All
of Grace
Grace—what a sweet fragrance. It is the greatest theme in
the Bible.
Abounding grace, wondrous grace, boundless grace, fountain of
grace, unfailing grace, unmeasurable grace, electing grace, matchless grace, overflowing
grace, redeeming grace, pardoning grace, plenteous grace, unfailing grace, fullness of
grace, efficacious grace, magnified grace, refreshing grace, sovereign grace, salvation by
grace, grace rich and free!
“Oh to grace, how great a debtor.”
God is exceedingly gracious to sinful man. Grace is the unmerited and
undeserved favor of a holy God upon sinful depraved human beings. It is His kindness, love
and nature to be gracious to humanity.
Grace is the very opposite of merit. It is totally
undeserved favor of God toward the sinner. However, it is more than
that, it is favor shown to the one who has deserved the very opposite.
What better definition of grace can you find than that expressed by
the apostle Paul in Romans 5:8? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
In contrast to contemporary man’s thinking, God does not owe
sinful man anything. Every blessing humanity enjoys is the result of God’s
“common grace.”
Every person is a recipient of God’s “common grace”
whether he acknowledges it or not. However, “common grace” saves no one, and it
never has. We need “special grace” to be saved.
“Saving grace,” on the other hand, redeems sinful man for
time and eternity.
The apostle Paul tells us that no matter how great our sin, the grace
of God is proven greater. “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase;
but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death,
even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord” (Rom. 5:20-21).
“Sin increased,” actual transgressions increased, but
“grace abounded all the more.” More grace added to this super abundance of
grace. Grace was added to more grace, over and above the grace that super abounded, with
even more grace added to that!
“Oh, to grace how great a debtor”!
Do you need grace? Come to the fountain of super abounding, flooding
grace!
All the Law can do is point its finger and say, “You are
guilty!” It condemns sinful man. It shows sin for what it is in the eyes of God.
However, God has more than an abundant supply of grace. There was
plenty of sin, but much, much more grace in superabundance. There is victory for the
sinner in grace.
This superabundant grace replaces the reign of sin.
We do not have the power to break free from sin, therefore it reigns and
we cannot escape the penalty of death. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom.
6:23).
However, God’s grace reigns through the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. Yes, grace triumphs when God imputes His righteousness and gives
eternal life to the sinner who believes on the saving death of Jesus Christ to save him
(Jn. 3:16; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rom. 5:6, 8; 10:9-10, 13; 8:1; 5:1-2; 2 Cor.
5:21).
God is gracious.
What is your response to God’s saving grace? Your eternal
destiny depends upon your response to His saving grace. Christ died for you so that
“whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The great preacher of grace, John Newton, wrote:
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.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you.”
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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