THE GRACE OF GOD - Pastor J. C. O’Hair
Every Christian should know more about the grace of God. We may be sure that if we could ask the apostle Paul to tell us some of his favorite verses, he would include I Corinthians 15:10 and Galatians 6:14:
“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 labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which Was with me.”
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
In other verses Paul wrote how he had more right to glory in religion than did any other man (Galatians 1:14 and Philippians 3:4 to 6). But he added:
“Yea doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count then but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Philippians 3:8 to 10.
Yes, Paul gloried in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. So also did the hymnwriter
“In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story,
Gathers round its head sublime.”
Concerning the work of Christ on the cross, Paul wrote:
“And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.” Colossians 1:20 and 21.
Now think of His other statement in I Corinthians 15:10. What Paul was and what he did was by the grace of God. If you and I are anything spiritually, it is by the grace of God. If we are doing anything worthwhile in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is by the grace of God. Never forget Ephesians 2:8 and 9: “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.” “Not of yourselves.” “Not of works.” “The gift of God.” “By grace.” The Christian does not work to obtain salvation, or to retain salvation. He does not earn it, merit it, or work for it, either before or after he receives it as a free gift of God: “For the wages of sin is death; but the (free) gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
Let us consider these several verses:
“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.” II Corinthians 9:8.
“And unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20.
“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.” II Timothy 1:9.
“Moreover the law entered, that the offense 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 and 21.
“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7.
In I Peter 5:10 God is called “the God of all grace.” “The God of all grace” is able to make all grace abound for sinner and for saint. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound. (Romans 5:20). God is able to do exceeding abundantly above our asking or thinking. This allsufficient grace of “the God of all grace” was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. The salvation, that is by grace, is not of works. It is God’s doing. It is an eternity of grace; for in the ages to come when God puts on exhibition some sinners saved. by grace, to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, He will show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now four wonderful verses:
“For the grace of God that 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 Saviour 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 to 14.
The grace of God has brought salvation. Never was there more sin on the earth than today, for never were there more sinners to commit sin. The prisons are filled with criminals. The churches are filled with unregenerated, religious sinners. But God’s abounding grace is more than adequate for man’s abounding sin. The vilest, lowest, ungodly sinner, steeped in crime, can be saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The most respectable, moral, philanthropic, benevolent, self-righteous churchmember steeped in religion, who has not been cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, needs the same grace.
Most saints will not permit God to do for them what He can and will do by His grace and power, if they will let Him. The great majority of sinners will not let God save them by His grace. Only God knows and only eternity will reveal the power and efficacy and value of the precious shed blood of the Son of God. The great majority of Christians will not let God use them as He wants to use them.
Let us think of these statements:
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.” Romans 8:15.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7.
“But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.” (Galatians 3:23).
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4.
We quote these verses that we may know the difference between grace in a former dispensation and the dispensation of grace in this age of grace. (Ephesians 3:1 to 11).
God has always manifested His grace toward sinners. But while Israel experienced the grace of God, under the reign of law, they received the spirit of bondage unto fear, not the Spirit of adoption and sonship. They were shut up unto the faith that was afterward revealed.
Christians, who are members of the Body of Christ, during this present age and economy of grace are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). They have not received the spirit of bondage unto fear but of sonship, jointheirs with Christ. God wants them to be of power and of love and of a sound mind.
No Christian is really of a sound mind, doctrinally or dispensationally, who does not know the difference between grace under the dispensation of law and “the dispensation of the grace of God,” given to Paul for Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1 to 9).
Note John 1:17 and Romans 5:20 and 21:
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17.
“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abound 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 and 21.
The law and grace entered for different reasons. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus did not become effective during the reign of law, but after the death and resurrection of the Son of God. (Romans 8:2 to 4). The reign and dispensation of grace not only began after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but after God’s religious nation Israel was set aside, which was not until after Saul of Tarsus was converted. What the law demanded grace provides; a righteous standing and righteous living.
The grace of God that brought salvation also teaches the Christian how to live righteously. Let us remember that our Lord wants no Christians to be religious. But He does want all men to be righteous and spiritual. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Christian’s righteousness. (I Corinthians 1:30).
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21.
In Christ Jesus, at the cross of Calvary, is the only place that any one can find that righteousness which the righteous God will accept and approve. The person who finds that righteousness finds the righteousness of God:
“But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that Stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a Stumblingstone and Rock of offense; and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:31 to 33.
No one is saved by behaving; but by believing. Christians are not going to heaven, because they behave; but because they believe. But Christians are exhorted to behave as becometh saints (Ephesians 5:3 and 4). It is one thing to become a saint by believing. It is another thing to walk as becometh a saint by behaving. Let us read Romans 4:4 to 6:
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness, Even as David also described the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed righteousness without works.”
Yes, it is true that a person is declared righteous by grace without works (Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28, John 3:24, John 3:20). But it is also true that the highest standard of spiritual behaviour is the “grace” standard, as set forth in such chapters as the twelfth chapter of Romans the fourth and fifth chapters of Ephesians and in the third chapter of Colossians. These are very high standards. Note Colossians 3:1, 5, and 12 to 17:
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one Body; and be Ye thankful. 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. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”
Read all of the chapter and then as a Christian, by the grace and power of God, try to live daily up to this high and holy standard, remembering Titus 2:14, concerning the Lord 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.”
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