God's Grace {God's Perfect and Glorious Character}

 

Over the next few days  I'd like to explore five attributes of God's perfect and glorious character.

God's Word, His Goodness, His Wrath, His Love, His Grace

Today we'll explore GOD'S GRACE

 

 

 

Several years ago I wrote the definitions of three words in the cover of my Bible: 

 

JUSTICE:  getting just what I deserve.

 

MERCY:  NOT getting what I deserve.

 

GRACE:  getting what I do not deserve.

 

For me, writing out those definitions helped distinguish the significance of the three.  To be sure, when it comes to God's judgment, I definitely don't want justice.  I deserve to be condemned for my sins ~ but I rejoice in the fact that instead of justice, God has given me His mercy and His grace.  

 

We often group Grace and Mercy together as meaning practically the same thing.  However, they are two distinct and wonderful things.  Mercy assures me that because I am a child of God, I will not get the eternal separation from God that I deserve.  Grace is the act of God to give me more than I actually deserve.   But, putting them together is like chocolate icing on a brownie!  Wonderful no matter how you slice it ...

 

Webster defines grace this way:  "The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred. The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor." 

 

It is God's power that enables Him, and Him alone, to bestow grace as He wishes. 

It is God's prerogative to share grace as He wishes.

It is God's pleasure to extend grace to His own.

 

 

Titus 2:11-14, "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;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

 

All people are afforded salvation because of the grace of God.  It is not exclusive to one group, it is extended to all mankind.  Because of the grace of God, we have hope for His appearing in our future.  Without hope grace would mean nothing to a lost and dying world. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-10, "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.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

 

Think of it, grace is a gift to you and me from the Almighty God.  The individual that refuses this gift will doom themselves to eternal separation from the God that loves them.

 

 

 

James 4:6, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

 

God's grace comes to us in degrees, according to our needs at the time.  His grace is sufficient for whatever is needed.  There is always an abundance of God's grace.

 

 

 

This brings us to the end of my series on exploring the attributes of God's character.  Thank you for taking the time to visit.  I hope that these attributes have inspired you to study more about the awesome God we serve.

 

Blessings,  Pamelyn

 



 Source:  King James Bible