The Grace Of God - Bliss & Fire Network Weekly Digest - Success Scripture June 30, 2009

The Grace Of God 

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved" - Ephesians 2:4-5

EXPLORATION

We shall be considering GRACE in the Context of Our salvation in Christ and our daily living a Christians.

DEFINITION: Grace means "Unmerited Favor" Favor means the expression of goodwill. Grace implies not only a giver but also a receiver. It is helpfulness towards someone in need not in return for anything but for the sake of the person who is in need.

By God's word, when a person sins, he should pay with his life in everlasting punishment. In the previous week, we saw that He is loving and merciful: And it is written

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved" - Ephesians 2:4-5

Mercy and love motivated God's provision of a Savior for this sinful world. God is holy and righteous and sin is a complete offence to him.  Hence sin stands as a barrier to man in receiving the mercy and love of God. So there was a need to take care of the question of sin in man for the grace of God to become operative or active, otherwise the offer of Jesus would be unnecessary. The Bible says: "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

INSPIRATION

The provision for man's salvation was initiated by God. So, all human merits are ruled out. The Bible says: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 God's plan for man's salvation is not an arbitrary display of grace. In order to receive it, man must believe it and accept the offer of Jesus Christ for his salvation. God's grace by this process opens up the way for the exercise of God's love, mercy, power and all that may be freely given by him to the believer. Grace therefore excludes any merit of human effort in securing salvation. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

As we believe and we are saved, God gives us an entirely new position in Christ. Grace bestows Christ's merit and Christ's righteousness on us He is our righteousness. The Bible says: "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:" - Philippians 3:9

Paul says: "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:5-7 (Romans 8:17, Romans 5:1-2)

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." - Romans 8:1,

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" - Colossians 2:9-10

SUSTAINING GRACE
Grace thus becomes the doorway by which the blessings of God, both spiritual and physical flow into the life of a saved soul, that is, the calmness of the soul and spirit, safety, preservation, forgiveness when in error and the benefit of the of fatherhood of God in providing our daily needs. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." - James 1:17. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6. This is why we pray and ask God for things in the name of Jesus.

GRACE IN SERVICE
In Hebrews 10:29, Paul talks about the Spirit of grace:

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Beloved! It is by the grace of God that we experience the indwelling of the holy Spirit, inner power of the Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit. The spiritual enablement we have in living a holy life and serving the Lord is by the grace of God. Paul made this confession: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.'' - Philippians 4:13.

Grace therefore nullifies the law system as a merit system and sums up the totality of the blessings which come from GOD through Christ. For the believer to enjoy this grace of God, he must be obedient to Him.

This week, Paul says: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor." - Galatians 2:16-18

Hence we all repent of every things that we build in our hearts and attitude that the grace of God has already destroyed, and we reject sin, we uphold and demonstrate the love of God to this generation. We speak and declare the abundant of the grace of God in our lives. We receive the calmness of the soul and spirit, safety, preservation, forgiveness, healing, prosperity and joy in the Holy Ghost. We all say Amen!!!

Remember: The Bible says: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." - Romans 5:1-2

God bless you,

We love you!

Bliss & Fire Network Team

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