Grace

by Joseph E. Kirk

"AND the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:14,16,17, R.V.).

Grace has been well defined as “the unmerited favor of God to man.” Too much emphasis cannot be put on the unmerited aspect of grace. To be grace it must be unmerited. But what is the "favor" of God’s grace? Is it an attitude of lenience, or indifference toward our sins? No, emphatically no! Any view of grace that makes one feel easy concerning the committing of sin is most wrong. The Scriptures warn us against "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness" (Jude 4). Grace does not reign at the expense of righteousness, "grace reigns through righteousness" (Rom. 5:21).

GRACE SAVES

God’s grace does not cause Him to excuse sin, to ignore sin, nor to tolerate sin. GRACE SAVES FROM SIN! The inspired statement "by grace are ye saved" is familiar to almost everyone. It’s meaning is almost lost today. It is not, "by grace are you allowed to continue in sin." It is “by grace are ye saved.” Salvation includes much more than deliverance from the future wrath of God. Salvation begins in this life.

When a person becomes a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus he receives the Spirit of God and is thus baptized into Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:23-27; Rom. 6:1-11). From then on there is deliverance from the “reign” and "dominion" of sin (Rom. 6:12-14); enslavement to sin ends and enslavement to God and righteousness begins (Rom. 6:15-23).

Does this mean that sin is eradicated from the believer, that its lusts are removed? No, this will not take place until the Lord returns (1 Cor. 15:51-57; Rom. 8:18-25 ; Phil. 3:20,21). But it does mean that through union with the risen Son of God there is "newness of life" and deliverance from the "reign" and "dominion" of sin (Rom. 6:1-11). Any further obedience to sin is unnecessary. The lust of sin remains but in the newness of life received from Christ Jesus there is more than ample power to overcome it. Hence the exhortation, “let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:12).

This saving aspect of grace is set forth many times in the Scriptures. Of our Lord Himself it is written, “and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). What need ‘had He for the grace of God according to the usual way of thinking about grace? He was not a sinner. How did the grace of God which was upon Him manifest itself? The answer is, in a life free from sin in every sense of the word. In Him the adequacy of God’s grace to triumph over sin is revealed to all.

Of the Apostle Paul it is written, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). What was Paul by the grace of God? A weak, defeated, sin indulging saint? Far from it! The grace of God had taken the chief of sinners and made out of him the pattern of saints. (1 Tim. 1:15,16).

Of the early believers it is written, “And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:32-35). Was this great grace necessary because they were committing heinous acts of sin? Not at all, as the record plainly reveals (Acts, chapters 3, 4,). How was this grace which was upon them manifested? Clearly in an ardent devotion to God in heart and life, and an unfeigned love for their fellow saints.

Notice the saving operation of grace in the following passages : “ Grace . . . unto obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5); "grace . . . abounded exceedingly with faith and love” (1 Tim. 1:14); “consolation and good hope through grace" (2 Thes. 2:16); grace sufficient to enable the believer to glory in weaknesses, injuries, necessities, persecutions, and distresses (2 Cor. 12 : S-10). Again and again grace is seen saving from sin or enabling the believer to triumph over sin. It rejoices the heart to know that the inexhaustible resources of God’s grace are ever at our disposal to enable us to live to the praise and glory of God. No wonder the Scriptures exhort, “Be strengthened in’ the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1, R.V.) . There is no excuse for our being weak and defeated saints with such adequate provision for our strength and victory.

THE DISCIPLINE OF GRACE

No, a mistake has not been made in the wording of the heading. The saving grace of God disciplines. Note the plain statement of the Scriptures on this subject: For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, disciplining[*] us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age (Titus 2:11, 12).

The grace of God disciplines us to the intent that we should deny irreverence and worldly lusts any place in our lives. In this, grace is seen saving from from that which is dishonoring to God. On the other hand, grace disciplines us to the intent that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age. In this, grace is seen conforming our lives to that which is pleasing to God. Those who are under grace are subject to its discipline and authority. Only those freed from the dominion of sin are under grace (Rom. 6 : 14).