A Closer Walk
Grace. God's grace. We might define grace as unmerited favor. God gives us grace even though we cannot do anything to earn or deserve His grace, hence unmerited. Then why would He offer us His grace? "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16 KJV. Our Creator loves us, His creation, so much that He was willing to sacrifice His One and Only begotten Son to be the propitiation (payment in full) for our sins. God puts it this way, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 1 Corinthians 5:21 NASB.
Grace by definition cannot be earned. So it must come through faith. “Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” Galatians 3:6 NASB. Where does the faith come from? “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17 KJV. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God; the Bible. Reading the word of God and hearing the word of God proclaimed from the pulpit produces faith in us. This faith enables us to believe God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8 NASB. The faith which comes by hearing is a gift from God. The grace which comes through the faith is also a gift from God and it produces salvation. Salvation from what? From the wrath of God. We are rescued from our sins and saved from God's wrath. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Further, “...He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins,” Colossians 1:13-14 NASB. We no longer live in the darkness of our sins. We now live in the glorious light of the kingdom of God.
But why would our Lord do all that? “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)...in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:4-5 and 7 NASB. Almighty God offers us His grace because of His great love for us and the richness of His mercy toward us.
Here is what a couple of the Old Testament prophets and one of the Old Testament writers have said about our God's love, mercy, and grace. Nahum: “The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him,” Nahum 1:7 NASB. Jonah: “...for I knew that Thou art a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity,” Jonah 4:2 NASB. David: “My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us,” Psalm 62:5-8 NASB. “For Thou hast been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Thy tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Thy wings,” Psalm 61:3-4 NASB. Amen. Amen. Amen!
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Your pastors would enjoy some kind of expression of your appreciation for them and the work they do.