Grace (1)

by Donald G. Hayter

GRACE AND JOY are very close in the language of inspiration, one is charis and the other is chara. They are almost identical, also, in the realm of truth, for the grace of God is the outpouring and display of His joy. He is the happy God and has joy at all times, even in a contrary universe and disrupted creation, for He knows the purpose and consummation of all. Evil and sin are in their first effect destructive, but when combined with God's grace and power they are working together for the ultimate good of all. Were it not for sin and evil He could not be revealed as Saviour, Justifier and Life Giver. They are essential ingredients of His purpose which He carries out in Christ.

Grace and joy dominate all the operations of God, for He is love. He maims and destroys, for He is able to heal and make alive. He hurts and disrupts, for He is able to cure and create anew. In all His works His joy and grace casts beams of glory to transform the darkest episode of eonian history. The dreadfully dark and desperate days of His indignation prior to the Millenium are essential in order to display His feelings against that which is destructive of His creation. Today ignorance, irreverence and unbelief abound, and God is taking no action against them, for grace reigns. He entreats now. His joy and grace dominate these dark and evil days. But these days of grace will end when we are assembled together with the Lord in the air, to be followed by the day of the Lord, which is a day of indignation and terror. This day is drawing near, but today is a day of salvation and grace. We shall not be here when His indignation is being unveiled, for we shall be with Him in heaven's heights.

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