The Grace of God

Introduction

Grace is one of the attributes of God or Part of his character.

It’s God’s favor to the unworthy or God’s kindness on the undeserving.

We can’t earn it, we don’t deserve it, but He has made it abundantly available.

Grace is a gift from God

Ephesians 4:7 KJV 1900

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Have you ever received a gift? It is different than receiving a loan, a loan must be repaid.

A gift is giving to to you freely with nothing owed in return.

There is no cost to the person who receives the gift. It is free to the recipient, although it’s not free to the giver, who bears the expense.

The gift of grace came at a great cost for our Lord and Savior, who died in our place.

If it wasn’t for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we would have been wiped out in judgement. But Christ death on the cross freed God up to shower us with His grace, rather than pour out His holy and just wrath on us.

Which leads me to my next point.

Grace is only possible because of Christ

John 1:16–17 KJV 1900

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Jesus’s work on the cross was the greatest gift of all. God’s grace was extended to all sinners.

Titus 2:11–12 KJV 1900

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;

In Ephesians 2:4–8 says we are saved by grace.

Ephesians 2:4–8 KJV 1900

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:

So just because God died for all sinners doesn’t mean all sinners are saved. We have to repent of our sins. You can’t be saved by works or by being a good person but only thought Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 types of grace

Common Grace which is given to all mankind

Matthew 5:45 KJV 1900

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

It also included the air we breath

Special Grace which is saving grace only comes to God’s children. These flow to us through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

What’s it like to be under God’s grace?

Have you ever been out when it starts to pour down rain? people without umbrellas scramble to find a place to get out of the rain. But people with the umbrellas just goes on about their business, they react differently to their circumstances.

Under God’s grace doesn’t mean you won’t face storms in your life but you will react differently because God has got you covered.