GRACE

 

                  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11).

                  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians 2:8).

                  “(B)eing justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:24).

These are just a few verses which refer to our salvation being based upon the grace of God. I would like to look at a few things found in the words of these three verses.

 

All men. Paul tells Titus that the grace of God has appeared to all men and this grace brings salvation. Does this mean, as some teach that all will be saved? No, indeed. The Bible is clear that salvation is possible for the whole world. “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2). However, it is also clear that all will not be saved. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Why is this the case? “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Not everyone will be saved because not everyone will obey.

 

Not of yourselves. Paul goes on in Ephesians 2:9 to say that salvation is not of works. Is he saying that man has absolutely no responsibility in his salvation? Again, the answer is no. The passage just mentioned in Matthew 7:21 states the necessity of obedience. Consider the following. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Yet, in John 6, when the Jews asked Jesus what work they should do, He responded that they should believe in Him. Faith is a work; it is something that man chooses to do or not do. Paul is simply saying that we cannot earn salvation by our works. The only thing we can earn are the wages of sin, death (Romans 6:23). However, that does not negate the necessity of our obedience to God’s will.

 

Justified freely. The definition of grace I have probably heard most often is that of unmerited favor. God’s gift of sending His Son (His grace) was not based on our goodness or deserving it. In fact, Paul says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Christ did not come to die because we were so deserving; He came because we were undeserving. If our own goodness could save us, why did Christ die?

 

God, in His grace sent His Son to doe for man’s sins. Through the sacrifice of the sinless Jesus, redemption has been made possible. We cannot merit salvation, we do not deserve it, but God’s grace has made it possible. We accept the gift when we are obedient to His will. Are you saved by the grace of God?

--Lamar