[108]. A Message From A Poem – Grace Is The Key To Holiness

[108]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GRACE IS THE KEY TO HOLINESS

This is a poem that has to be read carefully for understanding because of the construct of the poem. The subject is certainly GRACE, but grace can never be in isolation. There is a strong but harmonising relationship with LOVE, HOLINESS and PEACE.

That is what this poem is exploring. It also explores the fact that those attributes of God would be cancelled out and ineffective if it was not for the sacrifice of Christ. That is the key that holds all the attributes together to work on our behalf.

Probably the greatest verse in the bible for how grace has blessed us is this one – {{2 Corinthians 8:9 “for you know THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”}}

For the first mention of grace in the Old Testament we have to come right down to Ezra to see it. {{Ezra 9:8 “but now for a brief moment GRACE HAS BEEN SHOWN FROM THE LORD OUR GOD, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.”}}

The last mention of grace in the bible is none other than this – {{Revelation 22:21 “THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS be with all. Amen.”}}

We will leave the Introduction there. What more can we say!!

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GRACE IS THE KEY TO HOLINESS

God’s holiness rejects the sinner,

For nothing evil or unclean,

Can exist in the presence of God,

For sin is utterly obscene.

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God’s presence burns up what is flawed.

His holiness can not abide

Sin, nor the sinner’s flawed condition.

There’s no place for evil to hide.

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Love, that mighty attribute of God,

Seeks to engage what’s reprobate,

And harmonise it with holiness.

Would love and holiness relate? Does love to holiness relate?

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Love embraces the sinner’s sick cause.

It is pure white and all giving.

Love alone won’t adjust holiness,

When sin controls, and is living.

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God is all holy and God is love,

But left at that, peace is denied.

Some operative is needed whereby,

Holiness can be satisfied.

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Another glorious attribute

Mounts up, and now comes into play.

Grace it is that rides triumphantly;

That opens up the light of day.

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Grace will take the open hand of love,

And lead that love to holiness.

It then unlocks the gate to sinners,

To bring them to God’s loveliness.

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Grace, you see, is the glue required,

To fasten holiness and love.

All three then are perfectly combined;

All attributes as in one glove.

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Grace has been armed with a mighty key -

‘twas forged in the hottest furnace.

It was conceived before time began,

And its open doors are endless.

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The mightiest key ever conceived

For grace, that it might operate,

Was gained at the cross when Jesus died;

For grace, through death, would liberate.

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That choice key will marry holiness,

And to God’s presence, let us in.

Now love can function in forgiveness.

Christ’s sacrifice defeated sin.

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Praise God I am accepted in Christ.

Holiness has been satisfied.

Grace and love and holiness in me,

Through God, have all been magnified.

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Beautiful holiness, love and grace,

Have embraced me with God’s true peace,

And in all the time that lies ahead,

Their security will not cease.

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R E Ferguson 20-22 April 2022 Metre = 9-8-9-8 ABCB

Ephesians 2:8 By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,

2Corinthians 8:9 for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.