The biggest reason I have begun to put myself out there into the world to spread the Gospel is to discuss the hard topics that relate to Salvation, Redemption, Atonement, Sanctification and today’s topic of Grace. These are difficult topics as they deal with the core of our problems….. Sin! We have all succumb to sin, anybody who says otherwise has just proven my point (see the definition of lying). You have to understand who I am to in order to get my sense of humor. Because of sin, will can never be in communion with God, He is Holy and cannot be around it. In the Old Testament there were many rituals that had to be performed to be in communion with God in order to purify us of our sin before the one person who was allowed into the “Holy of Holies” to be in God’s presence. There had to be a blood sacrifice. I am going to delve into that conversation at another time, so back to Grace.
Grace is defined as unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, a virtue coming from God, a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance. Wow, Merriam-Webster sure knows how to stir our emotions with that profound definition (remember my humor). Now, let’s put this definition of Grace into the heart of the matter according to the Apostle Paul in his letter to Ephesus. In Ephesians 2 Paul does not start off with a pretty picture:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following the desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath” Ephesians 2:1-3
Paul is saying that our sins simply put us square in the cross-hairs of God’s wrath, deservedly so! We are all guilty and there is no court on this earth that will not condemn us to the death penalty for it! Great warming message isn’t it? Where is the Hope?
“But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by Grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His Grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7
In these four verses Paul lays it out right in front of us….. When we were dead in our transgressions He showed us Grace and Mercy! We did not deserve this unmerited favor! We had a death sentence put upon us, the headstone was already prepared and ready for our gravesite. I simply cannot put into comprehendible words the gravity, depth, width and immeasurable nature of God’s love for us! It simply is incomprehensible! I cannot grasp it, you cannot grasp it. As I write these words I am in utter awe over the Truth in Paul’s words… “I am undone” as Isaiah wrote! But it gets even better!
“For it is by Grace you have been saved, through Faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10
In reading these two verses it says it all. We, by Faith, have been saved. We didn’t earn it, we can never earn it, but we still have it! This is God’s promise, His gift! We are His children whom He loves so much that His Son Jesus Christ was sent to die for us! We did not deserve this, nor can we ever undo this gift. God never goes back on His word or promises.
Once Saved, Always Saved!
Father God,
We cannot even begin to comprehend your love for us! Grace is so foreign to our dark, dismal, sinful and undeserving hearts. We are not worthy whatsoever! We are undone! God, we love you! Even as we pray this prayer we are in awe of how incomprehensible your ways are to us, we cannot understand it, but they are perfect. Thank you for the Grace you have bestowed upon us, we can never earn it, which is why it is so amazing to us! Lord Jesus, put in us a heart that desires to do your will. Although we cannot earn our way into your favor, we want to do good works that you have laid out before us, to serve others as you did. To sacrificially serve others so that when we meet you face to face we can hear you say Well Done by good and faithful servant. It is in your Name of names that we pray.” Amen!
Why do you need Jesus? 