Grace

What Does The Bible Say About Grace?
Salvation by God’s grace is the most beautiful and sublime thought that can entertain
man’s mind.

When we consider the condition of our lives because of sin, and the hopelessness our
hearts are hurled into, God’s grace is a breath of fresh air. “And you He made alive, who
were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the
sons of disobedience, among whom also we also once conducted ourselves in the lusts
of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, just as the others.” (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Just to say the word “grace” is to feel the tickle over our tongues and the warmth within
our hearts.

Salvation By Grace
Salvation in Christ cannot be obtained by some system of works devised by the wisdom
of men, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom
He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been
justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
(Titus 3:5-7).

Neither can that salvation be enjoyed as a result of man’s perfect obedience to the
commands that God set forth in that plan—because we simply won’t do it “If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If
we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:
8-10).

Even if we could keep God’s commands perfectly, we would still be unprofitable
servants, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are
commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to
do.’” (Luke 17:10).

The grace of God makes provisions for the sins of Christians, as well as alien sinners.
Although it is unearned, that grace is still conditional. Just because God has placed
conditions on it doesn’t make it any less grace! But God’s grace does place certain
demands on us to receive it, “And having been perfected, He became the author of
eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Hebrews 5:9).

False Concepts Of Grace
Salvation by God’s grace is an engaging, winsome concept. But God’s grace has been
tarnished and cheapened because of many false concepts and things taught about it
which degrade it, “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked
out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into
licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4).

The grace of God is not an unconditional forgiveness for all sins that a man will ever
commit. Christians will sin—that cannot be denied. But our sins can be forgiven
because we have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous “My little
children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation
for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2). In order to
have them forgiven, we must confess them to God (1 John 1:9), and we must pray to
Him for forgiveness (Acts 8:22).

The grace of God is not an umbrella to cover sins of ignorance and human weakness
unconditionally. If a Christian sins, he stands as a sinner in need of forgiveness, and
must be forgiven on God’s terms. After propositioning Peter for the power of laying on
hands, Simon the sorcerer was told “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray
God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are
poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” (Acts 8:22-23).

The grace of God does not allow for the unconditional pardon of sins which a Christian
“intended” to make right, but somehow never got around to correcting. New Testament
Christianity is not a religion of intent, as much as it is a religion of actually doing what
the Lord commands, “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things
which I say?” (Luke 6:46). You have likely heard the saying before that “the road to hell is
paved with good intentions.” It’s true, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall
enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will
say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:
21-23).

God does not impute the personal righteousness of Christ to the Christian in place of
his own righteousness. Jesus’ perfect obedience is not imputed to me because of my
imperfect obedience. Both our own righteousness and our own wickedness are
imputed to us, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father,
nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon
himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezekiel 18:20).

When the wicked man turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and
right, then he will be made righteous.

Just like the examples of Abraham and David (Romans 4:1-8), the Christian’s sins will
be accounted to him until he meets the conditions upon which God has promised
forgiveness. When he meets those conditions through obedient faith, that faith is
accounted to him for righteousness.

Abraham obeyed God, and it was his obedient faith that was reckoned to him for
righteousness, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac
his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by
works, faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham
believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the
friend of God.” (James 2:21-23).

David repented and prayed to God for forgiveness, and it was this effort which insured
God’s gracious forgiveness, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin
is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose
spirit there is no guile… I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not
hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity
of my sin.” (Psalm 32:1-2,5).

Both Abraham and David were forgiven by God’s grace—but both Abraham and David
met conditions to receive that grace though.

That didn’t make it any less God’s grace.

Conclusion
God’s grace is a high and mighty notion. Let’s not lower it and cheapen it by turning it
into a license to sin without impunity, “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long
ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our
God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4).

Jesus gave up His life on the cross for something far better than that!

--Rob Harbison