God’s Amazing Grace (Part 1) left us meditating on the beautiful thread of grace we see that flows from the book of Genesis to Revelation. Today we will dig even more into the New Testament as we continue our study of the grace of our God.
In the books of the New Testament we can discover many beautiful truths about grace. So let us take some time to wipe away any preconceived notions we might have about grace… and let us look at the Word of God through clean and clear lenses. Let us take the Word at His Word.
Today we will focus on six truths about grace.
1) Grace is free
to the praise of the glory of His grace,
which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:6
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For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
Ephesians 2:5-8
We do not work to gain grace… it is not a wage due us. It is a free gift from God. We can do nothing to earn it. We can’t buy it. We can’t sell it.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:18-20
2) It is by God’s free gift of grace that we are saved
being justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
Romans 3:24
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Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have obtained our introduction
by faith into this grace in which we stand;
and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2
Remember we were dead before we were made alive in Christ… spiritually dead. A dead person cannot do anything… they. are. dead. It is by God’s free gift of grace that we are even able to be saved.
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Ephesians 2:5-8
3) It is by grace that Christ offers Himself and it is by grace that God even accepts this as propitiation for our sins
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9
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But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ
Romans 5:15-17
Has it ever occurred to you that God didn’t have to accept Christ’s blood on behalf of you own? It was the grace of God that made the way and it was the grace of God that accepted the way. It’s my debt that needs paid… God doesn’t have to accept it from anyone else… it’s mine to pay. I owe it. Yet Christ stood in my place and put his arm up to me and said “I’ve got it“. He did this and God didn’t have to accept it, but He did.
4) It is grace that calls us to salvation
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him
who called you by the grace of Christ,
for a different gospel;
Galatians 1:6
It was by the very grace of God that you were called into salvation. Grace, this free gift, this grace of God is what saves us. Grace, this free gift that saves us, this grace is offered up by grace and accepted by grace and it is by this grace that we are called.
5) It is grace that covers our sins
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.
Romans 5:20-21
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even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:13-14
No matter how great the sin… God’s grace is enough.
6) All that we are in Christ is by grace
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10
All that we are, all that we ever hope to be, all that we ever were, all that we never were, all that we ever will be… it is all only by the grace of God. From the beginning to the end it is all wrapped up and wound up in grace.