The Truth about Grace
Grace is the gift of God by which He extends mercy, loving-kindness, and salvation
to people. God is gracious in action. The old covenant held only a temporary form
of God’s grace. The ultimate expression of that grace came in the new covenant
when Jesus accomplished His work. The law was a temporary measure that
prepared for the grace that was to come by faith in Christ. The concept of grace
(God’s active involvement on behalf of His people) receives a sharper focus in the
New Testament. Divine grace becomes embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ makes it possible for God to forgive sin and to
gather sinners into the church, the new covenant community.
John the Baptist and Jesus said “repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew
3:2, 4:17). The condition for grace is repentance (turning away from sin). Matthews
3:8-10 says “bring forth therefore fruits meet (fitting) for repentance. And think not
to say within your-selves, we have Abraham to our father, for I say to you, that God
is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And now also the ax is laid
to the root of the trees, therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire”. This sounds like what Jesus said in John 15:1-6. As a
result, repentant believers enter into God’s plan of grace, which enables them to
participate in the purifying work of the Spirit of God. Grace has to be received.
The condition for receiving God’s grace is humility (James 4:6) “but He gives more
grace. Wherefore He says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”
and (I Peter 5:5) “for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble”. Such
humility before God enables believers to practice humility with other people. Jesus
said “if you love Me, you will keep My commandments). Paul says “what then? Shall
we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you
not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to
whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness “? Grace
does not allow believers to live any way they want (Romans 8:5-8) “for they that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the
things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God”. Paul goes on to tell us in Galatians 5:16 “this I say then, walk in the
Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”. Grace is a starting point, Paul
said in Philippians 3:13-14 ”this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before. I press toward the mark
of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
During His ministry Jesus repeatedly pronounced the words of forgiveness to a great
number of sinners and ministered to a variety of desperate human needs, but He
said “go and sin no more”. Jesus made it clear that He had come to seek and save
those who were lost. Ultimately it was His death on the cross that enabled sinners
who repent to access God’s forgiving and restorative grace (Romans 3:23-24).
This grace is fully accessible to all humans with no other condition than a desire to
repent and receive it (Titus 2:11-12) “for the grace that brings salvation has
appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”.
His grace becomes available to meet human need (Hebrews 4:16). The tragic
alternative to receiving God’s grace is to remain in hopeless alienation or to pursue
futile attempts to earn God’s favor. Ephesians 2:8-10 says “for by grace are you
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works,
less any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to
good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”. Salvation
comes with a purpose. Remember that God wants us to conform to the image of His
Son (Romans 8:29).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 4, 2008
Grace is the gift of God by which He extends mercy, loving-kindness, and salvation
to people. God is gracious in action. The old covenant held only a temporary form
of God’s grace. The ultimate expression of that grace came in the new covenant
when Jesus accomplished His work. The law was a temporary measure that
prepared for the grace that was to come by faith in Christ. The concept of grace
(God’s active involvement on behalf of His people) receives a sharper focus in the
New Testament. Divine grace becomes embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ makes it possible for God to forgive sin and to
gather sinners into the church, the new covenant community.
John the Baptist and Jesus said “repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew
3:2, 4:17). The condition for grace is repentance (turning away from sin). Matthews
3:8-10 says “bring forth therefore fruits meet (fitting) for repentance. And think not
to say within your-selves, we have Abraham to our father, for I say to you, that God
is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And now also the ax is laid
to the root of the trees, therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire”. This sounds like what Jesus said in John 15:1-6. As a
result, repentant believers enter into God’s plan of grace, which enables them to
participate in the purifying work of the Spirit of God. Grace has to be received.
The condition for receiving God’s grace is humility (James 4:6) “but He gives more
grace. Wherefore He says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”
and (I Peter 5:5) “for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble”. Such
humility before God enables believers to practice humility with other people. Jesus
said “if you love Me, you will keep My commandments). Paul says “what then? Shall
we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you
not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to
whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness “? Grace
does not allow believers to live any way they want (Romans 8:5-8) “for they that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the
things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God”. Paul goes on to tell us in Galatians 5:16 “this I say then, walk in the
Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”. Grace is a starting point, Paul
said in Philippians 3:13-14 ”this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before. I press toward the mark
of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
During His ministry Jesus repeatedly pronounced the words of forgiveness to a great
number of sinners and ministered to a variety of desperate human needs, but He
said “go and sin no more”. Jesus made it clear that He had come to seek and save
those who were lost. Ultimately it was His death on the cross that enabled sinners
who repent to access God’s forgiving and restorative grace (Romans 3:23-24).
This grace is fully accessible to all humans with no other condition than a desire to
repent and receive it (Titus 2:11-12) “for the grace that brings salvation has
appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”.
His grace becomes available to meet human need (Hebrews 4:16). The tragic
alternative to receiving God’s grace is to remain in hopeless alienation or to pursue
futile attempts to earn God’s favor. Ephesians 2:8-10 says “for by grace are you
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works,
less any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to
good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”. Salvation
comes with a purpose. Remember that God wants us to conform to the image of His
Son (Romans 8:29).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 4, 2008
