Grace simply defined is ‘undeserved or unmerited or unearned’ kindness or reward. It is receiving recognition that is totally a gift without payment to receive it. In relationship to law and justice it is being regarded or recognized as innocent of any violation of law when guilt has already been determined and punishment is deserved as reality. Grace is the decision to give a gift that supersedes law, justice and the authority of law by extending mercy to not do the punishment deserved and demanded. Grace results in the reward or recognition as if no violation of law was ever actually done. Grace and mercy do not deny or void justice demanded by law, but are only possible when justice is left wanting or is satisfied by other means. It is not possible for grace and mercy to be demonstrated and justice to be satisfied by the same recipient at the same time… It is contradictory to say that a person is punished for their violation and not ever punished for their violation at the same time. When justice is satisfied by a specific offender, the offense disappears as paid in full. The memory of guilt of offenses may continue, but the punishments for offenses are satisfied and no longer pending any further applications. The restoration of not being under condemnation or deserving further punishment is deserved because there is no condemnation for violations that have not already been satisfied. This is NOT grace and mercy. Mercy is not receiving the punishment that is deserved. Grace is receiving the recognition that is not deserved. Eph 2:4-9 ASV “but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), (6) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: (7) that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: (8) for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory.” Clearly our redemption from being dead through our trespasses is the demonstration of mercy and grace of God given as ‘the gift of God.’ Considering a gift… what is required to accept and/or actually acquire a gift. Is some effort necessary to receive it and utilize a gift? If I am attempting to give a gift, does another person have to accept it… do something to pick it up, look at it and use it? Of course… it is obvious… does my doing what is necessary to acquire the gift translate into my earning or deserving to receive the gift? No, that is obvious also… God has offered redemption to mankind through His mercy and grace. A New Covenant enacted by the Savior who will pay for all of our sins for us (enduring the punishments we deserve for us) and provide for us to receive the free gift of being reconciled to God. What must we do to receive this free gift? (a different discussion from the scriptures not the topic of this study) WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP between what we do to accept the gift of God and what God has done in offering to us the free gift of God? Php 2:12-18 ASV “So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13) for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. (14) Do all things without murmurings and questionings: (15) that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, (16) holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain. (17) Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: (18) and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.” Rom 6:8-23 ASV “But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; (9) knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. (10) For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: (13) neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace. (15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; (18) and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. (19) I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. (20) For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. (21) What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (22) But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our acceptance of the free gift of God which is eternal life in Jesus is a decision to surrender ourselves as living sacrifices to become servants of righteousness. That is what we do to accept our redemption. Yes, it is a discipline and lifestyle… a mindset to transform ourselves to duplicate the example of Jesus’ life in fulfilling all righteousness. We decide and do what is necessary “working out our salvation” in denying ungodliness and obeying righteousness. Our motivation for our transformation is our trusting God’s promises… our faith, the assurance we have to do the actions to demonstrate our confident belief and trust. We can assert that saving faith is demonstrated by our actions to accept the free gift of God. The surrendering of ourselves to be servants of righteousness is simply presented as what we do to accept what God is giving to us. Our obedience to become servants of righteousness is accurately described as acceptance of the gift of eternal life. Yes, acceptance of the gift is required to actually acquire and/or receive the gift. Saving faith accepts the gift of God offered by His mercy and His grace. Grace is God giving us eternal life as a free gift when we do not deserve it. Justice for our sins is satisfied by our Savior so we are no longer under law that condemns us to punishments He endured.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:29:33 +0000
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