Just what is Grace?? (churches, believe, sinners, Jesus Christ) - - City-Data Forum

ahigherway · 11-05-2011, 09:03 AM

Hi everyone!

Today, partially as a continuation to the thread about being afraid of UR, and partly because of some further deepening into the subject on my own, I decided to dedicate an entire thread to the subject of "Grace." What is it? Where does it come from? What is it for? Who is it for? etc etc..

I hope to hear from everyone, and that this thread may help us all to grow in His Grace!

Blessings,
brian

ahigherway · 11-05-2011, 09:06 AM

Just today, I made an interesting discovery: Paul (and other writers of the NT)
repeated a specific blessing in most of their letters to the various
churches. Look at this:

Romans 1:7
"Grace to you and
peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Cor. 1:3
"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ."

2 Cor. 1:2
"Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ."

Gal. 1:3
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus
Christ"

Eph. 1:2
"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ."

Phil. 1:2
"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ."

Col. 1:2
"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thes. 1:1
"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ."

2 Thes. 1:2
"Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Tim. 1:2
"Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."

2 Tim. 1:2
"Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."

Tit. 1:4
"Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our
Saviour."

Phil. 1:3
"Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

And Peter wrote similarly:

1 Pet. 1:2
"Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

2 Pet. 1:2
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of
Jesus our Lord"

And John as well!

2 John 1:3
"Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love."

Rev. 1:4
"Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is
to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne"

Amazing!! No one ever pointed this out to me before, and I ask myself: How come
we see so much emphasis on "grace" and "peace" throughout the letters in the
early church?

Why do we talk so little about grace today?

Well, I've heard it said that grace means "unmerited favor." That tells me
that, if we are "saved by grace," then we did not merit the salvation, but God
Himself saved us "while we were yet sinners."

That would make salvation "not of ourselves," but the gift of God, just like
our faith!

All is given to us. We have nothing within us (including our faith) that we did
not first receive from Him!

In other words, if He doesn't give you faith, you cannot believe on Him. When
He draws you to Himself, He converts you, opens your heart, fills it with love
and faith, and makes you to know His Grace towards you!

Amazing, isn't it??

To me, that's what grace is all about: whatever you are (saved or not), whatever you do, you are what you are only because of His Grace!!

Blessings,
brian

pcamps · 11-05-2011, 09:34 AM

It's appeared to all men, if you turn your back on it it shines on your back. To experience it in the here and now it is best if we are beholding it, and as we do, it changes the complex of our inner being, we actually change into it.

Heartsong · 11-05-2011, 09:45 AM

2Corinthians Chapter 5

16Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

saved33 · 11-05-2011, 12:29 PM

Grace = God's Riches At Christ's Expense

God is gracious to all men, believer and unbeliever alike. God provides provisions for each. However, saving grace is through God's gracious gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Those who believe Jesus paid the penalty for their sin on the cross will still suffer death (wages of sin is death), but will live once again eternally with God on the Last Day.

Saving grace is only through faith in Jesus Christ as your savior from your sin.

Princely · 11-05-2011, 12:44 PM

The word of the Lord describes Grace:If someone does not understand it, it is because they do not belong to God.They may think they do but are in the dark because they do not act in truth..

Isaiah 26:10 NKJV
Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

Psalm 45:2 NKJV
You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Psalm 84:11 NKJV
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

Luke 2:40 NKJV
And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

John 1:14 NKJV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

trettep · 11-05-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahigherway

Hi everyone!

Today, partially as a continuation to the thread about being afraid of UR, and partly because of some further deepening into the subject on my own, I decided to dedicate an entire thread to the subject of "Grace." What is it? Where does it come from? What is it for? Who is it for? etc etc..

I hope to hear from everyone, and that this thread may help us all to grow in His Grace!

Blessings,
brian

Grace is Approval and not just favor. God favors us all (meaning He is working towards the salvation of us all), however, only those currently APPROVED are have received His Spirit.

Heartsong · 11-05-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcamps

It's appeared to all men, if you turn your back on it it shines on your back. To experience it in the here and now it is best if we are beholding it, and as we do, it changes the complex of our inner being, we actually change into it.

You're right, pcamps. God himself does NOT change - we do, as we behold his glory. He is the North Star - constantly the same from age to age. We are the stars in His sky (some of us more bright -- some of us less -- yet all of us beloved of Him).

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. - 2Cor 3:18

Eusebius · 11-05-2011, 06:44 PM

Brian, wonderful post! Thanks!

ahigherway · 11-06-2011, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saved33

Grace = God's Riches At Christ's Expense

God is gracious to all men, believer and unbeliever alike. God provides provisions for each. However, saving grace is through God's gracious gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Those who believe Jesus paid the penalty for their sin on the cross will still suffer death (wages of sin is death), but will live once again eternally with God on the Last Day.

Saving grace is only through faith in Jesus Christ as your savior from your sin.

Hi everyone and thanks for your posts so far.

There is a saying, "here, but for the grace of God, go I." (reference to John Bradford)

If it is true that God provides provisions for each of us, then just what is it that He provides?

In Ephesians 2, we read that "dead in trespasses as we were, God was so rich in mercy that for his great love to us he made us live together with Christ (it is by grace you have been saved)." v.4-5

To me, this means one thing: all mankind has been given the Life of Christ. Freely. By His grace and mercy. No choosing to be done. Free-for-all.

Just a thought..

Blessings,
brian