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Amazing
Grace Few
songs are more recognizable to Christians than “Amazing Grace.” It is a
fixture in many worship services and funerals. But what exactly is grace, and
why is it so amazing? Sadly, some Christians struggle to answer those questions.
All they seem to know about grace is that it is something they can fall from.
Therefore, it is important that we study this precious biblical concept. Christianity
is a religion of grace. Our God is “the God of grace” (1 Peter 5:10), His
throne is “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16), His Spirit is “the Spirit
of grace” (Hebrews 10:29), His word is “the word of grace” (Acts 20:32)
and His Son is “full of grace” (John 1:14). Furthermore, grace saves
(Ephesians 2:8), calls (2 Timothy 1:9), justifies (Titus 3:7), trains (Titus
2:12), strengthens (Hebrews 13:9), etc. By it we stand (1 Peter 5:12). Amazing
Grace: WHAT? By
grace, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He made a way of
salvation through Christ (Romans 3:24-25; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10). This is
what makes grace so amazing! God’s goodness toward us was not based on any
goodness we had done or would do in the future. He acted freely and without
expectation of receiving anything of equitable value in return. It was unearned
kindness! Amazing
Grace: HOW? Though
salvation is by grace, it is not by grace alone. Paul said that we are saved
“by grace…through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is God’s part; faith is
man’s part. If salvation were by grace alone, then all would be saved since
“the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus
2:11). Yet we know that not all will be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). Hence, grace is
appropriated conditionally. There
are many examples of grace being appropriated conditionally in Scripture. For
instance, Noah was saved from the flood by grace when he built the ark (Genesis
6), the Israelites were healed of snakebite by grace when they looked at the
bronze serpent (Numbers 21), the Israelites conquered Jericho by grace when they
marched around the walls (Joshua 6), Naaman was healed of leprosy by grace when
he dipped in the Jordan (2 Kings 5), and the Jews on Pentecost were forgiven of
their sins by grace when they repented and were baptized (Acts 2). In each of
these cases, a lack of human cooperation would have thwarted God’s grace.
Amazing
Grace: WHO? By
grace, Jesus tasted death “for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). He is the
propitiation “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). This means that
all can benefit from what God has done through Christ. None are beyond reach!
Perhaps this is best seen in the life of Paul. He said to King Agrippa, “I
myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of
Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the
saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they
were put to death I cast my vote against them. And punished them often in all
the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them
I persecuted them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:9-11). Yet he was later
saved. If Paul could receive grace when judgment was long overdue, anyone can (1
Timothy 1:16)! Another
example is much more recent. Jeffrey Dahmer was one of the most notorious serial
killers in American history. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms for
the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 males between 1978 and 1991. Some of
the murders involved cannibalism. Yet he learned the truth and was baptized into
Christ shortly before he was beaten to death on November 28, 1994. Below is an
excerpt from Roy Ratcliff, the preacher who did the baptism: “Nearly
everyone raises the question about Jeff's sincerity. But I was there, and these
questioners weren't…I cannot know the condition of another person's heart
unless I listen to his or her words. I listened to Jeff's words, and I watched
his eyes and his body language. I listened to the tone of his voice and observed
his mannerisms, and I am convinced that he was totally sincere in his
desire…Jeff had nothing to gain in this life by being baptized; he had
everything to gain in the next life. He was baptized for the same reason anyone
else is baptized. In the light of the Bible, he surveyed his life and concluded
that he needed to be saved.” If
Paul was the “foremost” sinner of the first century (1 Timothy 1:15),
Jeffrey Dahmer was certainly among the “foremost” sinners of the twentieth
century. However, neither man was beyond the scope of God’s grace! David
once declared, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the
moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are
mindful of him, and the sons of man that you care for him” (Psalm 8:3-4)? It
is truly amazing to know that God is interested in us, as weak and wretched as
we are, and that He cared enough to send His Son into the world to die as a
sacrifice for sin. Who then are we to arbitrarily choose who is and is not
“worthy” of such grace? If God extended His grace to all who will accept it,
shouldn’t we do the same? Perversions of Grace Grace is a wonderful concept. It is the one word that sums up the theme of salvation given to us by God through Christ. However, there are those who pervert the truth about grace. Below are a few examples. (1)
Grace as a license to sin. This idea was apparently being promoted by
false teachers in the early church. Jude speaks of those who “pervert the
grace of our God into sensuality” (v. 4). However, grace trains us to
“renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). We must live in
obedience to the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21). (2)
Grace saves all. Some teach that grace will eventually result in the
salvation of everyone. Universalists embrace this idea. However, grace must be
coupled with faith to produce salvation (Ephesians 2:8). Not all will be saved
(Matthew 7:13-14). (3)
Once in grace, always in grace. Some teach that a saved person cannot
fall from grace. Calvinists embrace this idea. However, grace can be received
“in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). It is possible to “fall” from grace
(Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 3:12; 4:11). Conclusion
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