By “The grace of God,” we understand the free, unmerited favor of God to man when in his unclean, undone state; hence we read of “The grace of God which bringeth salvation.” “By grace are ye saved;” “being justified freely by his grace;” and other similar statements. It is this free and eternal love of God in and through Christ Jesus which could find no motive in man for its acting, but sprang wholly from the heart of God, who loved us when we were yet sinners, loves us as His children, and wall never cease to love us; but will keep us, and save us bodily at the coming of our Lord. It is all of grace; and grace brings salvation in its fullest and eternal sense. Blessed are those who “have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
When the antediluvians were to be cut off in their sins by the judgment of the flood, we are told that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord;” and Paul tells us with regard to his own salvation, “ The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 1:1414And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)) Again, we read of believers not only having “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” but it is added, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand;” that is, we are always standing before God as objects of His favor, and this to be enjoyed, like peace, on the principle of faith.
Law is presented to us in scripture in widest contrast with grace, for law demands everything from the creature on penalty of curse; whereas grace brings every blessing, both present and eternal, from God to man as gifts, to be received and enjoyed by faith. If the law said, Do and live, the grace of God says, Believe and live; “the gift of God is eternal life;” “he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” If the law says, Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, or be cursed; grace says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If the law demanded righteousness from man to God in the way of works, the grace of God declares that “the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ [is] unto all and upon all them that believe” We read also of “the gift of righteousness” and that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” (Rom. 3:22; 5:17; 10:422Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22)
17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17)
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4).) It is then most happy to find the apostle instructing us by the Holy Ghost, that “we are not under the law, but under grace.” Precious rest and comfort for our souls!
The objects of the grace of God are those who believe on Him whom God has sent; and such are children of God. “As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12, 1312But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13).) Grace then has reached us by the death of Jesus. Hence, says the apostle, “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 Cor. 8:99For 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).) Thus the depth of grace came to us in our worst and lowest condition; for Jesus not only came into a sin-stricken world where we were, but bore our sins in His own body on the tree, died for our sins, shed His blood for many for remission of sins, so that by His accomplished work He might forever deliver us from the guilt and dominion of sin, and take us up as objects of eternal love and blessing. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).) The height of divine grace has been reached in giving us the highest standing, the most endearing relationships, and nearness to God which we could possibly have; so that we are now spoken of as “accepted in the beloved,” “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” “complete in him,” and “made nigh” in Him and through His blood. Now children of God, loved by the Father as He loved Jesus, and “as he is, so are we in this world.” This is “abundance of grace” indeed; but this is not all. Of its length and breadth we know but little; only we do know that now, in this present time, the Holy Ghost has been given to us, as the “seal,” “anointing,” and “earnest of the inheritance;” and thus we are called to have fellowship with the Father and with His Son, to share Christ’s place, to have the mind of Christ, to taste His joy, and patiently wait for His coming. Then we shall share His glory, be ever with Him, and like Him, and enter upon the inheritance with glorified bodies as His “joint-heirs.” Such are some of the wonders of “the grace of God which bringeth salvation” as revealed in holy scripture. They are the sovereign actings of God, according to His own counsels and purpose, without any motive in us whatever. Therefore we shall be “to the praise of the glory of his grace.” (Eph. 2:7-97That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:7‑9).) Happy indeed are those who thus consciously stand in the true grace of God! It is wholly of God, and enjoyed only on the principle of faith.
When, however, a soul begins to look within for reasons for being loved and blessed by God, he ceases to be in the exercise of faith; for faith looks always to God as the source of blessing, and relies only on His infallible word as authority. But when a believer redoubles his efforts, or endeavors to add something to what has been already done in the accomplished work of Jesus to make his salvation more secure, he has then got away from the source of divine grace, and become so legal, that he has “fallen from grace,” and will soon find that his comfort in Christ, if not peace, is all gone. The true ground of blessing for every one that believeth in Jesus is that peace has been made, that eternal redemption has been accomplished, and that God now always sees us in Christ, as “complete in him,” who is made unto us “wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” But it is not only that a child of God loses the enjoyment of peace when he has fallen from grace, but having got away from the true source of all fruit-bearing he manifests the works of the flesh instead of “the fruit of the Spirit.” We know it was so with the Galatian believers, and we are told what agony the apostle passed through about them. He said, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” (Gal. 4:9; 5:4, 159But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (Galatians 4:9)
4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)
15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Galatians 5:15).)
How vastly important it is then that we are holding fast the true grace of God which we have received, and wherein we stand! Such we may be certain are thinking of God’s goodness, the way in which His abundant grace has flowed out to us in Christ crucified, risen, and glorified: they know Christ to be their strength as well as righteousness and know something of the blessedness of being “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Such abide in His love, and know that “we love him, because he first loved us.” On the other hand, a soul in bondage always looks from himself to God; he looks within for reasons for God’s blessing him, and becomes self-occupied, and therefore increasingly miserable. If any who read these pages are in such a state, let them know that “grace” which saves is divine grace to us in and through Christ Jesus, who freely loves, blesses, and brings salvation to every one that believeth. This was surely the gospel which Paul so delighted in and preached. He said, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
But when the grace of God to us is brought home to our hearts, by the power of the Holy Ghost, it produces grace in us; and grace to us, and grace wrought in us must not be confounded;
for when we are taken up with the workings of divine grace in us, we have got away from the enjoyment of the grace wherein we stand. The humble Christian is sensible that all he is and has is by the rich and unmerited favor of God. “By the grace of God I am what I am.” He knows not only that God has wrought for him, but has also wrought in him, or he never would have been brought to Jesus as his Savior. He knows not only that the Son of God has been revealed to him but in him. We read of one saying, “When it pleased God who.... called me by his grace, and revealed his Son in me.” Not only is the love of God revealed to us in the cross, but it is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. This is what we mean by grace wrought in us. Others too can perceive the working of grace in us (would indeed that it were more manifest), hence we read, “When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given me of God,” &c. (Gal. 1:16; 2:916To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (Galatians 1:16)
9And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. (Galatians 2:9).) Also when Barnabas “had seen the grace of God” in the Gentile believers he was glad. (Acts 11:2323Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. (Acts 11:23).) The common apostolic salutation was “Grace unto you and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” We are encouraged also to “grow in grace,” and are assured that “He giveth grace to the humble,” and that “He giveth more grace.” There is progress, therefore, in the work of grace in us; but the grace of God to us bas come out in all its fullness and blessedness in Christ, though we may grow in the knowledge of it. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7).) Perhaps there is nothing of such importance to the child of God, and nothing more difficult, than to abide in the bright sunshine and perfectness of divine love to us in Christ. Paul and Barnabas evidently felt this when addressing Christians, for “they persuaded them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:4343Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (Acts 13:43)); or, as we read elsewhere, to “stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,” and to “cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart.”
Let no one, however, suppose that he will be in the enjoyment of standing in the favor of God in Christ if walking carelessly, and in the path of disobedience; for, in such a course, the Spirit will be grieved, and the Lord will not be able to give the consciousness of His own presence. He said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:10, 1110If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:10‑11).) Neither will there be power for service or worship when fleshly and worldly ways are pursued and unjudged before the Lord, because such will not be in the strength and comfort of the grace of God. We are enjoined therefore to hold fast grace, or to “have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28, 2928Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28‑29).) It is not difficult then to perceive why the apostle was so careful in his ministrations, so zealous lest the doctrines of grace should be subverted by the addition of something legal, like the Galatian error; or to warn most solemnly, as he did the Hebrews, against any giving up Christianity and going back to a legal ritual, which was enough to show those that were under it, at what a distance they were from God as outside the veil without a purged conscience. Weighty indeed are the words of inspiration on this point, a Be not—carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” (Heb. 13:99Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (Hebrews 13:9).) We do well then to ask ourselves, are our hearts established as in God’s presence in the depth, and height, and length, and breadth of His own unspeakable grace to us in Christ Jesus? This, be it observed, is not merely a question of intelligence, or what we have received into our heads, but how far the abundant grace of God has affected our hearts? how far it has comforted, filled, and settled us as in Christ before God? When this is really the case shall we have a fear? for does not His “perfect love” cast out fear? And shall we in the consciousness of His grace hesitate to cast all our care on Him, who invites us so to do? Then verily, “it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.”
It need scarcely be added that another effect of our receiving the grace of God is to walk in grace toward others. To be exacting from others is a practical contradiction of Christianity. Saints of old were enjoined to look well after each other regarding this—“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God.” (Heb. 12:1515Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:15).) Nor can even a child of God who demands from others with unforgiving exaction expect to have in the consciousness of his soul happy communion with the Father; for Jesus said, when speaking of delivering an unforgiving one to the tormentors, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother.” Let the reader lay to heart this weighty and searching scripture. (Matt. 28:23-25.)
But there is a very solemn point yet to be noticed. Like everything else, with which man has been entrusted has been corrupted by him and sinned against, so hath he corrupted grace, by associating all manner of evil conduct with the confession of the letter of the gospel. In this way “certain men” have been occupied in “turning the grace of God into lasciviousness.” To confess Christ as Savior in word, and the heart at the same time set upon fleshly indulgence and worldly pleasure, is that corrupting influence exposed by scripture which will soon end in apostasy and judgment. How different is the effect when the truth is received and held in the love of it! How wonderfully the grace of God works, when it reaches the heart; for “the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-1411For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11‑14).)