Many Christians know some things about Grace. Many Christians know some things about Faith. The problem is they don’t have an understanding about Grace and Faith. Being saved by grace through faith does not ring a clear bell of revelation that there is a merger of Grace and Faith. There is a merger of Grace and Power.
2 Peter 3:17,18.
17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.
You already know these things. What things? Everything Peter wrote about before. Study the before verses and chapters and find out. Especially look at verses 15 and 16. I love what it says about Paul’s writing and letters. “Those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different”. SOUND FAMILIAR???
18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
Peter encourages us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. But how do we do that? We have access to grace through faith. Faith accesses grace.
Romans 5:2 says “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Grace is connected to everything in the bible. Grace is connected to everything God has done. Grace is connected to everything we have in Christ. Grace is much more than just what I need when I sin, when I make a mistake, or when I didn’t deserve it. “Grace is not undeserved favor. That’s a ridiculous religious statement. If it were true then Jesus would not have had any grace. He never did anything wrong, so therefore He could never be in an undeserving state.” Graham Cooke
God’s grace is much more. It is so deep and so wide, we can never fully understand it. Matter of fact, Ephesians 2:7 states that it will take “ages to come”. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (KJV)
I believe this is what Paul was talking about when he said in Phil 3:12, I’m trying to get a grip on what got a grip on me. I’m trying to lay hold of what lay a hold on me. He was trying to get a grip on the grace of God that got ahold of him on the road to Damascus and changed his life.
Look what verse 12 says. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
Let me tell you, Jesus will apprehend you, and make you a prisoner of His love. They are chains of love. The bible states it would take us an eternity to get a grip on the grace of God. That is how vast it is, how good it is, how wonderful it is, and how marvelous God’s grace is toward us.
Everything God provided for us came to us by His grace. We could say it this way, Grace was the way that love chose to display Himself. John 1:17 reads “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”.
Hebrews 4:16 declares that we may come boldly unto the throne. Don’t miss what throne that is. It is the throne of GRACE. So God’s throne is called a throne of WHAT? GRACE. And we are to come boldly there. Why? Because He wants us.
Grace is God’s divine want to. He saved us because He wanted to. He loves us because He wants to. He sent His Son to die at Calvary because He wanted to. You should never ask yourself the questions does God want me? Does God care about me? Does God love me? It’s already been answered and settled 2000 years ago at Calvary.
God loves you, God loves me, God accepts us, and God’s invited us to come boldly before the throne of Grace anytime. Now that’s good news! Monday I can go, Tuesday I can go, Wednesday I can go. Anytime I can go boldly to God, because He loves me, accepts me and I’m His child.
When I used to be at work, before I retired, my children would call and I would take their calls. I may not take others calls, because I knew they were just an interruption to my busy schedule sometimes. But I would take their calls, because they have access. They are my children.
It’s the same with God. We are His children. We have access all the time. He never rejects our calls. He always wants conversation. He gives us complete access to Him anytime.
Back to Heb 4:16. Come boldly unto the throne of grace. WHY? That we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Obtain mercy or healing, deliverance or whatever we need.
Time of need could be anytime about anything. Grace will help you in any kind of need at anytime. His Grace is sufficient in all things.
Going to stop here with part 1, but this teaching is broken into 4 parts, so we are just getting started. Stay with this teaching and get set free from the errors surrounding God's Love for us. Get set free from religion and legalism which try to keep you in spiritual bondage. Grace and Peace.
Comments