|
Gift of Grace
|
Nov 5, 2009 6:31 pm
106 Views
|
James 4:6
"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." KJB
The gift of grace that God gives is something that cannot be earned but is given freely to those who ask, because the definition of Grace is "unmerited favor." Unfortunately that is something that the "religious" group of people would try to have you believe, that you have to earn your way in order to get into heaven, that your good deeds will out weigh the bad. Grace is the greatest blessing which God can bestow upon His people. This thing that God "gives freely" has been called "the gift" (which could mean "the grace" or "the free gift" because it is the Greek word "charis" where we get out English word "charity", getting something for nothing. But the "free gift" of God is actually "salvation", and we have been given Jesus at the instant of salvation, for His very name Jesus literally means, "He shall save His people". (Romans 6:23; Matthew 1:21) KJB.
We read this: "For by grace have you been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2: KJB. Then Paul also says: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) KJB. Jesus had the riches of heaven at His command and yet He humbled Himself, became as man that He might save His people. It is through this poverty that we have been made rich, what greater gift than that of eternal life? This one verse, the previous verse, kinda shoots holes, big hole, in those who try to teach us that Jesus was very rich, therefore, He desires all His disciples to be rich, monetarily that is.
Now, this thread, naturally follows because Jesus has shed on us His abundant grace or salvation, and God will not give us this "free gift" simply because we are sinners. We were sinners before we become saved and we will remain sinners until He either comes and takes us to be with Him or we die, either way it is His grace which will sustain us and even prosper us. Now, in our text for today, James is paraphrasing what we read in the Proverbs. "Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly" (Proverbs 3:34) KJB. We can also read this truth from the writings of Peter: "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5) KJB.
Now, finally, Paul says that even true Christian leaders are a gift of grace from God because He says: "I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3 - KJB. Therefore, we should never forget that these many blessings of His grace come through God and God alone. For such is the "free gift" of His grace given to them who simply ask to be saved. God gives grace only to the humble, and not to the proud. So let those who come to Him, come in the humbleness of heart that He requires of all. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) KJB. We are saved unto good works and not by our good works. (Ephesians 2:10 paraphrased) KJB.
By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
