RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-10-15	What Is Grace?
		Eph 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Eph 2:9  not of works, lest anyone should boast. Words like “grace” can be studied by simply opening your Bible or using a concordance and look up everywhere the word is used. There are 137 uses of the word grace in the New King James Version. We look at all the Bible has to say, and do your best to see how it all fits together. 1. Grace is called or described as undeserved favor Rom 3:24  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Grace is what inclines God to give gifts that are free and undeserved by sinners. Rom 5:15  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. Grace is that quality in God that produces free gifts for guilty sinners in salvation. Rom 11:5  Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Rom 11:6  And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. You can not work to earn grace. It is free and undeserved. None of us would be saved if grace were not undeserved favor. These are the thoughts we have in our minds when we say grace. 2. Grace is seen as a power or influence for obedience 2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2Co 12:9  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 1Co 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. In all three of these texts, grace is an influence, force, or power of God that works in us to change our capacity for work, suffer, and be obedient. So grace is a character trait in the nature of God where He treats sinners better than they deserve. Grace also is God's power in our lives that produces a practical outcome. This includes being sufficient for good works, or enduring a thorn in the flesh. This does not mean you have to give up that simple definition of undeserved favor. This is true. But that is not all there is to the word grace. It also embraces the encouraging truth that this favor overflows in powerful and practical helpfulness from God for your daily life when needed. That help is also called grace because it is free and undeserved. Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. It is encouraging that God's grace is both the inclination of the divine heart to treat us better than we deserve, and is the extension of that inclination in practical help. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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