Even for the Christian, God’s grace is difficult to grasp. We find it hard to apply this concept to our lives and as a result often carry a needless burden.
John Newton, hardened and debauched sinner that he was, came to understand something of the wonder of what God has done for us and as a result wrote the heart-stirring hymn, “Amazing Grace.” In the second verse Newton captured the meaning of this grace in the paradoxical statement: “ ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.” Only the grace of God enables us to see ourselves as lost sinners, and that same grace assures us of God’s remedy.
How often we carry a burden of guilt in our hearts! We have been defeated again and again. We are aware of our weakness where there should have been victory. We have tried, and tried, and tried—and yet we have failed miserably. We become depressed by our defeat because we have overlooked the reality of God’s grace. We have been trying to save ourselves! We have thought of salvation in terms of what we do or do not do. We have, subconsciously or otherwise, felt that in some measure we were earning our own salvation, that we would deserve God’s gift of eternal life. Then the bubble has burst in our faces, leaving us feeling frustrated and lost.
At this point God says to us, “You are saved not by what you do but by what Christ has done for you. You have failed, but he has not, and if you truly believe in him you have eternal life, regardless of how you feel.” That is grace!
The effort to be our own savior is so deeply embedded in our subconscious that we continually think of our relation with God in terms of how good we are. But still God’s grace persists.
Most of our material possessions have come to us in one of three ways: We have inherited them, or we have bought them with money we have earned, or they have been given to us.
Salvation cannot be inherited. God has no grandchildren, only children. Our parents can point us in the right direction, but the time comes when we must decide for ourselves whether we will accept or reject Christ.
Salvation is not earned; it is a gift rather than a wage. It cannot be deserved, for our best is as filthy rags. To be in his presence we must be clothed with a robe of righteousness not to be found in any tailor shop or boutique. This garment is a gift of God’s grace. God gives what we can neither inherit nor earn nor deserve.
How many Christians there are who have never found the peace of mind and spirit that should be theirs! To this need our Lord spoke when he said, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28, 29). That is grace, the rest that is stayed on him rather than on self.
God saves us by his grace and in answer to our faith. It is a matter of our believing what he has done through the person and work of his Son, and not because of any achievement of our own.
Grace may be described as:
These somewhat childish acrostics are useful only if they convey some of the deep implications of God’s grace.
Martin Luther, a monk with deep spiritual longings in his heart, saw all about him men doing penance, and he did the same for his own sins but without receiving peace in his heart. In desperation he turned to the Scriptures. There came a time when the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart through one verse—“The just shall live by his faith” (Rom. 1:17b and Hab. 2:4b). Like a blinding light there came into his soul a realization that his salvation and peace rested solely in what God had done for him through Jesus Christ and not on his own efforts. And out of this glorious truth came the Reformation.
But every generation and each individual Christian must learn this anew. There must be an end to striving for righteousness, and a resting in and an acceptance of the righteousness of our Lord.
At some time there will come the temptation to presume on the grace of God. The Apostle Paul warns of this danger in the sixth chapter of Romans: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” (or, as Phillips translates it, “What a ghastly thought!”).
We must learn to accept the grace of God, to glory in the love and redemption that proceed from it. We must love and worship the One who has done all this for us. But God forbid that we should at any time think we can take advantage of God’s grace for our own sinful ends!
I have known one person who apparently did this. He was prominent in his church and community and active as a Bible teacher. But he was one of those who “pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4b), and he died in disgrace. In life and in death, I fear, he caused many enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.
Not only is the grace of God responsible for our conviction as sinners and faith as believers, but this same grace is a continuing blessing from God. The Apostle Paul was confronted with some ailment or handicap so serious that he spoke of it as a “thorn in the flesh.” Three times he asked God to remove it (and one can imagine the intensity of this man’s prayer). But the Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9a). The grace of God was infinitely more precious than any limitation of the flesh.
The grace of God is also a sustaining power in an evil environment. The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus, “The grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world” (Titus 2:11, 12).
Perhaps the greatest blessing to flow from God’s grace is “the peace of God, which passes all understanding” (Phil. 4:7a). This peace floods the hearts of those who believe, rest in, and obey our Lord. The world cannot give such peace, nor take it away. It is the gift of God to those who have turned body, mind, and soul over to him.
Little wonder that John Newton spoke of God’s grace as “amazing grace.” That is exactly what it is!
L. NELSON BELL
