Grace of God

The Grace of God


Grace: The undeserved mercy of God, Divine influence.

Grace is not only a once of, the purpose of which is to save us:: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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.; (Ephesians 2:4-9)

The gift of God's grace is through the working of the Holy Spirit in our willing bodies:: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.; (Ephesians 2:10)

Grace is God's continual power manifested in our changed and obedient lives, body and soul - for His glory:: 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.; (1 Corinthians 15:10); I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.; (Galatians 2:20)
We are saved through faith in who Christ Jesus is. God replies with grace. When we step out in faith according to God's will, He replies in grace - through the Holy Spirit.
Grace is God's power, through believers, over Satan.

If you or I choose to be disobedient to the will of our Creator, His grace, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, shall cease. The Holy Spirit is God and He resides in the bodies of His servants. He shall not countenance the presence of willing sin:: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.; (Matthew 7:15-23); Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.; (1 Thessalonians 5:16-23)

This, above all other evidence perhaps, shows who is speaking to us by the Holy Spirit, and who by the unholy spirit of Satan.
For example, if a professing Christian who speaks in tongues, has a prophetic ministry, but is in willing sin such as an ongoing adulterous second marriage, or a homosexual relationship, he or she is not being used by the Holy Spirit.
Or else God is a liar; and we know that He cannot then be God, which means that there cannot be a God, and we worship him in vain. (see 1 Corinthians 15:12-22)

Glory to the Living God!

We were saved by faith, not so:: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.; (Romans 10:8-10)
This means that we believe in the Covenant that our Covenant Representative Jesus Christ¹ made with Father God on our behalf.
Because of this we are in a Covenant of Grace with our Creator:: Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:; (1 Corinthians 1:2)
Our obedience, our dedication to the Covenant causes each of us to receive certain characteristics of our Covenant Representative:: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:; (1 Corinthians 1:30)
The Holy Spirit showed David something similar:: Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.; (Psalms 37:1-6)

Grace is the Spiritual manifestation in this worldly kingdom that God bestows on His children with servant's hearts, who work on behalf of their God, the Creator of the universe.

Here are a few selected passages of Scripture extracted from a list that is available on this web site² under the heading "New for 2010". Please read them in context.: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.; (Psalms 84:11); He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.; (Proverbs 22:11); 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.; (Zechariah 12:10); And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.; (Luke 2:40); And the Word was made 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.; (John 1:14); 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.; (Acts 13:43); Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.; (Acts 14:3); 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.; (Acts 20:32); By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:; (Romans 1:5); Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:; (Romans 3:24); For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.); Romans 5:17); That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.; (Romans 5:21); Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;; (Romans 12:6); For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.; (2 Corinthians 1:12); Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.; (2 Corinthians 4:14-18); We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.; (2 Corinthians 6:1); 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:; (2 Corinthians 9:8); Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.; (Galatians 5:4); Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen; (Galatians 6:18); Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 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;; (Ephesians 3:7-8); 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); 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.; (Colossians 3:16); Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.; (Colossians 4:6); That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.; (2 Thessalonians 1:12); Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.; (2 Timothy 2:1); Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?; (Hebrews 10:29); Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;; (Hebrews 12:15); 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); Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.; (Hebrews 13:9); As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.; (1 Peter 4:10)

Here is some strong food for thought?: But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 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. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.; (Hebrews 2:6-10)
: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.; (Philippians 4:6-8)

¹Heart of the Gospel
² www.hosanna.org.za