The Many Graces of God
By
Bishop Melvin Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - One of the most important doctrines of the Bible is the doctrine of the grace of God. Grace is clearly expressed in the promises of God revealed in the Bible and is fully embodied in Jesus Christ. Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely, the peace of God given to the restless, the unmerited favor of God.
If you grew up going to church like me or have been around the church for many years, Grace is one of those words that you heard almost every Sunday. Although people hear about it all the time, many miss how God’s grace applies to their life.
So often we use the word grace just like the word blessed and have forgotten what grace truly means and just how beautiful and life changing Grace truly is. We often will get stuck on grace just being what we say before we eat or limit it to the definition of the unmerited favor of God.
My desire is to bring to some people’s remembrance the beauty of Grace, to enlighten others of the wonderful life grace supplies, and briefly scratch the surface of an infinite subject and that is the many Graces of God.
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURE: - There are 127 verses in the Bible about Grace, to narrow it down to just one for this message is extremely hard. However, Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”.
Now I stated there are 127 verses about Grace. 1+2+7=10. 10 is the number of Divine Order and Testimony. In Genesis 1, the phrase “God said” is mentioned 10 times, which is a testimony of His creative power. God gave the Ten Commandments to man. 10 therefore represents man's responsibility to keep the commandments. A tithe is a 10th of our earnings and is a testimony of our faith in the Lord. 1+2+7=10 therefore Grace is the Devine Order of God and the Testimony of God toward His people of how much He cares.
Biblical Definition of Grace.
The Greek word Charis (?????) is what is often translated as grace in the New Testament. This word brings a picture of kindness, showing favor, often with a focus on a benefit being given.
Grace is what God does because He’s gracious not because of any goodness on our behalf. Grace is a gift of God. Not because we deserve it or did enough good works, but instead because God is good. Grace is a result of the love of God. It’s the unmerited favor of God.
I like how Max Lucado said it. “Grace is God's best idea. His decision to ravage a people by love, to rescue passionately, and to restore justly - what rivals it? Of all his wondrous works, grace, in my estimation, is the magnum opus.” Regarded as the most important work.
The Many Graces of God.
The number 5 symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor toward humans. The word “five” is recorded 345 times in Scripture. Since five represents grace, when it’s multiplied by itself, it produces 25 which is 'grace upon grace' John 1:16. The Ten Commandments contains two sets of 5 commandments. The first five commandments are related to our treatment and relationship with God with the remaining one concerned with our relationship with others.
There are 5 primary types of offerings God commanded Israel to bring to him. They are the Burnt Offering, Sin Offering, Trespass Offering, Grain Offering, and Peace Offering. John wrote 5 books centered on the grace of God and eternal life the gospel of John, 1John, 2John, 3John and Revelation.
I want to talk about 5 of the many Graces of God.
Loving Grace. This is Unmerited Favor, nothing on our part but all because God is Love. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Commendeth means to reward, to commit, or to entrust. God shows His Loving Grace commits His Grace and entrust us with His Grace while we were yet sinners, alienated from Him. This was not done because of anything we had done but because God is Love.
Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved”.
God’ Loving Grace regardless of our sins, our weaknesses, our insecurities, our past, our current, or our future mistakes, His Loving Grace has us covered and when we give all this stuff over to Him, He comes and delivers us, forgives us, and saves us. That is not based on any merit of us but solely upon His unmerited favor. That’s the Loving Grace of God.
So, God’s Loving Grace is the Unmerited Favor of God.
Forgiving Grace. This is Justification, just like nothing ever happened. God is willing to forgive us and bless us, even though we fall short and have committed all kinds of sins. Romans 3:23-24 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.
WATCH THIS: There is nothing that you could have done that God will not forgive you for. Murder, adultery, lust, homosexualism, drug, drunkenness, lying, cheating, etc. So often our mistakes, our sins, our wrong decisions, condemn us and separate us from God. But God doesn’t leave us to the deal with the consequences of our sin. When Jesus died on Calvary’s cross His blood paid the ransom for us, because of His blood God will forgive us of all sin. This is not a free pass to continue in sin, but He is willing and will forgive us if we repent and turn from our wicked ways.
Therefore, since God’s Grace forgives us and we have been justified by faith just as if nothing ever happened, we live knowing Romans 5:1-2 “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”. Colossians 1:27 says, “…Christ in you the hope of glory”.
When I think about God’s Forgiving Grace I am reminded of a story about a brother, sister, and a grandmother. The story goes Bobby and Lisa went to spend a few weeks with their grandmother in the country who had a lot of pet ducks on her farm for the summer. Bobby had a sling shot and while shooting the sling shot killed one of his grandmother’s ducks. Lisa saw him do it and said she was going to tell their grandmother what he did. Bobby was scared and cried begging her please don’t tell grandma what I did I will do anything. Lisa said she would not tell but Bobby had to do whatever she said while they were at grandmas for the summer. So, after dinner grandma told Lisa to wash the dishes, she looked at Bobby and said Bobby will wash the dishes tonight grandma. Bobby cried some but he went on and washed the dishes. The next day grandma said to Bobby that she wanted the horse to be brushed, Bobby was excited until Lisa looked at him and said grandma, I have something to tell you. Bobby said never mind Grandma Lisa can brush the horse. That night grandma made apple pie and homemade ice cream and handed Bobby a really big piece. Lisa looked at it and said to Bobby give me your piece of pie and you take this one. Bobby really wanted the piece of pie and looked at his grandmother and said grandma I have something to tell you I killed the duck with my sling shot. Grandma looked at Bobby gave him a big hug and said I know Bobby; I saw you when you did it through the window and I already forgave you I was just waiting for you to tell me. That’s how God’s Forgiving Grace is He has already forgiven us and is just waiting for us to come to Him. However, we end up like Bobby being manipulated by the Devil like he was by Lisa because we are scared not realizing God has already forgiven us.
So, God’s Forgiving Grace is Justification.
Saving Grace. This is Sanctification. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone boast”. This tells us, without any spin or manipulated interpretation that salvation in the Lord can only be received by “grace” through our personal faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is not earned by any type of good works that we can do in this life, it doesn’t matter how many times you give to the poor, feed the hungry, or walk an old lady across the street, go to church, pay your tithes, or anything else. The quantity and quality of our works do not matter to Him. It is His Grace, the unmerited favor of God, the best God gives to us.
2 Timothy 1:9 says, “… who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work”.
Saving Grace is our Sanctification, the process which God transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ. WATCH THIS: Transformed deals with the process of being made into while conformed refers the completed process. We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved a process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away and behold all things are become new”. We can be assured that the process will continue because He lets us know in Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
God’s saving grace is all based on and in Him we can doing nothing that will merit His saving grace. We are because of sin unacceptable unto God and would not be able to be saved by anything we would do not even our faith in God for Romans 3:10-11 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God”. Since none seeketh after God how can we be saved. Luke 18:26-27 says, “And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God”. Praise God for Saving Grace John 6:44 says, “No man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day”.
We are saved by grace, which we are, then works has absolutely no part in our personal salvation with the Lord. It’s all Him and none of us. Unfortunately, there are still some Christian mindsets, religious propaganda, and ritualistic people who are walking around thinking that they still have to try and earn their way into heaven by doing as many good and holy works as they possibly can. They spend most of their life in misery and torment as they never know for sure if they will make it into heaven after they die because they are worried if they did enough to satisfy God’s requirements.
Understand ritualism, legalism, and works are useless! They have no place in salvation. God’s Saving Grace is the free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ it is just that simple.
Saving Grace / Salvation is received direct from God as a free gift and it can only be received by grace through our personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross. Salvation is simply just a matter of believing and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
So, Saving Grace is the Salvation / Sanctification process. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”.
ABOUNDING GRACE
2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
Abounding Grace is the power and ability of God operating in and through us. This does not mean God desires for you to be rich and live in a big mansion, have your own airplane or anything of that matter, nor that He will give us an abundance of temporary things, because this would result spiritual poverty but He is able, and also willing, to make His favor abound toward us in all ways that will be for our highest spiritual well-being.
Abounding Grace is the power and ability of God operating through us so that we can effectively work in whatever He calls us to do for Him in this life. This Abounding Grace is also needed for us to live a life Holy and acceptable unto the Lord as well as helping us overcome different types of sins, addictions, temptations, and fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation.
Without God’s Abounding Grace operating through us, we will never be able to reach the goals, the aspirations, and the finish lines that God has in store for us unless we have the power of His Holy Spirit which is His Abounding Grace working in us and through us.
Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain”. So many people believe they can do good and live a Holy life without relying on God. They rely on their own wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, and strength. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding”.
Understand we can only reach your true divine destiny in the Lord only if He is personally guiding your steps and empowering you along the way with His Abound Grace. There is no other way!
We need God’s abounding grace abiding in and through us if we are going to become everything that He is calling us to become in Him in this life. Not by power nor by might, but by the power of His Holy Ghost God’s abounding grace operating through us.
Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all”.
2 Timothy 2:1 says, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”.
So Abounding Grace is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost that will empower you, comfort you, equip you, lead and guide you.
1 Corinthians 1:4-8 says, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Keeping Grace
We all have been given Loving Grace, Forgiving Grace, Saving Grace, Abounding Grace, but also the keeping grace of God. All that is asked of us is that we believe. John 3:36 says, “He that believes on the Son, has everlasting life”. That we stand and proclaim Jesus Christ Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.”.
God’s keeping grace will keep in these perilous times and this wicked society. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we may ask or think”.
2 Timothy 1:12 says, “For I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him”. Romans 4:21 says, “And being fully persuaded, that what He has promised He is able to perform!”.
The Keeping Grace of God is able to keep you! And He will keep you by His love. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.
WATCH THIS: If God would extend His love to us while we were dirty, wretched, perverse sinners, surely now that we are His children, that have been justified by His blood, His love and grace will keep us!
WATCH THIS:- We have been so taught by tradition that we miss the beauty of scripture. We often say the Lord’s prayer is “Our father who art in Heaven…” calling it the Lord’s prayer. When that is more accurately the Disciples Prayer because they asked Jesus “Master teach us to pray as John also taught his disciple to pray”. So, when Jesus responded to their question he said when you pray say.
Jesus when He prayed to the Father His prayer came from the Loving and Keeping Grace. John 17:9-26 says, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them”. That’s the Lord’s Prayer of Keeping Grace.
Understand it is impossible for any prayer that Christ prayed to go unanswered! The Son of God could say of those who had been saved, “none of them is lost”. When He prayed for those “who shall believe on me through their word”, He prayed for all believers. He prayed at that moment for you and me! And He says, “none of them is lost!” He continues to pray for us. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
How can we not be kept seeing how we are the objects of the ceaseless intercession of Jesus Christ, whose prayer can never be denied? Jude 24-25 says, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen”.
CLOSING: As I said in the beginning that any message about the Grace of God would only scratch the surface of the infinite subject of God’s Grace. However, when we think of the Many Grace’s of God we can understand what John Newton meant when he pinned the words to Amazing Grace.
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found, Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come, 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we've first begun.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
