INTRODUCTION
As you look across the web you can conclude that either grace is the most understood doctrine of the Bible or it is the least understood. If you search the web for unmerited favor you will find that the first 200 hits all agree that grace is the unmerited favor of God. The only exception to this will be the occasional odd catholic site which has its own definition. I find this unity of opinion to be a sign that grace is one of the least understood subjects, especially if one considers that this unity extends across denominational lines. When one sees a liberal theologian agreeing with a King James only, Bible believer, then the sirens ought to be wailing.
Over the years there have been a number of things that I have accepted as true, but some tincture of questioning lingered. The subject considered herein is one of those things. I recently read a portion of the introduction of a book having to do with a “new” diet paradigm. The author related a truism from a ninth grade drop out and self-made billionaire. He stated that of the information a person received 90% is opinion and only 10% is fact.
To be accurate, the opinion of the vast majority of supposed theologians is that grace is unmerited favor. The King James Bible (KJB) believer can confirm this as fact by consulting his Bible. Such a study confirms it to be only opinion. Grace is not unmerited favor. That is a fact!
Consider:
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. - Jude 4
Since the majority of people do not properly comprehend grace, then, based on the above verse, the grace of our God has been turned into lasciviousness. Grace has been turned into a work of the flesh (Gal 5:19). Darkness has been substituted for light. A false definition has been substituted for the KJB’s definition. This can be seen in football games where some believe that God should be thanked for touchdowns. Implicit in this belief is that God somehow approves of professional sports and gives abilities to certain players and not to others. Few stop to cogitate on the fact that if God favored a team then they would never lose. The players would demonstrate abilities well beyond the normal - abilities that nobody could attribute to mere human achievement. Instead, one could easily imagine a crowd seated for the Super Bowl while the waters of Noah’s flood began to lick at the players’ feet.
Somewhere along the way grace acquired a new definition. Satan used a well worn device to deceive people into believing that God was pleased to have men score touchdowns and hit home runs. That he was pleased to see thousands of people sit in a stadium to watch 18 men play a game, or millions sit at home in front of their TVs to see the championship game. Meanwhile the ones he was really pleased with were wondering around in deserts and caves and being beaten for their faith. He is pleased with those that believe him and do as he says and that work together with him to do as he wills.
Professional sport is hardly the most dangerous or insidious form of the misunderstanding of grace. Audaciously, men have assumed that they had the freedom to alter God’s words and to even interpret them in their own way (private interpretation) without consideration of what the rest of his words say (again private interpretation). The various “translation” committees were not working together with God to pervert his words. Yet they have assumed that grace gave them the freedom to do so. In the process, they are complicit in deceiving millions.
As you will see in the following, the commission given Paul and then to Timothy was to commit to faithful men the things he had heard about Paul from many witnesses. These faithful men were to, in turn, teach other faithful men. Even if Paul reached only one other person and Timothy one or two in his lifetime, and this pattern were followed down through the generations, then there should be a large number of men present in the world that would continue this commission. I did not learn the following from another man. What I have learned about grace came from study of the King James Bible. It seems that this progression was retarded at sometime in the past. My desire is that this commission would begin again with this little book.
WHAT IS IT?
Common Definition
Most define grace as unmerited favor. To be sure, man does not merit grace. As near as I can tell, nothing about fallen man required God to sacrifice his Son. That fact does not require that grace be defined as unmerited favor. The word favour appears in the Bible seventy times, and the one time that it appears within twenty words or less of the word grace is:
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. - Esther 2:17
The substitution of this proposed definition of grace into the above verse results in a ludicrous duplication. Favour and grace are not synonyms. In Ruth 2, Ruth asks Boaz why she has found grace in his sight, then asks to find favour in his sight. In the preface to the King James Bible, the translators complement King James for the powerful protection provided by his grace and favour. Apparently one does not require the other. In Luke 2, it states that the grace of God was upon the young Jesus. Does anybody want to say that Jesus did not merit favour? Then Luke states that he grew in favour with God and man. These incongruities clearly show that favour and grace are not synonyms.
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The Definition from the King James Bible
The word grace occurs 170 times in the text of the King James Bible, and 91 times in Paul’s epistles. In the Old Testament it occurs just 39 times, and 15 times it is associated with God’s grace. Thus, grace increases in importance in Paul’s epistles. Paul testified the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), so grace should advance in prominence as nobody else was given this message until Paul received it
2 Co 6:1
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
Here is the definitive verse on the grace of God. Paul and company were workers together with God. Paul and company had been given gifts and grace, and had not received those in vain. They were workers together with God. The Corinthians were also given grace and associated gifts. Paul begs them not to receive this grace to no avail. They were to be workers together with God, too. Grace is God’s provision to the members of the body of Christ through faith to accomplish his objectives - working together with God.
The above definition shows that both God and the workers are working. God supplies all sufficiency (2 Cor 9:8; 12:9) for the accomplishment of the assigned task. It may be peace, protection, sustenance, words, food, encouragement, signs and/or wonders, teaching, abilities not previously acquired, etc. Favour does not provide these things. Although, it does appear that the dictionary has the definitions of these two words reversed from the definitions obtained from the Bible.
If they received grace for something then they were to yield to God’s will, and to do good works in accordance with the grace. Otherwise, the grace would be received in vain. Again, this letter was ministering grace to the hearers, so they were not to receive this epistle in vain. They were to do something with the words of God’s grace.
A related verse:
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: - Hebrews 12:28
Here grace is the medium whereby we may please God. Refuse grace and the means to pleasing God will vanish. So when we include that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) along with we have access into grace by faith, then the pathway to pleasing God is by faith by which we obtain grace to serve God acceptably (in a pleasing way). The first step, whether it is to access the grace that bringeth salvation or it is to access the grace whereby we may please God, is to believe God. Then, and only then, can we please God. Today, we must believe that what God tells us to do will be consistent with what Paul says in his epistles.
Grace is working together with God. By grace through faith God grafts the saved into the grape vine. Grace provides grass for the grazer. Grace grants green grass, grapes, grain, a place, palace, peace, solace, and space. Grace gives the engrafted a place and a space to race together with God. Grace produces fruit in the life of one who embraces grace, like grapes and grain are fruits produced by growing in their place. It goes “into” and out of the person receiving it. God supplies gifts more than sufficient for walking together with him. To grieve the Holy Spirit is to frustrate the grace of God and to take it in vain. The total definition of grace is a bit difficult to nail down because all of Paul’s epistles minister grace unto the hearer, so, apparently, the word of God is God’s provision for us to have faith by which we work together with him to accomplish his will.
ITS PURPOSE
2 Co 4:15
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
Here is the purpose of grace - that grace might redound to the glory of God. In this verse grace relates more to the provisions of God for it results in thanksgiving. Abundant grace results in thanksgiving which redounds to the glory of God.
2 Ti 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Timothy and Paul were called in accordance with God’s own purpose and grace. Timothy and Paul had jobs to do in order to do their part in fulfilling God’s purpose and grace. Each were given grace to help in completing their functions.
Notice the close association of God’s purpose and grace. God has an objective and grace abundantly supplied to Paul and Timothy helped them to accomplish his purpose through their service. God given grace will be compatible with God’s purpose.
GRACE CAN BE SEEN
Ac 11:23
Who, 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.
The grace of God and its results can be observed by people!!! This is confirmed by the life of the Lord Jesus in that “the grace of God was upon him.”
Barnabas comes to see the results of God working together with the people at Antioch. Barnabas encourages them all to cleave unto the Lord. This is the same as: “Noah walked with God.” If you could walk to the land to see Noah building the ark, then you could see the grace of God. If you could see the animals walk onto the ark, then you could see Noah working together with God. If you could watch Noah and family tending to the animals as they awaited the abating of the waters, then you could see them working together with God If you could have survived the flood, and watched the scene as the ark came to rest on that mountain, then witnessed the abating of the waters, then watched Noah’s sacrifice, then watched as the animals dispersed, then you could certainly see the results of walking and working together with God. This is the grace of God. The message of the lives of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. is working together with God. Grace! The provisions of God in the earthly lives of willing creatures yielded to do as their Lord bids.
GRACE REIGNS
Ro 5:20,21
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
The context of this verse shows significant parallelism by which one may determine the grace that bringeth salvation. The parallels are:
by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. - v18b
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. - v19b
grace did much more abound: - v20c
The righteousness of one and the obedience of one are related to grace abounding. The grace addressed in this passage is the one that bringeth salvation. The righteousness and obedience of Jesus Christ to the will of the Father is the grace that bringeth salvation. Jesus prayed there in the garden that the Father’s will be done not his own. That working together with God caused grace to abound. It abounded unto Paul and through Paul to the “following” generation of believers and then from them to the next. Willingly working together with God causes grace to spread, and allows grace to reign.
Consider the following table which compares when sin reigns with when grace reigns.
What Reigns
Sin
Grace
Through
Unrighteousness and Law - 6:14
Righteousness - Rom 5:21
Unto
Death - Rom 5:21
Eternal life - Rom 5:21
Yielded to
Lusts - Rom 6:12
God - Rom 6:13
Fruit
Iniquity unto Iniquity - Rom 6:19
Holiness - Rom 6:22
Free from
Righteousness
Sin
Serve in
Oldness of the letter
Newness of spirit
Instrument of
Unrighteousness - Rom 6:13
Righteousness - Rom 6:13
Ro 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Please notice that if a group is under the law then sin has dominion over them, and that sin will reign over them unto death. If they are under grace then it shall reign through righteousness unto eternal life.
Sin shall not have dominion over us, but grace shall. Our actions are ruled by grace. We are to work together with God. Being under the law is not working together with God.
If grace were unmerited favor, then how would it come to rule in the lives of people? It couldn’t otherwise the favor would be reckoned a debt. If grace is irresistible then how could the Galatians fall from grace? If we did not have freewill then how could any saved person ever not be under grace? Galatians is written with this verse in mind, and it recognizes that saved people can frustrate grace by going back under the law. Grace reigns when a saved person works willingly together with God.
Sufficient for Every Good Work
2 Co 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
God can make all grace abound toward local bodies, so that they will be sufficient to abound to every good work. Notice that God is able to make all grace abound. He does not make all grace abound to those that are not willing to work with him. If those to whom the grace is given are willing then he is able to make all grace abound so that willing servants can abound unto every good work.
We see here a slightly different aspect of grace. Grace not only identifies the will of God, but also it is the ability (power?) to accomplish it. Local bodies may not have within themselves the ability to accomplish what God wills, but when working together with God they are guaranteed to have, through grace, the ability to accomplish the good work at hand.
2 Co 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The previous verse talks about grace abounding to a local body. This one talks about grace to Paul, an individual.
The work God provides is sufficient for Paul. Not only is the work sufficient, but God provides the ability to accomplish it no matter the physical problems associated with the yielded, willing servant. God doesn’t need to heal the servant in order to give him the ability to accomplish his purpose. God’s strength is displayed in the weakness of the servant for it will be clear to those observing that the servant did not of himself possess the abilities to do the good work. The observers will conclude that God provided the strength.
Here we see the parallelism between sufficient grace for Paul and the power of Christ resting on him. By this we see that grace abounded unto Paul, and that he had sufficiency to abound to every good work. This happened in spite of Paul’s infirmity. In such cases God gets the glory and not the person for it is clearly seen that it is the power of Christ in a willing servant that brings about every good work.
In this verse we see God’s grace bestowed on churches (plural).
2 Co 8:1
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
Examples
Noah - But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. - Genesis 6:8
Noah walked with God
The wickedness of man was great ... it grieved him at his heart ... but Noah found grace. There is an apparent relationship between great, grieve, and grace.
Mankind did not have peace with God. God declares in this passage his intent to destroy man from the face of the earth. At this juncture, God is at war with mankind.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: - Romans 5:20
Sin abounded in Genesis 6, and in Noah’s case grace did much more abound. Noah found grace. The implication is that it was available all the time. It was there and waiting for somebody, anybody to find. Prior to Noah finding grace, he participated in the wickedness of man, and was headed for destruction himself. Somehow Noah is reconciled to God, and grace is involved.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. - Hebrews 11:7
Noah was warned by God of the coming destruction, and he moved with fear. Noah believed God, and by that faith gained access into grace. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Noah began to work together with God, which is the meaning of the term walking with God.
There is significance to the word “found” in this verse in part because John 1:17 says that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Up until the time that Jesus Christ came to earth grace had not come, therefore, it had to be found. Noah found grace, and so did Moses. The implication is that the Old Testament does not testify the grace of God. Its there all right, but it does not take on the importance that it does until Paul’s epistles. Once again grace is to be found after Paul’s epistles in Hebrews 4.
Moses - Ex 33:12,13,16,17
And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
Moses asks LORD to shew Moses his way for the purpose of knowing LORD and finding further grace in God’s sight. In order for Moses to work together with God he must know God’s way. Moses first of all declares that he has faith in God. Faith gained him access into grace.
Jesus - Ro 5:15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
the grace of God - The grace of God is by one man, Jesus Christ. The grace of God is made available to mankind by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
the gift by grace - The gift came by grace. The gift came by one man, the Lord Jesus, yielding himself to the will of his Father (nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done - Luke 22:42). That is one man working together with the Father. Indeed, the gift came by grace, which is by one man. This is the quintessential display of grace. Jesus came to do the will of the Father (John 5:30). The Father through the willing obedience of the Son (grace) caused grace to abound unto many through faith.
2 Co 8:9
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.
Part of the work given to the Lord Jesus was to become poor, that the Corinthians might be rich. It is clear that the church of Jerusalem was poor, but was rich in other ways. So the grace given the two churches was not the same, but each could make up for the others lack.
Paul - By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: - Romans 1:5
Paul and company received grace for a purpose. Paul received apostleship for a purpose. The purpose was to deliver a group of people among all nations which were/are obedient to the faith. God accomplished this through Paul who was willingly working together with him. Being obedient to the faith means to willingly work together with God to accomplish his objectives.
Here at the outset of Paul’s epistles we see Paul’s commission. This commission was completed at the end of his earthly life, but the fulfillment of the commission is not yet complete. Paul commissions Timothy:
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. - II Timothy 2:2
A portion of the grace given Paul is passed along to Timothy. Timothy is given a commission to teach faithful men to be obedient to the faith. Those faithful teach other faithful men to be obedient to the faith. This commission continues until the rapture. Today, we see few men following this commission. Most followed after Phygellus and Hermogenes, and left Paul.
Here is the pattern. Paul was taught directly by the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul teaches Timothy. Timothy taught faithful men. Faithful men taught other faithful men, and so on. But where did I learn this? Not from faithful men. Certainly faithful men taught me things that headed me down this track, but I learned these things from studying the word of grace. Faithful men do not commonly teach other faithful men these things nowadays. What they teach men today is anything but following Paul. By this we can surmise that the gathering together unto him is not far off.
Opposite of Sin
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 5:20,21
Here begins a comparison between grace and sin, and specifically the difference between sin reigning and grace reigning. All appearances are that sin is the opposite of grace. Just another comment on the ridiculous notion that grace is unmerited favor. If sin is the opposite of grace, then sin is merited favor? How about unmerited disfavor? Is it merited disfavor? The answer to the first question is ludicrous. The answer to the second plays right into the hands of Calvinists. Sin merits the disfavor of God, but it is not the merited disfavor of God. Given that the meaning of grace is willingly working together with God then its opposite must be not working together with God. Indeed, sin is working together with the lusts of the flesh as an instrument of unrighteousness.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: - Romans 5:12
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.- Romans 5:15,16
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. - Romans 5:18,19
Please note the highlighted, two lettered word as. The above verses demonstrate that there are similarities and dissimilarities between aspects of grace and sin. By one man sin entered into the world. By one man the grace of God hath abounded unto many. This is a similarity between the two. By the offense judgment came upon all men to condemnation. By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (please note that the gift must be accepted by faith). This is a similarity, too. Another similarity is that by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, and by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. In these similarities sin is a type of grace. Grace is the antitype of sin. Grace is the antidote for sin.
Dissimilarities are: But NOT as the offence so also is the free gift. And NOT as it was by the one that sinned, so is the gift. One offence automatically results in death. Faith in God results in the blotting out of many offences and then eternal life.
Disobedience is linked to sin, and obedience is linked to grace.
Adam
Jesus Christ
One man
One man
Offence
Obedience, Righteousness
Sin entered into the world
Grace came (John 1:17)
Death
Eternal life
Passed upon all men
They which receive abundance of grace
Sin abounded
Grace did much more abound
Free gift came upon all men
Judgment came upon all men
Justification of life
Reigns unto death
Reigns unto eternal life
Judgment by one to condemnation
Many offences unto justification
Disobedience of one - sin
Obedience of one - grace
Different Grace
Grace That Bringeth Salvation - Tit 2:11
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Here is a specific grace of God. This particular grace of God is that which bringeth salvation. This grace has appeared to all men! The grace given to Paul has not appeared to all men. The grace given to various members of the body of Christ has not appeared to all men. But the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men. Since this grace has appeared to all men, then it must not be irresistible as the Calvinists contend.
If this grace has appeared to all men, then what is the purpose of the great commission?
Tit 3:7
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Heb 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
The Father’s will was for Jesus to taste death for every man. Jesus willingly submitted to that will. God’s grace is his rule in the hearts of willing servants.
Romans 12
Ro 12:6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Please note the plural objective pronoun us. Paul includes himself along with all those to whom the letter is addressed. All people in the body of Christ are given grace. Each is given a different grace/job to work together with God. The gift given is in accordance with the grace given.
Prophecy is a gift given with its associated grace. If the grace is given then it is to be used according to the proportion of faith. From this passage we see that the following are different gifts given, and along with each is a different grace associated with the gift:
Prophecy
Ministry
Teaching
Exhortation
Giving
Ruling
Mercy
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. - 2 Corinthians 8:7
From the last word which is also, I conclude that faith, utterance, knowledge, and diligence are different forms of grace. We are to abound in these graces as any other. Paul desires that as they abound in these former graces that they would abound in the grace described in verses 2-6.
Paul the Ensample
Paul received grace, but, as the verses below demonstrate, he received different graces. In short he had different jobs to work on together with God.
Ro 12:3
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Paul provides instruction through the grace given to him. Apparently, there are limitations to the grace given. The grace given is in proportion to the faith given. Faith comes from hearing the word of God, so we must conclude that as faith grows so does grace and, as a result, so does ones working with God.
Ro 15:15
Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
Paul based his actions upon the grace of God given to him. Paul worked together with God on particular assignments some were completed during his lifetime while others were not completed until he died.
1 Co 3:10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
God gave Paul grace as a wise masterbuilder. Paul took action based on the grace given by laying the foundation. God gave somebody else grace to build on the foundation. Everybody is to be careful how another builds on Paul’s foundation. The person taking heed is not the person building on the foundation.
1 Co 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
God bestowed grace upon Paul. As a result, Paul laboured more abundantly. Yet it was not of Paul’s doing for God’s grace was with him. Again, here is the labouring together with God aspect of grace.
Ga 2:9
And 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.
How did they perceive the grace given unto Paul?
James, Cephas, and John were persuaded to accept what Paul said because they perceived the grace given to Paul. Apparently, the grace given to Paul was not given to James, Cephas, and John.
Eph 3:8
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;
Another aspect of the grace given to Paul; that he should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles.
HOW DO I GET IT?
By Faith
Ro 5:2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Which comes first the chicken or the egg? The question of which comes first for a believer, grace or faith, has long been contested. For much of the past, it seems that the Calvinistic way of thinking about these things has held sway. But then you run into this verse. Access INTO this grace is by faith. It looks like faith comes first, and that the key to the door on the room of grace is faith.
this grace - This is a grace wherein WE stand. Paul includes himself and the Romans in this group. Paul was given grace to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles, but not all saved people are given that same grace. This grace is common to all saved people. Put another way, this grace is common to all in the universal body of Christ. All saved people have a basic grace, and it is in this grace that we stand. We have access into this grace by faith. This is consistent with Ephesians 2:8 “...by grace are ye saved through faith...”
Get Saved
By grace are ye saved through faith - This is the grace that bringeth salvation. We access this grace by believing that Jesus “died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” The Father gave the Son a job to do. The Son completed the job when he said, “It is finished.” God completed his share when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead for our justification. If it were not for Jesus working together with the Father, then this grace would not be available to us.
From Romans 5:2, one believes before entering into the grace that bringeth salvation. One is not smitten with irresistible grace before believing, which would engender unmerited favor. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. People believe Paul’s gospel by hearing the word. When they believe this gospel, then they access the grace that bringeth salvation.
Col 1:5,6
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
The parallel thoughts: “heard ... the word of truth in the gospel” and “heard ... and knew the grace of God in truth.” The day the Colossians heard the word of truth of the gospel they knew the grace of God in truth. Further distilling: the Colossians heard the word of the gospel and knew the grace of God. One aspect of the grace of God is the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word of the truth of the gospel contains within it knowledge regarding the hope laid up in heaven for saved people. The word of truth of the gospel brings forth fruit (grapes and grain). When they heard the word of truth of the gospel, then they knew the grace of God in truth. The grace of God bears fruit, and that by hearing the word of truth of the gospel.
Partake of Paul’s Grace
Php 1:7
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Here we are reading and studying the epistles inspired by God through Paul. That makes us partakers of the grace given to Paul, even though his body has been in the grave for almost 2,000 years.
The implication is that as God has given grace to apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers that makes those that hear them partakers of their grace. An interesting twist to this is that those communicators of the word must be saved in order for any grace to be ministered whatsoever. Furthermore, they themselves must be partakers of Paul’s grace. We must follow Paul and consider what he says, in order to minister grace unto the hearers.
Paul’s letters minister grace. In order to be a partaker of his grace one must first accept what God tells us regarding Paul for this present age. Reject any part of that grace, and the person cannot partake of Paul’s grace in that area. Reject that God tells us to follow Paul, and the person rejects partaking of the grace given to Paul. In that event, the rejecter prohibits himself from growing in grace as in:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18
Word of Grace
Ro 1:7
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you - Every epistle of Paul begins with this kind of statement. God did not look in the handbook regarding standards of written communication before he breathed these words through Paul to be written down by Paul’s stenographer. These words mean something, and are more than just a nice standard salutation.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. - Ephesians 4:29
The words contained in each epistle will edify and minister grace unto the hearers (faith cometh by hearing...). The implication is that each and every punctuation, letter, word, clause, phrase, sentence and paragraph ministers grace unto the hearer and reader. Thus the context of grace associated with Paul is every word of every epistle. The intent of every word is to minister grace unto the hearer.
Another verse:
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. - Philippians 1:7
God inspired the words Paul spoke that were written down by his various “stenographers.” Paul testified the gospel of the grace of God, and preached among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. This grace was given to Paul, and the Philippians were partakers of it. As followers of Paul, we are partakers of his grace, too. Paul was given grace to minister grace. All the words recorded in his epistles minister grace. As we read and study Paul’s epistles we receive grace, and when we preach and teach it we minister grace. The propagation of the gospel is by grace ministering grace.
Here continues the flavor that sin and grace are opposites.
Now there is another aspect of “Grace to you.” Since the contents of each epistle is to minister grace, then these words announce that what follows is grace to the readers and hearers. Its more than just a nice way to begin a letter. It is a proclamation that the following words are grace. Each and every epistle of Paul’s begins with grace and ends with grace. Like no other books of the Bible Paul’s epistles minister grace. We are not to receive this grace in vain.
Based on this last statement it is not too difficult to conclude that anybody that follows any other spokesman of God at this time frustrates the grace of God and is not a partaker of Paul’s grace. This person has access to the words of God, and will be held accountable to Paul’s gospel, but he is not working together with God and has received some measure of the grace of God in vain.
Furthermore, access into the grace of God given Paul is by faith. In order to be a partaker of Paul’s grace you must believe them, and believe that they are words to you at this time.
In Paul’s farewell address he commended the Ephesian elders to the word of God’s grace. That Paul’s letters begin and end with grace at least strongly suggests that Paul’s epistles are the word of God’s grace.
Ro 16:24
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
All Paul’s epistles end with a statement about grace being with those to whom the epistle is written. In Acts 20:32, Paul, in his farewell address to the Ephesian elders, commends them to God and to the word of his grace. This is very much like that.
Upon delivery of this epistle, the Romans were going to be in possession of the words of God, the word of his grace, and, just like us today, they would need to depend upon God to help in its understanding. Certain men were given the gift/grace of teaching. In short, they would need God to supply them with grace for teaching and grace for understanding. The grace bestowed upon Paul was now bestowed upon them, and we are now partakers of that same grace. Men given the grace of teaching still study these words of the grace of God, and still minister grace unto the hearers.
Here at the end of the letter, the readers and hearers have had grace ministered unto them. They have partaken of the grace given Paul. They are not to frustrate it or take it in vain. God closes this epistle and the rest of Paul’s epistles with this kind of instruction - “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
2 Pe 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Wow!! Is there a greater verse to declare how grace and peace is multiplied to people? Grace and peace are multiplied to people through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Let me ask a simple question. Where is this knowledge to be found? The answer is: In the King James Bible.
2 Pe 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
God’s Teachers
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. - 2 Corinthians 8:6
This is a shocker to those that wonder how to grow in grace. The typical charismatic thinks that gifts are dispensed directly by the Holy Ghost. They never comprehend that a particular grace can be received by learning the word of God. Yet here Titus labors to finish in the Corinthian church the same grace bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia. Access into this “same grace” is by faith, and faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The word of God is studied, taught and preached. This process is to minister grace unto the hearers. The hearer receives grace. His job is now to pass what he heard along. He learned it, believed, and gained access to it. Now he teaches others also.
A Good Steward
1 Pe 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
We have certainly seen that God’s grace is manifold. Paul had a particular grace, as well as every saved person. As saved people each one is given a particular gift/grace with which to profit the body of Christ. We are to be good stewards of it and not receive it in vain.
Godly Singing
Col 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Grace is to be in our hearts when we sing. The heart is that with which we think, reason, decide, and will to do things. Sing with grace in your thinker. Teaching and admonishing one another are graces given in order to minister grace to hearers. The desire of each singer’s heart should be to work together with God to minister grace to the hearers.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER I GET IT?
Ac 13:43
Now 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.
This is the first thing to do after you receive grace. Continue in it. How does one continue in the grace of God? First of all, by not falling from grace. Continuing in grace means to not go back under the law for justification.
If the definition of grace was purely the unmerited favor of God, then following this persuasion of Paul they would have to do something, in which case, grace turns into merited favor.
Ac 14:26
And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
Lookee here! Paul and Barnabas were separated from the church at Antioch by the direction of God. The church laid hands on them before sending them out. By this they were recommended to the grace of God for a work. Paul and Barnabas went to do the work. Now they return to Antioch to report on the work which they had completed. God gave them a job. He gave them the power, gifts, and signs and wonders to accomplish it. They worked together with God - THIS is grace! They fulfilled the work.
Now the wonderful thing here is that as Paul and Barnabas spoke while they were completing the grace that had been given to them, they ministered grace unto the hearers (Ephesians 4:29). They received grace and ministered grace. The people that heard Paul and Barnabas, heard testimony unto the word of his grace. The unsaved ones heard of the grace that bringeth salvation. Many believed the word and by faith they gained access into the grace that bringeth salvation. At the same time they received grace to minister grace unto other hearers. Since that time men and women have worked together with God, and so received grace to minister grace unto more hearers. Grace has abounded unto many.
Ac 20:32
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Paul would never see the Ephesians again, at least as a whole group. He would not be there to keep them in-line. He commends them to the only one that can keep them. Furthermore, he commends them to the word of his grace. Today, we have all the words of his grace. Mostly though, through Paul’s epistles, we have the testimony of the gospel of the grace of God.
These Ephesians were already saved. He commends them to the word of God’s grace. This is a parallel to: “Study to shew thyself approved...” At the end of Paul’s course, he commends Timothy to the word of God’s grace.
Notice the power of the word of grace. The word of grace is able to build you up... Paul is speaking to a group. The word of grace is able to build them up. It is also able to give them (and us) an inheritance. It is not an automatic thing. The group and an individual must choose to follow the word of grace, and only then is it able. God does not overpower for he wants people to willingly follow his grace.
Also, notice the parallel between “the gospel of the grace of God” (v24), and “the word of his grace.” By this parallel is confirmed the meaning of gospel as God’s word. Since the word grace occurs 91 times in Paul’s epistles, may we conclude that they are the word of his grace?
Ga 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
There is so much lack of understanding of this verse. A person is either under the law or he is under grace. Its just that simple. If under law then he is trying to please God all by himself, whereas if under grace then he is pleasing God with God’s help. Now Christ operates through grace, so if one chooses to operate under the law then the Lord Jesus Christ cannot work.
Eph 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Our talk should edify and minister grace to those overhearing us. We are to be conduits of grace. Even more than those overhearing us, communication purposely directed at individuals should edify and minister grace. This goes for spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. Timothy knew the scriptures from his childhood because of his grandmother and mother (2 Timothy 1:5). The faith found in his grandmother and mother was in Timothy, too. That faith came from hearing the word of God from his grandmother and mother.
Col 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Grace is to be in our hearts when we sing. The heart is that with which we think, reason, decide, and will to do things. Sing with grace in your thinker. Teaching and admonishing one another are graces given in order to minister grace to hearers. The desire of each singer’s heart should be to work together with God to minister grace to the hearers.
Col 4:6
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
2 Ti 2:1
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
There is a modifying phrase after the word grace. This grace is that which is in Christ Jesus. Timothy (and those of us that follow Paul) is told to be strong in this grace. Just how is Timothy to do this? Look at the following verses. Timothy is told to:
Commit to faithful men that which he heard about Paul from many witnesses
Endure hardness as a good soldier
Not get entangled with the affairs of this world
Consider what Paul says
Underline those things in 2 Timothy 2 that Paul tells Timothy to do
Paul gives a job to Timothy - a job he will work together with God to accomplish. The primary objective for Timothy is to commit to faithful men the things he heard about Paul from many witnesses. These faithful men will in turn do the same thing with other faithful men. So it has been for the last 1900+ years. A job we continue to work together with God is teaching faithful men the things of Paul. This seems to be the way to remain strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. NOTICE THE GRACE OF TEACHING NOW COMES FROM LEARNING.
Enduring hardness as a good soldier is part of the job. Hardness will come. It will divide the men from the boys. It will divide those that love the praise of God from those that love the praise of men. Timothy is commanded to endure this hardness, and so are we.
Avoiding entanglements with the affairs of this world will maintain his single minded purpose of working together with God to teach faithful men. His labour will only be diluted by the entanglements in the affairs of this world. Paul commands Timothy to avoid such entanglements. Faithful men will also avoid such entanglements. Faithful men are identified by their lack of entanglements with worldly affairs
Consider what Paul says. The things that Paul said in his epistles were things given to him by Christ Jesus. They were part of the grace bestowed upon him. To be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus means that we are strong in the knowledge and understanding of the things Paul said.
This is the commission that we are to follow. How else will men come to obedience of the faith?
1 Pe 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
We have certainly seen that God’s grace is manifold. Paul had a particular grace, as well as every saved person. As saved people each one is given a particular gift/grace with which to profit the body of Christ. We are to be good stewards of it and not receive it in vain.
ITS PERVERSION
Jud 4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace can be perverted. It is perverted by men. If a person does not properly understand the grace of God according to the Bible, then it has been turned into lasciviousness.
The common understanding of grace today is that it is synonymous with freedom or liberty. Basically, they believe that, within certain bounds, they can do whatever they want. For example, a local church meets to consider the building of a new facility. They conclude that it would be good to spend a few million to build a facility for a children’s ministry. Nobody stops to consider how else they could spend a few million (like maybe sending 100 faithful men out to preach Paul’s gospel and teach a couple thousand men to teach twenty thousand men the things of Paul). No, they think a new children’s facility will attract more people to their church, and those people will become twice the child of the hell as they. In the process they say, “Go to let us build us a building lest we be spread across the world. Let’s spend the money on us.” That is lasciviousness (lascivi- US-ness). Did they ever stop to ponder Paul asking Titus to salute the church in his HOUSE?
People just think that grace is something that falls out of the air like rain. They never crack the Book to learn more. They ignore the word of his grace, and never acquire anymore. Then they hear their preacher tell them that grace is unmerited favor, that they didn’t do anything to get it, and they can’t do anything to get more. So they continue on their merry way working together with the lusts of their flesh because they don’t know any better. Ungodly men standing in pulpits who are deceived themselves unwittingly continue the deception because they themselves either don’t study to shew themselves approved or they study words perverted by “translation” committees and slick marketing campaigns. Whether they are purposeful deceivers or deceived, they will be judged by Paul’s gospel. For them, an ugly surprise is coming.