1. GRACE is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ to reconcile all men to Himself, irrespective of race, social status and gender, “And of his fulness have all we received, and GRACE FOR GRACE. For the LAW was given by Moses, but GRACE and TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST” [John 1:16-17] The LAW as received by Moses was a written AGREEMENT between God and Israel, “And he took the BOOK OF THE COVENANT, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, ALL THAT LORD HATH SAID WILL WE DO, and be OBEDIENT” [Exodus 24:7] Israel in large parts breached the AGREEMENT, blinded by conceit, that God by their blindness might bring us to Himself by GRACE through FAITH, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this MYSTERY, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that BLINDNESS IN PART IS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL, until the fulness of the GENTILES be come in” [Romans 11:25] This MYSTERY, of which we had neither inkling nor input and was hidden from angels is UNNEGOTIATED GRACE, “Of which SALVATION the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the GRACE THAT SHOULD COME unto you: … Who verily was foreordained BEFORE the FOUNDATION of the WORLD, but was manifest in these last times for you” [1 Peter 1:10&20]
2. GRACE is our portal of access to God, which under the LAW was strictly regulated by daily offerings and sundry ordinances but did not make PERFECT, “For the LAW MADE NOTHING PERFECT, but the bringing in of a BETTER HOPE DID; by the which we draw nigh unto God” [Hebrews 7:19] This BETTER HOPE, which we neither bargained nor paid for was settled by a PROMISE made before the world began [Titus 1:2] The PROMISE is to all men, “Therefore it is of FAITH, that it might be by GRACE; to the end the PROMISE might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the FAITH of Abraham; who is the FATHER OF US ALL” [Romans 4:16] The PROMISE was fulfilled in Jesus Christ but Israel found faults with Him for going beyond the LAW to call sinners and publicans to SALVATION. As He was wont to do, He replied with a PARABLE, “For the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like unto a man that is an HOUSEHOLDER, which went out early in the morning to HIRE LABOURERS into his vineyard. And when HE HAD AGREED with the LABOURERS for A PENNY DAY, he sent them into his vineyard” [Matthew 20:1-2] Israel was the LABOURER with a written AGREEMENT and there are others, as the story go, who are welcome without prior AGREEMENT, “And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and WHATSOEVER IS RIGHT, I WILL GIVE YOU. And they went their way” [Matthew 20:4] Friend, GRACE is is calling you to Christ today, the worst offender is welcome to SALVATION in Jesus Christ.
3. GRACE is synonymous with the Lord Jesus Christ, “For ye know the GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, that, though he was RICH, yet for your sakes he became POOR, that YE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BE RICH” [2 Corinthians 8:9] God gave Himself for us in Jesus Christ; I know this is hard for some to digest but is true. God was born to us in Jesus Christ, “And without controversy great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God was MANIFEST IN FLESH, …” [[1 Timothy 3:16] Jesus Christ gave His LIFE for us on the Cross in final settlement of SIN and purchased REDEMPTION for us through His BLOOD, “Being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus” [Romans 3:24] The finished work of GRACE is the NEW MAN, dead to SIN and BORN AGAIN in the likeness of Christ. To be BORN AGAIN, REPENT and give up your sinful life; dead and buried, “Therefore we are BURIED WITH HIM by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE” [Romans 6:4] Though the NEW MAN retains his outward appearance he is inwardly transformed by excellency of the power of God and enriched with spiritual blessings, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath BLESSED US with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES” [Ephesians 1:3] ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSING in HEAVENLY PLACES! That is what God has packaged for you and I through GRACE.
4. GRACE is God working in us to accomplish His PURPOSE, “For it is GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU both to WILL and to DO of HIS GOOD PLEASURE” [Philippians 2:13] Proof of GRACE is how much of SELF we put away to allow God make of us what He wants us to be and do with us of His GOOD PLEASURE, putting aside all “… DISHONESTY, not walking in CRAFTINESS, nor handling the word of God DECEITFULLY; but by manifestation of the TRUTH commending ourselves to every man's CONSCIENCE in the sight of God” [2 Corinthians 4:2] GRACE is not synonymous with earthly riches but a good CONSCIENCE towards God and of HOPE, not of this world only but beyond, for “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” [1 Corinthians 2:9] Having this HOPE, our LOVE for Him is daily renewed as of children to a loving Father, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST; if so be that we SUFFER WITH HIM, that we may be also GLORIFIED” [Romans 8:17] Friend, GRACE is God’s out-stretched arm, calling you to REPENTANCE and SALVATION through Jesus Christ. Finally, GRACE so amazing, has expiry date; when Jesus shall appear, there shall be GRACE no more but fiery indignation for those who rejected Him, “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” [Hebrews 10:27]
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