We cannot fully understand how we can be transformed from our fallen unholy state of being into the holy people of God without a basic understanding of the grace of God. My next few posts are intended to help us develop a better understand of this important element of our salvation, the Grace of God.
Grace
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9 AV)
It is no wonder that the people of God are a people of thanksgiving and worship. God’s grace, that unmerited favor, has been extended to us and by this grace we have received salvation and the promise of eternal life. We talk about it, we sing about it, and we pray because of it. One thing we never want to happen though, is that we should ever take the grace of God for granted. Our very life is dependent upon this grace. In addition the treasures of heaven are pour upon us by this wonderful grace of God.
Something that is as important to us as the relationship of grace to salvation needs to be understood. So let’s examine this important aspect of salvation and our relationship with God. Let’s look at what the Scriptures teach us. And as is true with any Biblical truth, it is important that we occasionally set aside our preconceive ideas and focus on what the Bible actually reveals to us. Because as time goes by we have a tendency to forget where we have acquired our information from. We just naturally form our opinions from the things we think we know. That is why we occasionally need to examine our beliefs to insure that we have not strayed in our thinking from the revealed truth of the Scriptures.
I am afraid that in many instances the grace of God has been misapplied and misused to the detriment of the hearers. So I think it will be advantageous for us to examine these fundamental questions in light of the revelation of Scripture: What is the grace of God? How do I receive the grace of God? Can I fall from grace?
What is grace?
I guess we need to start with focusing on the word grace. Words, after all, have meaning. The problem is that often times words have multiple meanings. And sometimes meanings change as time goes by and cultures changes. So it is important to know what the word meant when it was spoke to understand the thought that was being conveyed. Paying close attention to the context goes a long way to eliminating those uses of the word that are not being conveyed.
The word grace as we encounter it in the Scripture is usually talking about favor. It is a Biblical term used many times, both in the old and the New Testament. It can also be a theological term. In other words, a word that conveys a Biblical concept that is broader that the simple definition of that word. In the KJV of the Scripture we find that this word is used to speak both of the favor of men and of God. What we are most interest in here is God’s grace, that is the favor that God grants to us as people and as individuals. We want to understand who God favors, how He favors them, and why He favors them. There is no greater blessing than to have the favor of God. And there is no greater joy than to see others become recipients of the grace of God.
The grace or favor of God can come in many forms. Sometimes that grace comes in the form of a tangible blessing, such as provisions for our daily needs, or an abundance of material thing. Or it can be more spiritual in nature, such as peace, comfort, assurance, fellowship, etc.. But when we speak of “the grace of God”, or “God’s grace”, as a theological term, we are speaking of that unmerited favor that God has provided for all of mankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. This is the grace that provides salvation and eternal life. This is the grace that is received by faith, a gift from God.