Surprised By Grace Series

And what was God’s purpose in predestinating us? He had planned to adopt us as children, “in the Beloved”. As adopted children we become joint heirs with Christ, holy and blameless because, through faith, we now wear the robes of Christ’ righteousness! Now every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ!

R.W. Dale, in his commentary wrote, “Christ dwells forever in the infinite love of God, and as we are in Christ, the love of God for Christ is in a wonderful manner ours!”

But there is more to this surprise;

2. Being surprised by grace is to be surprised by God’s “Gifts”. v.7-10 (read)

When my brother, who is in the Catholic Order of Irish Christian Brothers, was relocated from his position as Principle of a large High School in Harlem, the Trustees and parents threw him a ‘retirement’ party. They rented out a hall high above Manhattan and many ‘well-to-do’ bankers and professionals expressed their appreciation and gratitude for his years of service by giving him many expensive gifts such as a new car, a trip to Ireland and free golf lessons from a pro to name a few. (I always joke with him that maybe I should have taken the vow of poverty.)

But there is a hugh difference between gifts given because of what one has done, and the blessings that God gives when we don’t deserve them. That is what grace is, unmerited favor. As verse 6 reminds us, all the blessings that are ours in Christ have been “freely bestowed”. When surprised by grace, it’s as if God hands out ‘gifts’ to us. Notice some of the gifts we receive through faith in Christ;

We receive redemption.

The text reads, ‘We have’, and the tense is continuous and could be read, “We have and are still having redemption.” It’s a never-ending gift. The whole course of God’s revelation to us shows us that He is a ‘Redeeming God’. Redemption means to ‘Set free’ or ‘Release from an owner’. Israel was a redeemed people, first from Egypt then Babylon. And everyone who is in Christ has been set free from slavery in the kingdom of

Darkness and made children in the Kingdom of Light. For this purpose Christ came. As Mt. 20:28 states, he came, “... to give his life a ransom for many.” And this redemption, which is a gift to us, cost more than any gift - because it was, “through his blood”. It cost Christ his life that you might have the gift of eternal life with him in glory.

Because of his shed blood, the next ‘gift’ to unwrap is,

Forgiveness of sins.

Christ loved us enough to be our substitute, to take our sins upon Himself and pay the penalty so we might not have to, so that we can have forgiveness. When ‘surprised by grace’ God gives this ‘gift’ of forgiveness to you. God is not cheap. I’m reminded of those wonderful words penned by Horatio Spafford;

“My sin - O the joy of this glorious thought - my sin not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

What a blessed gift! If you are trusting Christ alone for your salvation, know that He has removed your sins from you and you will not be judged for them - ever.