The Loving Grace Of God Series

I AM SURE THAT WE CAN THINK OF MANY REASONS WHY GOD CHOOSES TO SAVES US: TO BRING GLORY TO HIMSELF, TO APPEASE HIS JUSTICE, AND TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SOVEREIGNTY. OR, PERHAPS, IT COULD SIMPLY BE THAT HE LOVES US AND DESIRES TO SPEND TIME WITH US. HE IS A RELATIONAL GOD WHO SEEKS INTIMACY WITH US.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT WORDS WE TRY TO USE IN DESCRIBING GOD, 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.” WHAT A MIGHTY AND LOVING GOD WE SERVE TO KNOW THAT HE NOT ONLY WANTS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU HERE ON EARTH, BUT DESIRES FOR THAT REALTIONSHIP TO CONTINUE ON INTO ETERNITY WITH HIM, FACE-TO-FACE, IN HIS KINGDOM.

LET’S JUST FACE THE FACT RIGHT NOW: GOD IS CRAZY ABOUT US! GOD DESIRES A RELATIONSHIP THAT GROWS FROM A DAILY BASIS OF FRIENDSHIP AND FATHERSHIP TO AN ETERNITY OF WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP. AGAIN, GOD LOVES US THAT MUCH!

ROMANS 5:6-11, DESCRIBES GOD POURING OUT HIS LOVE TO US 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.”

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 THAT HE GIVES IS THAT THEY ARE MADE AVAILABLE EVEN IF THEY ARE IGNORED AND REJECTED. THEY ARE UNCONDITIONAL GIFTS.

THERE ARE NO PREREQUISITES OR ANY CONDITION ONE MUST MEET AND QUALIFY FOR PRIOR TO RECEIVING 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 IS WHEN ONE RECOGNIZES 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.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT GOD HAS DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO “PREVENT” US FROM ETERNAL SEPARATION IN HELL. GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING AND MAKING THE EFFORT TO BRING US TO HIMSELF.

GOD, THROUGH THE WORK OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT, TAKES ALL THE INITIATIVE IN MAKING SINNERS AWARE OF THEIR SPIRITUAL NEEDS, USING HIS WORD, THE REVELATION IN JESUS CHRIST, PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL, AND HIS CHURCH, 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. JUSTIFICATION IS A LEGAL TERM TO ASSURE US OF OUR PARDON AFTER BEING MADE NEW IN JESUS. WITH THAT FORGIVENESS, WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS RIGHTEOUS OR “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. JUSTIFYING GRACE IS THE MOMENT OF SALVATION FOR THE ONE WHO CALLS UPON THE LORD IN FAITH.

FINALLY, THERE IS GOD’S LOVING GIFT OF SANCTIFYING GRACE. THIS GIFT OF GRACE IS GOD CALLING HIS PEOPLE TO SET THEMSEVES APART IN ORDER TO FULFILL AND LIVE OUT HIS WILL AND PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES IN HOLINESS THROUGH THE WORK OF HIS SPIRIT.

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 SET APART AND 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 HOLY SPIRIT.