Love as Grace - Part 2 Jesus came to reveal the Grace of God John 1:14-17 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' " And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. God is a God of grace means God is giving. The greatest gift is His Son so we might be forgiven. God forgives, God wants to forgive. When God does forgive, does this mean that God ignores one side of His nature (Holiness), in order to fulfill the desires of the other side of His nature (Love)? The Grace of God Makes Forgiveness Freely Available, But Not At the Expense Of His Holiness. Two reasons. 1. Most important: The gift of forgiveness what God freely offers is made possible only by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross, wherein God was satisfying the requirement of His own holy wrath to punish sin by placing it upon Jesus instead of the sinner. God's wrath and God's grace meet in the cross, where each prevails in its own way. 2. Forgiveness is actually given only to those who are willing to receive it in repen tance. God is ready to forgive, but He guards His holiness by bestowing the gift only on those whose attitude toward sin is the same as His own. (When they have come to hate it and despise it and want to be rid of it. Only those who come to repentance will not perish, the others will experience His wrath. Grace means "Favor bestowed when Wrath is owed" Sometimes God's grace is defined as "unmerited favor". Words such as "unmerited", "unworthy", "undeserved" do apply to the concept of grace but they are not really strong enough to reveal the full extremity of grace. Grace is not merely undeserved or unmerited, it is the very opposite of what is deserved or merited. We are not just unworthy of God's forgiveness; we are actually worthy of its opposite. One could walk up to a stranger and give him $1,000 for no reason at all. That gift would be unmerited. But if the money were given to a thief who had just stolen the giver's car, the gift would be the very opposite of the punishment deserved. This is more like God's grace. Instead of speaking of grace as "unmerited favor" we should think of it as "favor bestowed when wrath is owed". If God were to give us what we deserve, if He were to pay us what we have earned, we would receive the "wages of sin" = death. But grace gives us the opposite of what we have earned: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. This makes the gift element of grace even more amazing. God wants to be gracious to all Love is the nature of God. He is not free to choose to love or not to love. Because of who and what He is, He must love. Since grace is a form of love toward sinners, it is God's nature to be gracious in His attitude toward all sinners. 1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffer ing toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Isaiah 65:1-2 I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, `Here I am, here I am,' to a nation that was not called by My name. I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts; Grace is conditional God offers His favor to man but the condition for actually giving it is that man must respond with and open and contrite heart. God does not wait for man to seek Him, but puts Himself in front of them and say Here I am! but they must call back or else they are rejected. Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! The end result: 70 AD John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. The Galatians were in danger of turning away from the one source of Grace and attempt to be justified by the Law (John 1:14-17) Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel. Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. (KJV) 2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: look ing carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring ing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; Some find it difficult to accept the conditionality of grace because they equate unmerited with unconditional. These are not the same at all, the conditions for receiving grace are not works, for they are not responses to law or commandments, but rather responses to promises and the necessary preparation of the heart for receiving what is promised. The conditions for receiving God's gift of forgiveness are not equivalent to holding out a payment to God in order to purchase it, they are equivalent only to holding out ones empty hand to grasp the gift. But one must open his hand and hold it out. God loves all mankind as His creatures. But because man sinned, His love has taken different forms. 1. In response to man's sin-caused misery and suffering, love takes the form of mercy. 2. In response to man's persistence in sin, God's love shows itself in patience. 3. In response to the sinners condemnation, it becomes forgiving grace. Sin has resulted in a kind of conflict within God between His nature as holiness and His nature as love. The way God solved this and remain righteous was by sending Jesus as a propitiation for our sins. (Romans 3:25-26) 1. God's love is for all - There is a special love for the obedient 2. Mercy is for all - It benefits only the obedient 3. Patience is for all - It benefits only the obedient God's free grace has appeared to all - it will benefit only those who will receive it. It is found is Christ alone. We are saved by grace, grace came through Jesus. John 1:14-17 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Why is Christ the only way? Only through Him we have grace! 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 1:8-9 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 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. We need to be in Christ where this grace is found. Those who refuse to respond to God's call and are rejected are still loved by God, but they are still rejected. Jeremiah 11:15 What has My beloved to do in My house, having done lewd deeds with many? And the holy flesh has passed from you. When you do evil, then you rejoice. Jeremiah 12:7 I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies. Grace is for all, yet conditions are given: Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Love and humility results in obedience to God's Commands.. How? Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The first mention of Grace Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. Genesis 7:5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Don't be like the Wicked Isaiah 26:10 Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the LORD. We should look forward to the fulfillment of God's grace 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. God is Love 1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. Romans 15:5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, Psalm 59:17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. What Are We Doing With the Grace of God? Rejecting or Receiving It? 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Eph 1:3-7 Wayne Wells wayneliz@twave.net http://users.twave.net/ncc