Why is Grace Amazing?
I could define grace, but first let’s take a trip. Let’s imagine ourselves standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon and see how that might to relate to grace. First, it’s not hard to imagine that the canyon is a great gulf between one side and the other. Like it, Sin is the great spiritual gulf between God and man. As it would be at the Grand Canyon, we can extend an arm and try to reach across it, but that would be futile and dangerous. So it is with Sin. And there is nothing we can actually do to merit or deserve passage to the other side.
What might help is God’s viewpoint and perspective in relationship to us and our sin. This applies to all of us. In the Bible… Ephesians 2:8-9 (English Standard Version) it states, “ 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” This brings us to faith. Faith is a trust with which we reach out to God. It’s like the reaching out towards the other side of the canyon. It's a reaching in our heart trusting God’s Word. He promises if we reach out to Him believing, His arm of grace will always reach us. Our faith reach is not long enough by itself, but our reach prompts God in His grace to reach us. Just believe and rest in that promise. " He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
The point is that our “reaching” of faith show our belief and activates the promise. God recognizes His promise. It is His Word that authorizes it. His Word is good… “ He is not a man that He should lie. “ The grace may now be defined and favor that is undeserved or merited. “ It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” God deserves and gets ALL the glory. So, “ … by grace we have been saved by faith’s reach to grace. In the original Greek language, the word for saved is “sozo, which means delivered from harm and made whole… from sin, sickness, death, and lack.
Let"s take a look at what the “ not of our works” salvation looks like. First sin, separating us from God; is bridged ( a gift ). There is nothing, no works, that deserve it. Now let's further identify grace. Grace is the love of God ( that doesn't fail ) that reaches across sin's canyon because He loves us. That love not only benefits, it also empowers His promise in our lives. Example: "For by grace" yes we are saved and healed. And by grace we are empowered to love His way ( I Corinthians 13: 4-8 ) to be ... patient, kind, forgiving, believing all things, bearing all things, hoping all thing, living God's life in us. This also applies to Spiritual gifts and callings to do His will. Most important the "grace bridge" allows us to draw near to God and He will draw near to us as He has already extended that grace that faith can reach. We no longer have to be separated from HIm.
“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ( born as man ), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus is the Christ, the Chosen On, the Son of Living God. He said, “ I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to Father but by me. Moses gave the world God’s laws and His order. Jesus has given the world grace and truth. Jesus was given by God’s love and grace, to reach across Sin’s canyon to bring us back to HIM. JESUS IS THE GIFT OF GOD… OUR GRACE… AMAZING!