The Grace Of God # 2

 The Grace Of God # 2

Eternal life is a gift, therefore it can neither be earned by good works, nor claimed as a right. Seeing that salvation is a "gift," who has any right to tell God on whom He ought to bestow it? It is not that the Giver ever refuses this gift to any who seek it wholeheartedly, and according to the rules which He has prescribed. No! He refuses none who come to Him empty-handed, and in the way of His appointing.

But if out of a world of impenitent and unbelieving rebels, God is determined to exercise His sovereign right by choosing a limited number to be saved, then who is wronged? Is God obliged to force His gift on those who value it not? Is God compelled to save those who are determined to go their own sinful way?

But nothing more riles the natural man, and brings to the surface his innate and inverterate enmity against God, then to press upon him the eternality, the freeness, and the absolute sovereignty of divine grace. That God should have formed His purpose from everlasting, without in any way consulting the creature - is too abasing for the unbroken heart. That grace cannot be earned or won by any efforts of man is too self-emptying for self-righteousness. And that grace singles out whom it pleases to be its favored object, arouses hot protests from haughty rebels. The clay rises up against the Potter and asks, "Why have You made me thus?" A lawless insurrectionist dares to call into question the justice of divine sovereignty.

The distinguishing grace of God is seen in saying those people whom He has sovereignly singled out to be His high favorites. By "distinguishing" we mean that grace discriminates, makes differences, chooses some and passes by others. It was distinguishing grace which selected Abraham from the midst of his idolatrous neighbors and made him "the friend of God." It was distinguishing grace which saved "publicans an sinners," but said of the religious Pharisees, "Let them alone!" (Matt. 15:14). Nowhere does the glory of God's free and sovereign grace shine more conspicuously than in the unworthiness and unlikeliest of its objects.

Beautifully was this illustrated by James Harvey: "Where sin has abounded, says the proclamation from the court of Heaven, grace does much more abound."

Manasseh was a monster of barbarity, for he caused his own children to pass through the fire, and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. (2 Chronicles 33). Yet, through God's superabundant grace he is humbled, he is reformed, and becomes a child of forgiving love, and heir of immortal glory."

Behold that bitter and bloody persecutor, Saul, when, breathing out threatenings and end upon slaughter, he worried the lambs and put to death the disciples of Jesus. Yet, admire and adore the inexhaustible treasures of grace - this Saul is admitted into the holy fellowship of the prophets, is numbered with the noble army of martyrs and makes a distinguished figure among the glorious company of the apostles!

The Corinthians were monstrous even to a proverb. Some of them wallowed in such abominable vices, and habituated themselves to such outrageous acts of injustice, as were a reproach to human nature. Yet even these sons of violence and slaves of sevsuality were washed, sanctified, justified. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

"Washed," in the precious blood of a dying Redeemer; "sanctified," by the powerful operations of the blessed Spirit; "justified," through the infinitely tender mercies of a gracious God. Those who were once the burden of the earth - are now the joy of Heaven, the delight of angels.

The Holy Spirit is the communicator of grace. God the Father is the Fountain of all grace. God the Son is the only Channel of grace. The Gospel is the Publisher of grace. The Spirit is the Bestower of grace.

Thus we4 may say with the late G. S. Bishop: "Grace is a provision for men who are so fallen that they cannot lift the axe of justice, so corrupt that they cannot change their own natures, so averse to God that they cannot turn to Him, so blind that they cannot see Him, so deaf that they cannot hear Him, and so dead that He Himself must open their graves and lift them into resurrection."

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)