God's Grace

If I had just £1 for every time I have spoken a benediction, I would have quite a tidy sum in the bank! The precise wording does, of course, vary but the form that I use most regularly is found in Paul's second letter to the believers in Corinth: 

 « The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. »  (II Cor.13:14). To be honest, I usually use the somewhat extended form that I learned from Rev George B. Duncan: « The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is all-sufficient; the love of God the Father, that never fails; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit Who never forsakes, be with you all. » There is almost a wee sermon in that benediction!

However, the words « The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ » appear no less than thirteen times in the pages of the New Testament. I would contend that, in the Scriptures, such repetition is not because of a lack of something to say, but because God the Holy Spirit wishes to specifically emphasise something! Could it be that, in this instance, He is wishing to place an emphasis on the grace of God?

Many will be familiar with the acrostic that makes up the word "grace" in the English language - God's Riches At Christ's Expense. By the way, it is also one of the words at which I look more fully in my first book - Great Words of the Faith - a link to which may be found at the top of the page. Please forgive me for emphasising that ALL royalties go directly to Release International, in support of the persecuted church in more than 50 countries worldwide. I do not receive a single penny! Grace has also been defined as receiving from Father God that which we do not deserve (Mercy, on the other hand, is not receiving from the Father what we do deserve!).

God extends His grace to the very creation itself, simply by keeping the universe together! Peter writes: « … by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. » (II Peter 3:5-7). If I were God, I would have wrapped up this world a long time ago - but I do not exercise His grace!

Sadly, there are those who abuse the very grace of God. Jude, in his brief letter, refers to them as « ... ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.» (Jude 4). They deny the very One Who has paid the penalty for all of the sin of which they are guilty; the One Who, for their (and our!) sake was « ... made ... to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.» (II Cor 5:21). It is little wonder that Paul refers to such people as «... detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed.» (Titus 1:16).

A final thought. At least three times we read that the Lord focuses His grace on us as individuals, an indication of His concern for us at a personal level, as well as of His intimate knowledge of our innermost thoughts! Writing to his 'son in the faith', Timothy, Paul noted that «... the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.» (I Tim 1:14; emphasis added)and, writing to his brothers and sisters in Jesus, who lived in Thessalonica, he prayed that «... the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.» (II Thess. 1:12; emphasis added). And, of course, we are assured that it is «... by grace you [singular] have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God » (Eph. 2:8; emphasis added). How grateful we ought to be for that grace of God that dies what we could never do!

Are you aware of the grace of God operating in your own life? Do you give thanks for that grace? May we constantly do so - giving Him the glory, and being reminded that all is of Him.

*** STOP PRESS! *** For those who live in or close to, Lanarkshire, Scotland, all three of my books are now available, in paperback format, in the GLO Bookshop in Motherwell. Pay them a visit; purchase one (or more!) of my books; and browse some of the other items on offer. Remember that all of the royalties from my own books go directly to Release International in support of the persecuted church.