For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2: 8, 9, NKJV
We thank You Lord, for the privilege of looking into Your Word, and catching a glimpse of Your marvelous grace! In Jesus’ name. Amen
What does an assurance like this bring to Your mind? What do you feel when you think about the Grace of God? Doesn’t it just warm your heart as you realize that thanks to God everything is going to be all right? Grace is “God’s unmerited favor extended to sinners like you and me.” God has given to us a gift that we did not deserve, could not deserve. Grace is a gift of God!
When Adam and Eve sinned, there was only one thing they deserved: death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6: 23). The Lord could have decided to allow them to die, which would have been the fair payment for their sin. “But mercy said no.” Hallelujah! In the “Council of Peace” (Zechariah 6: 13), Father and Son met and decided that the time had come to put into effect the plan of salvation, that had been decided upon from before the foundation of the world. The death of an angel was not good enough (though angels would have loved to take the place of their Commander) to atone for the sins of the world. Only One who was equal with the Father could offer His life for the sins of the world. Only One who had life in Himself, could “lay [it] down and take it again” (John 10: 17). So in the “fullness of time,” the Son of God wrapped His divinity in humanity and became our Gift of Grace. Precious Savior!
Have you ever thought about the fact that we receive “wages” for sinning? When do people receive wages? Is it not when they work? Do you realize what this means? Do you realize how illogical it is, that we have to work to receive death wages? We have to work to be lost! It is even more illogical when you think that all we have to do is receive the gift of God – eternal life, by faith! This is the result of Grace, wonderful Grace! So sing oh heavens, and rejoice oh earth, for Grace has come down to us as a Gift of love, in the Person of the Savior! Hallelujah!
“Were It Not For Grace”
“Time measured out my days, life carried me along. In my soul I yearned to follow God but knew I’d never be so strong; I looked hard at this world to learn how heaven could be gained. Just to end where I began, where human effort is all in vain.
Chorus: “Were it not for grace I can tell you where I’d be, wandering down some pointless road to nowhere with my salvation up to me. I know how that would go, the battles I would face, forever running but losing the race were it not for grace.
“So here is all my praise expressed with all my heart. Offered to the Friend who took my place and ran a course I could not start. And when He saw in full just how much His would cost; He still went the final mile between me and heaven so I would not be lost.”
Chorus:
Larnelle Harris
Can you imagine life without Grace? I cannot. Thank God for His marvelous Grace!