My grace."
When Paul went to God about his problem,
his "thorn in the flesh," God's response was
"My grace is sufficient for thee." (I can hear
you all shouting AMEN!) "My" is a personal pronoun.
God works with us personally and wants us to experience
His grace in a personal way. The grace of God was sufficient
for Paul, and it is also sufficient for us. Do you have
any problems or challenges? His grace is more than enough.
(That phrase "His grace" occurs nine times in
the KJV NT.) "My and "his" are not only
personal pronouns; they are "possessive" pronouns.
This grace of which we are speaking belongs to God, and
He bestows it freely, as He wills.
People so concerned about their works,
see their sin as the biggest stumbling block in their
relationship with God. Sin is not a stumbling block anymore.
At least it shouldn't be. The sin problem has been conquered.
We are victorious and more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:20,21:
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound. When we accept the grace of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord, sin no longer reigns-grace does. God's
super-abounding grace replaces the reign of sin. There
was a time when we were bound by sin so-sin reigned. There
was a time when we were bound by death-so death reigned.
Now that we are no longer bound by sin and death-grace
can reign.
I think we all, like Paul, have asked,
"Who is sufficient for these things?" I'm glad
he answers the question a few verses later.
II Corinthians 3:3-6:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle
of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but
with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of
stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any
thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter
killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Our sufficiency is of God. His grace
is sufficient. It is more than enough. We are not sufficient
in ourselves or our own ability, but we are sufficient
when we recognize His sufficiency. God is willing and
able to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.
We never earn his grace; by definition it is unmerited
favor. H. A. Ironside said, "Grace is the very opposite
of merit. It is not only undeserved favor, but it is favor
shown to the one who has deserved the very opposite."
So quit trying to earn it. If you don't, sin will reign.
If you do, grace will reign and so will you.
In his book "The Grace Awakening"
Charles Swindoll makes a great statement about our orientation
and relationship to God. He said the most dangerous heresy
on earth is, "The emphasis on what we do for God,
instead of what God has done for us." Emphasizing
the former allows sin to reign, and emphasizing the latter
allows grace to reign.
For grace to reign, it must be present.
Matthew says, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof." Without experiencing God's grace on a daily
basis we will never be sufficient to handle what comes
our way. Yesterday's grace will not suffice. To handle
the challenges of today we need to draw from the riches
of His grace, today. God wants us to reign in life with
Christ Jesus. Let's come boldly to the throne of grace
and find our sufficiency is of God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you all.
|
