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"THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD" Ac.20:24
There are different considerations or connotations one could give to the subject of GRACE but in this writing we will concentrate on one important aspect:: that of GRACE in connection with the INITIAL SALVATION of man. "The gospel of THE GRACE OF GOD" is also spoken of as "the gospel of YOUR SALVATION" Eph.1:13. The gospel message of salvation from sin is commonly presented as being CONDITIONAL upon human ACCEPTANCE, or upon human REJECTION. But whether you believe it or not, the full truth of the gospel is--that there is no power BUT OF GOD that can DETERMINE the beginnings of saving grace in humanity. Speaking to the ecclesia Paul states, "Now to each one of us was given GRACE IN ACCORD WITH THE MEASURE OF THE GRATUITY OF CHRIST." Eph.4:7 [Conc. Literal]. There is no means other than the operation of God’s grace which brings salvation unto mankind-Tit.2:11.
You are CALLED BY GOD INTO THE GRACE OF CHRIST (Gal.1:6) to become "heirs together of THE GRACE OF LIFE." 1Ptr.3:7. It is an unmerited ACT and PROCESS OF DIVINE FAVOUR which contains the elements necessary to set mankind free from sin and death. Like GRACE, salvation is FREE AND UNCONDITIONAL and entirely DEPENDENT upon God. It is in no way DEPENDENT upon man as is commonly taught. Personal salvation is not CONDITIONAL upon personal human faith in order to APPROPRIATE its ACCOMPLISHMENTS upon an individual. It is by "the FAITH OF CHRIST" that we are justified and made righteous (Gal.2:16; Phil.3:9) lest any man should boast-Eph.2:8,9.
Through the God created agency called GRACE , ‘God-created’ salvation is BESTOWED upon man by the Spirit of the Lord according to the OMNIPOTENT and OMNISCIENT timing of God’s own will. This happens in a divine order according to His own wise counsel and His own sovereign purpose. God’s Spirit comes and goes when He wills, bringing with it DIVINE ENABLEMENT. So it is with everyone that is born again of God’s Spirit-Jn.3:8; Jn.1:13. Spiritual rebirth is not CONTINGENT upon human faith nor is it CONDITIONAL upon the work of any self-willed ACT in our ACCEPTANCE of Christ. It is contingent upon Christ’s sovereign work of making Himself acceptable to us. There is nothing that man has nor can do of himself to CONTRIBUTE to God’s saving GRACE.
Saving FAITH, as A RESULT OF GRACE, is also the result of an individual having been sovereignly predestined and chosen to salvation by the Creator. The manifest evidence of this CHOOSING and CALLING is found in the God ORDAINED timings and RECEPTION of His ALLOTMENT. Salvation is not an ENTICEMENT or a mere ALLUREMENT. Neither is it a mere OPPORTUNITY OR CHANCE that is ultimately left up to man to ACCEPT OR REJECT according to his own self will. Rather, it is an ALLOTMENT, a preordained and predestined ASSIGNMENT ordered OF GOD. It is GRACE WHICH CAUSES RECIPROCATION and not at all human reciprocation which causes grace.
Both the CAUSE and the EFFECT of our RECEIVING salvation ORIGINATES solely and entirely from the merciful Spirit of the Lord’s GRACE. His Spirit alone is the divine agent producing the EFFECT of our salvation. The fact is, the unregenerate spirit of man contains not one iota of effectual power that can regenerate his spirit. This point cannot be stressed enough. In truth, there is no room at all for any kind of boasting or pride on the part of man. There is nothing in us or of us that justifies nor could ever WARRANT, much less ACTIVATE, the power of God’s INITIAL SAVING GRACE toward us. Our salvation comes to us in a manner and way wherein there is absolutely nothing OF OURSELVES that we have, nor did to boast about-Eph.2:8,9. It is God’s WORK entirely which PRODUCES THE GRACE of salvation-Jn.4:34. And it is also HIS WORK entirely that brings personal salvation through HIS GRACE. Our salvation is the FRUIT OF HIS GRACE.
HUMAN WORKS, whether of the body or of the mind, are NEGLIGIBLE in every aspect and nature of GOD’S MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS ACT. GRACE involves the divine providential works of God and is one hundred percent OF (FROM) HIM. We have no ACTIVE PART in DETERMINING our salvation. All effectual and necessary DETERMINING is done OF HIM and none is done of us. It is wholly A DIVINE DETERMINATION! GRACE encompasses God’s acts of loving-kindness and goodwill towards mankind.
Even FAITH TO BELIEVE, if it ORIGINALLY stemmed from us, would be WORK on our part for it takes soulish mental ACTIVITY OF SELF to make DECISIONS. Grace, the god given, GOD IMPARTED ABILITY TO BELIEVE, has its ORIGINS from a SOURCE apart from the human spirit and psyche, and can be compared to a seed that is planted into the ground, which in FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS RESULTS in newness of life. The HUMAN WORKS of true CONFESSING, BELIEVING, and CALLING evident in such scriptures as Ro.10:9-13 are the IMMEDIATE RESULTS AND EFFECTS of elective GRACE. They are not the CAUSE! No man can CONFESS Jesus is his Lord and Saviour except that it be FREELY GIVEN him to do so through the ABILITY AND ENABLEMENT of the Holy Spirit-1Cor.12:3. Grace is wholly A DIVINE ENABLEMENT.
We do not suddenly DECIDE that we need salvation. The Saviour determines our need for salvation. Our salvation has already been DECIDED BY GOD from before the foundation of the ages. He DECIDES it and HE DETERMINES AND IMPLEMENTS IT. It is not OUR FAITH in Christ’s work that saves us, but rather salvation from sin is found to be entirely in the IMPUTED WORK OF CHRIST-1Cor.1:30. We are saved because we are CHOSEN OF GOD TO BELIEVE and WE BELIEVE BECAUSE WE ARE CHOSEN OF GOD TO BE SAVED. We are not saved because WE CHOSE OF OURSELVES to BELIEVE in God. The whole process whereby we begin to believe is entirely through GOD’S ACT OF GRACE-Ac.18:27.
It is not any outward or even inward INITIAL ACTION or WORK on our part that QUALIFIES us for salvation, or brings us salvation in RETURN for BELIEVING. It is all the ACTION AND WORK OF GOD’S GRACE that FREELY grants and imparts to us THE FAITH OF CHRIST whose imputed righteous faith contains the only ACCEPTABLE power to believe-Ro.3:22. The GRACE and FAITH that accompany salvation are totally UNEARNED, UNSOLICITED GIFTS OF GOD. ALL of this is TRUE GRACE!
Our BELIEF does not constitute the fulfillment of any REQUIREMENTS or CONDITIONS for our initial salvation. The ONLY REQUIREMENTS and CONDITIONS for human salvation were already provided for and completed through the works of Christ as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. These works were attested to through Christ in His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Salvation itself is ATTAINED, not through our own natural faith or belief in the redemptive works of Christ, but rather by the completely righteous and untainted faith generated and IMPUTED TO US from and through the now ACTIVE REDEMPTIVE WORKS OF CHRIST....which were ordained even before the world began. The power to ACCEPT and RECEIVE the RESULTS and to fulfill the purpose of these divine works also comes from Him and is contained in part in the written and spoken word of the gospel of grace. GRACE is an UNSOLICITED GIFT and not a REWARD for anything we might think, say or do.
The manifest saving and delivering power of God is found in the preaching of the cross and is made EVIDENT and brought to light in us who are saved-1Cor.1:18. It becomes a personal truth, a revelation. How then the Bible asks, shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? It answers that one must first read or hear something before they believe it. But yet, even when they hear, many cannot and do not believe and obey. It is evident then, that this saving BELIEF called FAITH comes as a FREE GIFT of truth to some (Col.1:16) as they are given UNCONDITIONALLY of the Holy Spirit’s rhema word to RECEIVE AND ACCEPT of that salvation truth of God’s gospel of grace and peace. The Lord must first reveal His Grace to us BY HIS SPIRIT-1Cor.2:10. His Spirit then is bearing witness with us that we are the children of God- Ro.8:16. All of "this is THE WORK OF GOD THAT YOU BELIEVE."Jn.6:29. Grace is dependent upon God’s work and acts, not ours!
God alone, was the SOURCE OF FAITH. The truth of this is evident. The Lord was found of them that sought Him not. He was made manifest unto them nationally and individually that asked not after Him-Ro.10:16-20. Through the QUICKENING power of the gospel, through God’s QUICKENED WORD of love toward us, we are individually given to ACCEPT AND BELIEVE the gospels OFFERING. Actually, our heavenly salvation IN GRACE is present and comes not in the form of an OFFERING that looks or begs for human ACCEPTANCE. Rather, it comes in the reality of divinely aided human ACCEPTANCE of God’s heavenly OFFERING...even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
GRACE APPREHENDS us. We do not and cannot APPREHEND GRACE. GRACE is not a BENEFIT that we, at any time, may take ADVANTAGE OF or just leave alone. GRACE is a God given ADVANTAGE AND BENEFIT which cannot help but become ours to APPREHEND and accept when the Lord in His omnipotence first lays hold of us. Omnipotent GRACE in the form of SUPREME LOVE...GIVES. It TAKES AND DEMANDS NOTHING in return. Revelation of its BENEFITS, in the INSPIRED AND DESIRED will to ACCEPT, originates with God.
Christ OFFERED Himself as the OBJECT of our saving FAITH. The Bible declares that the right[eous] FAITH that is found in Him must first be IMPUTED to be found in us, in order for us to QUALIFY for eternal life. It is true that we must QUALIFY for salvation. However, the qualifications were fulfilled and are to be found in Jesus Christ alone. He OFFERED Himself freely without spot to the Father, in order that the Father would OFFER AND GIVE Christ freely without spot as a completely QUALIFIED GIFT of life to us.
The TERMS of saving GRACE are not in the form of a CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT where man must DO something in EXPECTATION or in EXCHANGE for its FAVOUR. Many look at GRACE as and "If you will do your part God will do His part" type of deal or CONTRACT. It does not work that way. Initial salvation in GRACE is a promised and GUARANTEED COVENANT that does not RELY on the unreliable and often unpredictable nature and will of fallen humanity. TRUE GRACE is rather a FREELY RENDERED, GRATUITOUS, UNCONDITIONAL UNMERITED FAVOUR, VIRTUE, and CHARITABLE POWER of God’s Holy Spirit, perfectly designed by its Creator to be ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS IN ITS ABILITY to initiate and restore true fellowship once again between God and mankind.
One is FAVOURED or granted GRACE and first brought to the realization of his salvation and SELECTION, not according to his own ACT or SELECTION, but totally according to a timely and holy ACT OF GOD which is IMPARTED AND IMPLEMENTED aside from any HUMAN REQUIREMENTS or QUALIFICATIONS. GRACE is DIVINELY IMPARTED to each individual in the exact timing of God’s perfect will, though man’s will is at enmity with the mind and will of God-Ro.8:7. Our will is strictly SELF-will apart from the INTERVENING ACTIVE OPERATION of God’s GRACIOUS will, whereby He chooses in His omniscience, when to actively begin His work within each one to do of His good pleasure. HUMAN FAITH in itself does not in any way merit any form of GRACE whatsoever.
The POWER of GRACE is in the form of DIVINE OMNIPOTENT SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE for the purposes of REGENERATION and SANCTIFICATION. GRACE is the METHOD OF SALVATION whereby man is freely pardoned and forgiven of his sins so that he might progressively benefit both naturally and spiritually from this divine heavenly ENDOWMENT. The BLESSING and ENDOWMENT from on high is SHARED with man, NOT BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO FIRST LOVE our Maker, but because it is our Creator’s nature to share of His Spirit of love with his creatures. It is because HE FIRST LOVED US. He loves us with an UNCONDITIONAL LOVE which is RENDERED AS UNCONDITIONAL GRACE. It is IRRESISTIBLE in its power and UNIVERSAL in its scope.
The WORKINGS OF GOD in bringing new creation life unto mankind, is as much HIS OPERATION as was His original creation of the first man Adam. Mankind misused their PRIVILEGE of life, consequently falling from that GRACE for a span of time. Now, GRACE is all the work of God’s sovereign MERCY, His divine COMPASSION...whereby according to His predetermined plans and purposes, all men have been CONCLUDED in unbelief. This is in order that God can manifestly show the power and glory of His MERCIFUL GRACE, in a loving display of majestic restoration unto the whole of His creation- Ro.11:32.
One of God’s main concentrated purposes, for this age at least, is to visit at His own will, the Gentile nations of this earth to take out of them through HIS ELECTION OF GRACE, a people for His name- Ac.15:14. This He is doing without hindrance, through no other doings than that of Jesus Christ the Saviour of all men. The Lord is only in the firstfuit stage of this first ago of His allotted time period of the eons. Herein, through the sure PROCESS OF GRACE, He is PROCEEDING to command "all men everywhere to repent." Ac.17:30. "the GRACE of God and the GIFT BY GRACE...which is by One man, Jesus Christ, hath ABOUNDED unto many" (Ro.5:15)...unto "as many as were ordained to eternal life" (Ac.15:48) and as many as the Lord has called-Ac.2:39. These are the exact number "such as should be saved" (Ac.2:37) at any specific time and will include "every man in His own order." 1Cor.15:23.
In this age, and from God’s perspective, the purpose of EVANGELISM is not to try to get everyone saved as orthodoxy claims, but merely to effectively inform mankind that God in HIS GRACE, calls people to be saved. The rest is up to Him and not up to us. God saves through HIS GRACE which involves HIS WORKS and not the self inspired works of man. The urge to evangelize should arise from the goodness of the good news gospel, which the elect are given to specifically hear through the agency of GRACE. Evangelizing is simply PROCLAIMING the basic truths of the evangel, including the ELECTING GRACE of personal salvation. The true motivation for proclaiming God’s GRACE, is not out of fear that God cannot save people without our and their help. Nor is it in over-zealousness for fear that time is about to run out. The true motivation should be simply because of our God activated desire to speak of His wonderful GRACE. Even though the mechanics and true revelation of GRACE might be lacking in the evangelist’s understanding, BECAUSE OF GRACE, the divine OPERATION AND RESULTS OF GRACE continue unhindered.
According to the will of the Lord, GRACE will FIND us before we find GRACE. In the Old Testament, GRACE or divine FAVOUR, as a type and foreshadow of New Testament FAVOUR of God’s calling, was also something that was said to be ‘FOUND.’ Initially, "Noah FOUND GRACE in the eyes of the Lord."Gen.6-8. So did Joseph (Gen.39:4), Jacob (Gen.47:29), Abram (Gen.12:1-3; Ac.7:2,3), Moses (Ex.33:12,13) and many others-Ex.33:16. So did we who are saved. INITIAL GRACE was not FOUND, in man searching for--and then finding God. It was FOUND in God revealing Himself in a measure of glory to man!
GRACE begins when it is revealed to us as it was to Moses..."thou hast also FOUND GRACE in my sight." Ex.33:12. It was God that initiated it for His own purposes. There was nothing that Moses did to merit it. Moses had RECEIVED the GIFT of God’s FAVOUR, even that very strong presence of His Spirit and Life. Then the Lord in His grace said, "My PRESENCE shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Ex.33:14. This puts man in the recipient position of TRUSTING AND DEPENDING upon God. And that involves FAITH. Moses RESPONDED to God saying, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have FOUND GRACE in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? [and His word has assured us even today, "Lo I am with you alway"]. So shall we be SEPARATED, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."Ex.33:16. So it is through GRACE we enter into sanctification, through sanctification of and by the Spirit unto obedience to Christ-1Ptr.1:2. Not because WE FOUND AND CHOSE HIM but because He made Himself know in choosing of Himself, to reveal the presence of His love to us. OBEDIENCE is a PRODUCT and RESULT OF GRACE, not a prerequisite to it. Likewise, GRACE is a gift and not a REWARD of obedience.
"In this is love, not that we love God but that He loves us, AND DISPATCHES His Son, a PROPITIATORY SHELTER concerned with our sins." 1Jn.4:10. "For God does not DISPATCH His Son into the world that He should be JUDGING the world but that the world my be SAVED THROUGH HIM." Jn.3:17. "Thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only begotten Son, that everyone who IS BELIEVING IN Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian." Jn.3:16 [Conc. Literal]. Just as FAITH is lifeless and of no spiritual effect without the accompanying righteous WORKS to make it effectual, so GRACE is not REAL GRACE unless it is ACTIVATED in the LOVE AND MERCY OF GOD, beginning the PROCESS of new life in the divinely chosen recipient. GRACE is not mere ethereal HOPE. It is God’s ACTIVE CHARITY. It is His APPLIED MERCY, His GRANTED FAVOUR. This is both the Old and New Testament basis of GRACE. FAITH is an EVIDENCE, not A REQUIREMENT of GRACE. GRACE however, is a REQUIREMENT in the presence of FAITH.
Again the Lord said, "thou hast FOUND GRACE ...and I know thee by thy name." Ex.33:17. It was a personal relationship as is our salvation. And Moses said to the Lord, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." And the Lord said, "I will make all my GOODNESS to pass before thee; and will be GRACIOUS [give my grace] TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS, and will shew mercy ON WHOM I WILL SHEW MERCY." Ex.33:18,19. And so He has shown His glory. He has and still is making His goodness to pass before all men in many different forms, the completed Bible, not one of the least of them. And Paul reveals that He is still showing His GRACE, MERCY AND COMPASSION in the form of a new covenant salvation to chosen instruments.
All of this leads one to ask, "Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For He saith to Moses, I will have MERCY ON WHOM I WILL HAVE MERCY and WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I WILL HAVE COMPASSION. So then, it is not of him [depends not at all upon man] that willeth [simply desires in himself], nor of him that runneth [produces human effort in doing the action], but [it is totally an action, even the grace and salvation] OF GOD that sheweth mercy." Ro.9:14-16.
The KINDNESS OF LOVE of our Saviour has appeared to us, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY He saved us" (Tit.3:5) by showing us, then giving us "THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS." Ro.5:17. In this manner are we "justified BY HIS GRACE" (Tot.3:7; Ro.3:24) to the praise and glory of HIS GRACE-Eph.1:6. And for this purpose we "whom He has called" (Ro.9:24; Gal.1:15) "according to His own purpose and GRACE" (2Tim.1:9; 2Ths.1:12), are His chosen vessels of GRACE "according to the ELECTION OF GRACE" (Ro.11:15)..."that He might make known the riches of His glory on the VESSELS OF MERCY, which He had afore PREPARED unto glory." Ro.9:23; Eph.2:7; 2Ths.1:12. "For OF HIM and through Him...are all things" (Ro.11:36), especially those things that pertain to the GRACE, MERCY and GLORY of our salvation.
In brief, GRACE is God’s way of RECOMPENSE for man’s original DEMISE. It is God’s designated method of RECTIFICATION AND RECONCILIATION, whether we DESERVE it or not. We stand in awe of this glorious and most wondrous POWER OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
Though we were once as sheep lost and gone astray (Isa.53:6), and dwelling in imputed death (Eph.2:1), "YET GOD being rich in MERCY, because of His VAST AND ENDURING LOVE with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and lusts), vivifies us together IN CHRIST (IN GRACE are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials in Christ Jesus, that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent RICHES OF HIS GRACE in His KINDNESS to us in Christ Jesus. For IN GRACE, through FAITH, are ye SAVED, and THIS IS NOT OUT OF YOU; it is God’s APPROACH PRESENT, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting." Eph.2:4-9 [Conc. Literal]. WORKS are the RESULTS and not the MEANS of GRACE.
So then, if our salvation be according to the work of God’s ELECTION OF GRACE and according to HIS WORKS, HIS WILL, HIS CHOICE, HIS FAITHFULNESS, not ours, then it is no longer anything of man’s works or choices that saves us: otherwise the pure GRACE in God’s election is meaningless. But if the election to salvation be any of man’s work, thought or choice then it is no more God’s Grace. Otherwise the work is also no longer God’s work-Ro.11:16 [paraphrased]. If any man be elected of the Grace of God, he is a new creation (2Cor.5:17) and OF His fullness have they received; and this of God’s GRACE, only BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE-Jn.1:16.
There are many ways to describe the purposes, processes and results of GRACE. A practical and effective way to remember some of these, is to use each individual letter in the work GRACE, as the first letter of any descriptive words used in a five word phrase that sums up some meanings of GRACE. A common example is....."Gift Received At Christ’s Expense." The following are some more truth conveying phrases revealing different aspects of this most wonderful of all gifts.
THE PURPOSE OF G R A C E is...God Restoring all creatures Everywhere.
THE PROCESS OF G R A C E is...
...God’s Redeeming Action Calling Everyone ...God’s Righteous Absolute Counsel Executed ...God’s Reality Apprehending Converts Effectively ...God’s Ransom Applied Cleansing Efficiently
THE RESULTS OF G R A C E are...
...God’s Regenerative Ability Cures Eternally ...God’s Returning Approach Causes Embrace ...Gifted Recipients Are Christ’s Elect ...Goodness Received Affecting Change Everlasting ...Guilt Removed And Cleansed Entirely ...Granted Revelation Accomplishing Certain Expiation ...Genuine Righteousness Accompanying Christian Evangel ...Governing Rebellion Abolished Creating Equity ...Grand Remedy Appointed Captivated Enemies ...Gratuitous Rectifying Atonement Consuming Enmity ...Great Rescuing Agent Canceling Estrangement ...Glorious Rebirth At Calvary’s Encounter ...Gracious Reconciliation Absolving Condemning Evils ...Guaranteed Release Assuring Creation’s Escape ...Generated Redeeming Action Called Election
Beloved, as Paul said to his brethren, I say to you also. "And now brethren, I commend you to God, and TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." Ac.20:32. "GROW IN GRACE in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2Ptr.3:18. BE STRONG IN THE GRACE which is in Christ Jesus" (2Tim.2:1), who by the GRACE OF GOD tasted death FOR EVERY MAN-Heb.2:9.
And now, may "THE GOD OF ALL GRACE who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever...I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that "THIS IS THE TRUE GRACE OF GOD WHEREIN YOU STAND." 1Ptr.5:10-12. K.Ross McKay E-mail Light Of His Glory Ministries
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