WHEN I STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THERE ARE MANY REASONS GOD CHOOSES TO SAVES ALL OF US: TO BRING GLORY TO HIMSELF, TO APPEASE HIS JUSTICE, AND TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SOVEREIGNTY.
BUT ONE OF THE SWEETEST AND MOST POWERFUL REASONS THAT GOD WORKS TO SAVE US IS SIMPLY BECAUSE HE IS SO FOND OF US AND DESIRES SPENDING TIME WITH US. HE IS A RELATIONAL GOD WHOSE AIM IS FOR INTIMACY WITH HIS CREATION.
IN OTHER WORDS, OFF ALL HIS ATTRIBUTES, I BELIEVE THE ONE CLOSEST TO HIS HEART IS BEING A FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN. IT GAVE HIM JOY TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP TO BE POSSIBLE THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. JOHN 6:40, “FOR IT IS MY FATHER’S WILL THAT ALL WHO SEE HIS SON AND BELIEVE IN HIM SHOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” SIMPLY PUT: HE DESIRES YOUR COMPANY AND THINKS YOU ARE THE BEST THING TO COME DOWN THE PIKE IN QUITE SOME TIME.
YOU’VE HEARD THE OLD SAYING MANY TIMES THAT, IF GOD HAD A REFRIGERATOR, YOUR PICTURE WOULD BE ON IT. IF HE HAD A WALLET, YOUR PHOTO WOULD BE IN IT. HE’S CRAZY ABOUT US. HE REALLY LOVES US THAT MUCH!
HE LOVES US WITH SUCH INTENSITY THAT EACH AND EVERY DAY HE SENDS A SUNRISE TO GREET US IN THE MORNING AND A SUNSET AT NIGHT TO KISS US GOODNIGHT. HE GIVES US FLOWERS EVERY SPRING AND A THEN PAINTS US A VIVID AND COLORFUL REMINDER OF HIS LOVE TO US EVERY FALL.
WHAT A MIGHTY AND LOVING GOD WE SERVE TO KNOW THAT WHENEVER YOU WANT TO TALK, HE’LL LISTEN. WHENEVER YOU ARE HURTING, HE’LL COMFORT, AND WHEN YOU ARE FILLED WITH JOY, HE’LL CELEBRATE ALONG WITH YOU.
EVEN MORE AMAZING TO ME IS WHEN I TRY TO COMPREHEND THAT FACT THAT GOD CAN DWELL ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE AND OF ALL THOSE PLACES HE CAN ABIDE, HE CHOSE MY HEART.
LET’S JUST FACE THE FACT RIGHT NOW: GOD IS CRAZY ABOUT US! NOTHING MORE DOES HE DESIRE THAN TO BE WITH US IN ORDER TO TALK, WALK, AND COMMUNE WITH US ON AN INTIMATE BASIS. IT IS A RELATIONAL WALK WITH US THAT GROWS FROM A DAILY BASIS OF FRIENDSHIP AND FATHERSHIP TO AN ETERNITY OF WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP. AGAIN, GOD LOVES US THAT MUCH!
AS ROMANS 5:6-10, TELLS US, GOD POURED OUT HIS LOVE TO US TO NOT ONLY DESCRIBE HIS LOVING CHARACTER, BUT TO PROVE TO US THAT HIS DESIRE WAS TO SAVE US AND TO HAVE A LOVING, PERSONAL INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH US. ROMANS 5:8, “BUT GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS OWN LOVE TOWARD US IN THAT WHILE WE WRE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.”
WHAT A PRECIOUS GIFT OF LOVE HE HAS SHOWERED UPON US SO THAT NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON WOULD HAVE TO PERISH FOR ALL ETERNITY. GOD HAS MANIFESTED HIS LOVE TO US THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON JESUS SO THAT WE COULD COME TO HIM, FIND PEACE WITH HIM, AND BECOME HEIRS OF HIS PROMISES.
THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE FATHER’S LOVE AND THE GIFT’S THAY HE GIVES IS THAT THEY ARE GIVEN REGARDLESS IF THEY ARE ACCEPTED BY US OR NOT. THEY ARE GIVEN ON AN UNCONDITIONAL BASIS.
THERE ARE NO PREREQUISITES OR ANY CONDITION ONE MUST BE IN “FIRST” BEFORE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE GIFT. ONE MUST SIMPLY REACH OUT AND ACCEPT WHAT IS GIVEN. WHAT, THEN, IS THIS GIFT OF LOVE THAT THE FATHER GIVES? IT IS GRACE!
EPHESIANS 2:8, “FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH.” GOD HAS LAVISHED HIS GIFT OF GRACE UPON US AND HAS GIVEN IT TO US IN THREE DISTINCT WAYS: PREVENIENT GRACE, JUSTIFYING GRACE, AND SANCTIFYING GRACE.
FIRST, PREVENIENT GRACE WHICH IS REALIZATION WITHIN ONE’S OWN LIFE THAT REALIZES THAT SALVATION IS A GRACIOUS GIFT OF GOD. SINCE IT IS A GIFT, WE MAKE SURE WE DON’T CONFUSE THIS WITH HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT, HUMAN WILL, OR WITH THE FAITHFUL PRUSUIT OF A CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE. SALVATION IS THE WORK OF GOD AND OF NO OTHER.
NOT ONLY DOES GOD DO ALL THE WORK, BUT HE ALSO PUTS FORTH THE EFFORT TO BRING US TO HIMSELF. GOD TAKES THE INITIATIVE IN MAKING SINNERS AWARE OF THEIR NEEDS, USING HIS WORD, THE REVELATION IN JESUS CHRIST, PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL AND HIS CHURCH, THE WITNESS OF INDIVIDUALS, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE EXPERIENCE IN LIFE.
IN ALL OF THESE WAYS WORKING TOGETHER, GOD REACHES OUT TO US, THE HOLY SPIRIT THEN TAKES ALL OF THESE MEANS AND USES THEM TO AWAKEN OUR HEARTS TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL AND TO OUR NEED OF REPENTANCE. ONCE AWAKENED, WE MUST EITHER REJECT THIS CALL OF GOD OR TURN TO GOD IN REPENTANCE AND FAITH.
THIS IS CALLED “PREVENIENT GRACE” BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN GRACIOUS IN DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO “PREVENT” US FROM BEING SEPARATED FROM HIM NOW AND FOR ALL ETERNITY.
SECONDLY, THERE IS JUSTIFYING GRACE WHICH IS SOMETHING GOD DOES FOR US THROUGH HIS SON JESUS. HERE, IF WE WILL ADMIT OUR SINFULNESS, CONFESS OUR SINS, AND INVITE JESUS INTO OUR LIVES TO BE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS GRACIOUS GIFT OF PARDON AND WILL FORGIVE ALL OUR SINS. WITH THAT FORGIVENESS, WE ARE JUSTIFIED IN GOD’S SIGHT AND SET FREE FROM BOTH THE GUILT AND THE PENALTY OF THOSE SINS.
IN A SENSE, JUSTIFYING GRACE ALLOWS US TO BE ACCOUNTED AS RIGHTEOUS TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN SAY THAT IT IS “JUST-IF-I” (JUSTIFIED) HAD NEVER SINNED.
IN OTHER WORDS, JUSTIFYING GRACE IS THE MOMENT OF SALVATION FOR THE ONE WHO CALLS UPON THE LORD IN FAITH.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IS GOD’S LOVING GIFT OF SANCTIFYING GRACE. THIS GIFT OF GRACE IS WHERE GOD CALLS HIS PEOPLE TO SET THEMSEVES APART TO HIS WILL AND PURPOSE.
ROMANS 12:1, “…BY THE MERCIES OF GOD…PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE.” WE MUST BE HOLY AS GOD IS HOLY.
IF CHRISTIANS ARE TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY IN THE WORLD, THEY MUST BE DISTINGUISHED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, JOY, FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE.
SIMPLY PUT: GOD WANTS A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE FOR HIS HOLY WORK…A PEOPLE WHO ARE STRIVING TO SANCTIFY THEMSELVES THROUGH OBEDIENCE, SURRENDER, AND SERVICE TO GOD, THROUGH CHRIST, EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT.
SANCTIFYING GRACE ALLOWS US TO SURRENDER OUR WILL TO THE WILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. IT IS THE GRACE THAT GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO LAY DOWN OUR LIFE, TO PICK UP OUR CROSS, AND TO FOLLOW AFTER GOD.
SANCTIFYING GRACE IS AN ONGOING PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF OUR LIVES. THIS EVER-GROWING PROCESS WILL ONLY HAPPEN WHEN WE CO-OPERATE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ALLOW HIM TO WORK IN OUR LIVES. IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF WE’LL ALWAYS BE SEEKING AFTER A DEEPER AND MORE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST.
BY SANCTIFYING OURSELVES, IT IS, AS JOHN WESLEY SAID, THE WAY IN WHICH WE ARE “GOING ON TOWARDS PERFECTION.” IN OTHER WORDS, SANCTIFICATION IS AN UNRESTRAINED, PURPOSE-LED, LIFESTYLE OF LOVING GOD, WORSHIPPING GOD, SERVING GOD, AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.
THE “GIFTS OF THE FATHER’S LOVE” WHICH IS PREVENIENT GRACE, JUSTIFYING GRACE, AND SANCTIFYING GRACE. THREE DISTINCT PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S GRACE TO PROVIDED FOR US THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
IF YOU HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE THREE GIFTS OF GOD’S GRACE, WILL YOU PLACE YOUR TRUST IN CHRIST TODAY? WILL YOU RIGHTFULLY PROCLAIM, AS DID CHARLES WESLEY, IN THE HYMN “AND CAN IT BE?” WHEN HE WROTE: “LONG MY IMPRISONED SPIRIT LAY, FAST BOUND IN SIN AND NATURE’S NIGHT; THINE EY DIFFUSED A QUICKENING RAY, I WOKE, THE DUNGEON FLAMED WITH LIGHT; MY CHAINS FELL OFF, MY HEART WAS FREE, I ROSE, WENT FORTH, AND FOLLOWED THEE.”
WHAT A WONDERFUL AND MOST APPROPRIATE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU TODAY ON FATHER’S DAY THAN TO ALLOW GOD TO BECOME YOUR FATHER BY LETTING HIM ADOPT YOU BACK INTO HIS FAMILY.
WILL YOU COME TO CHRIST AND RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO JESUS TODAY? WILL YOU BOLDLY COME FORTH AND ACCEPT THESE WONDERFUL AND PRICELESS GIFTS OF THE FATHER’S LOVE THIS FATHER’S DAY?
