The Benefits Of His Grace

INTRODUCTION: OF ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HUMANITY, I AM CONVINCED THERE ARE NONE MORE VALUEABLE THAN THE BLESSED BENEFITS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GOD’S GRACE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE WORK FORCE, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SUCH BENEFITS AS HOSPITALIZATION, DENTAL, AND EYE CARE. A PERSON MAY WORK A LIFETIME, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN THEY CAN ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT BECAUSE OF ECONOMICS, THEIR BENEFITS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO LITTLE OF NOTHING. IN SOME CASES IF YOU DO NOT MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, YOU CAN LOOSE CERTAIN BENEFITS. BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD WHO IS RICH IN GRACE, HAS AN INEXHAUSTABLE RESERVOIR OF RESOURCES THAT CAN NEVER BE DIMINISHED. THANK GOD FOR THE BENEFITS OF HIS GRACE.

I. GRACE.

BEFORE WE EXAMINE THE TEXT, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GRACE IS. FIRST, GRACE IS NOT MERCY. MERCY DEALS MORE WITH COMPASSION AND PITY. ONE SCHOLAR HAS CONCLUDED THAT MERCY IS THE FORBEARANCE FROM INFLICTING PUNISHMENT UPON AN ADVERSARY.

SECOND, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO BESTOW BLESSINGS OF GRACE UPON US. LEWIS CHAFER IN HIS BOOK, "GRACE," STATES; "IF GOD WAS UNDER OBLIGATION OR COMPELLED TO PROVIDE GRACE; THEN GRACE CEASES TO BE GRACE. WHAT THEN IS GRACE? GRACE IS GOD’S FREE UNMERITED FAVOR TO UNMERITED MEN. IT IS BY GRACE THAT WE GET WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE; IT IS ALSO BY GRACE THAT WE DON’T DESERVE WHAT WE GET."

THE SUBJECT OF GRACE CAN BE A BROAD SUBJECT, BUT THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OF GRACE THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS. FIRST, THERE IS COMMON GRACE, WHICH IS THE GENERAL CARE GOD PROVIDES TO ALL HUMANITY. GOD WAKES US UP IN THE MORNING. HE ALLOWS US TO HAVE FOOD ON OUR TABLES, SHELTER OVER OUR HEADS, AND CLOTHING ON OUR BACKS. THIS GRACE IS GIVEN TO THE SAVED AND THE UNSAVED. MATT. 5:45 SAYS, "FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST.’

A SINNER CAN RECEIVE COMMON GRACE AND STILL REMAIN IN HIS SINS. THUS, THIS GRACE IS THE ONLY GRACE GOD BESTOWS UPON THE SINNER. IT IS IN THIS GRACE THAT GOD RESTRAINS HIS JUDGMENT UPON SINFUL MEN, GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SAVED. ROMANS 2:4 TEACHES, "OR DESPISEST THOU THE RICHES OF HIS GOODNESS AND FORBEARANCE AND LONGSUFFERING; NOT KNOWING THAT THE GOODNESS OF GOD LEADETH THEE TO REPENTANCE?"

THE SECOND CATEGORY OF GRACE IS EFFICACIOUS, WHICH IS THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT EFFECTIVELY MOVING MEN AND WOMEN TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIAT AS SAVIOR. THE HOLY SPIRIT CAUSES AN INTERNAL AND ETERNAL TRANSFORMATION WHICH QUALIFIES THEM TO BE THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE FULL BENEFITS OF GOD, ONE MUST RECEIVE THE EFFICACIOUS GRACE OF GOD.

II. BENEFITS.

PAUL MAKES THREE POINTS IN THIS TEXT. FIRST, WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD. CHRIST PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION. WE ARE MERELY THE RECIPIENTS OF GRACE BENEFITS BASED UPON HIS WORK. SECOND, WE ARE GRACIOUSLY FORGIVEN OF OUR SINS BECAUSE WE HAVE CONFESSED A HOPE IN CHRIST. THIRD, WE INHERIT A BENEFIT PACKAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD, THAT CAN BE APPLIED FOR IN THIS WORLD.

THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT GOD PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF BLESSINGS NOT MENTIONED IN THE TEXT. GOD WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT AND SUSTAINING GRACE IN THE SEASON OF OUR PAIN. PAUL HAD A THORN IN THE FLESH, BUT FOUND OUT THAT JESUS’ GRACE WAS SUFFICIENT.

THE BENEFITS OF HIS GRACE HAS:

HEALING FOR EVERY WOUND.

COMFORT FOR EVERY SORROW.

ASSURANCE FOR EVERY DESPAIR.

LOVE FOR THE UNLOVEABLE.

FORGIVENESS FOR THE UNFORGIVEN.

COURAGE FOR THE DISCOURAGED.

HIS GRACE MAKES:

HIGH MOUNTAINS CLIMBABLE.

LOW VALLEYS CROSSABLE.

PAINFUL SUFFERING ENDURABLE.

BURDENS BEARABLE.

THANK GOD FOR THE BENEFITS OF HIS GRACE.