Inspired by...: Inspired by . . . Day 24: His Character, Grace

Inspired by . . . Day 24: His Character, Grace

God is full of grace

After tackling God’s wrath yesterday, I’m very pleased to follow, today, with His grace.

χάρις
charis
khar'-ece
graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward us. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, working in harmony with our faith, He saves us utterly and completely! There is always a penalty for sin. And what we owed, we could never have paid. He paid it for us through His divine work on the cross.

A warning:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1Jn 1:8-10

The truth:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. Eph 1:7-10

There are hundreds of references to grace in the NT, less than a hundred in the OT, as we might expect. But one scripture in Zechariah stops my heart.

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zec 12:10

This, Beloved is a picture of that glorious day when God appeared for the salvation of His people. In context, it looked forward to the day when the Jews had success over their enemies, in the time of the Maccabees, but it looked further still - - To the gospel-day, to Christ's victories over the powers of darkness and the great salvation He has wrought for His chosen.

We are His chosen, Beloved. And when grace does that divine work in our heart, there will be a reflection in our life of . . .

. . . gratitude.

Have you accepted His free gift of grace? Are you grateful for the grace you have been given? How is that gratitude being reflected in your life?

The Apostle Paul knew a lot about grace. He often ended his letters, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The Apostle John often did the same. In fact, the last verse in the bible is, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. {Rev 22:21}

That’s my prayer for you today, Beloved. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, always.