Amazing Grace

Learning about the Grace of God is a wonderful experience. One great painting in Rome shows the hand of God reaching down for the hand of humanity. It is difficult for us to understand how our most Holy, Holy, Holy, God can connect with such sinful beings as ourselves. If it were not for His amazing Grace, no human could understand anything about our Creator. We would all live in the darkness of sin for eternity. Thankfully, we do have a Holy God who is reaching down to us in love. This is showing His Grace, which means favor for us. Grace takes different forms here on earth but “favor” all begins with our God. This is mentioned by Peter; The God of all grace(favor), who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus 1 Peter 5:10 (KJV) God has always extended grace to humans but when the rules of His Law could not be kept by human powers, our God sent His Son to die and be resurrected. This was the greatest act of favor toward us that has ever been done. For 2000 years, humans have had the unparalleled opportunity to become a child of God simply by faith in the Savior. This is the “age” of Grace.

Paul tells us he was given the understanding of God’s favor: ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: …this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Eph 3:2-8 (KJV) God’s favor through Jesus Christ is the New Covenant in a nutshell. However, there is another side to God’s grace. When the Holy Spirit of God was sent to live in Christians it became possible for us to return some grace back to God through our worship of Him. This includes our faith, any of our righteousness and our new life entirely. We were created to return favor back to our Creator.  Serving God is out of our reverence: Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb 12:28 (KJV) There were times Paul would say “thanks be to God” which in Greek would be “favor be to God”. Sometimes we can feel our “favor” for God rising inside of us. A song or a sermon can cause this feeling. How can we help but feel favor toward God?

The favor we return to God should also be expressed in our service to other people. In other words, the Grace that God gives us should be returned in two directions; first upward to God and then outward to other people. A good example of this is shown in Paul’s letters to Timothy. I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 2 Tim 1:5-6 (NLT) In the original language it says “grace-gift” or “favor-gift. If our faith is strong and healthy, the favor-gift that God has given us can be used to aid other people. This of course is under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The word “favor” in English does not tell the whole story of Grace. Grace includes a power given to us by God and it lives inside of a Christian. This power flows into us at conversion and will remain with us our whole life. The power of Grace is what enables us to live a godly life. Someday it will also carry us to Heaven. No wonder the Christian life is full of joy. The amazing grace of God raises us from our old natural life into a wondrous new life.