VII Grace
(Pastor Ian C. Kurylyk)

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you”
(II Corinthians 9:8a)

1. Grace Is the Key to God's Delivering Power Working in Our Lives

   “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). Grace is God freely giving according to the need and it is received by simple faith alone. The basis for all God's grace to us is the gift of His Son. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

2. Grace Leads to Grace in God's Program

   a. A soul is first forgiven of his sins and brought into the family of God (saved) by grace alone. This means it is received totally as a gift freely given by God. No works are involved as the terms of receiving salvation, though being saved leads to works after. “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” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

   b. However, this does not exhaust the supply of God's grace to the individual. It is merely the beginning, and God promises to continue to provide freely according to the specific needs experienced in a life of obedience to God. The New Testament Epistles written to those who were already recipients of God's grace in salvation yet repeatedly commended them to God's grace in another sense. “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Timothy 1:2).

   c. Experiencing salvation teaches us that the Lord is gracious. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (I Peter 2:2-3). We live then as Christians by His gracious supply for our daily needs in this life.

3. Grace Is Supplied to Praying Christians

   a. According to God's plan, the Saviour who died for our sins and rose again has ascended to heaven to give us access to God's throne room and storehouses. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

   b. We gain this access in prayer which brings us into God's throne room through the name of our Saviour. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). This is God's appointed program.

   c. Being saved makes us part of God's family with a loving Heavenly Father. We may call upon Him at any time in prayer and be received as His dear children. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:9-11). This passage challenges us to come to Him in a proper trusting, worshipful attitude. We must not let sin hinder our prayer life.

   d. The Holy Spirit that indwells all true believers moves us from within to an instinctive expectation of help from our Heavenly Father. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6).

4. Grace Is Supplied to Obedient Christians

   a. The principle to be observed here is that inclining ourselves to a habit of obedience and submission to God's will allows for a free flow of God's enabling grace in our lives. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

   b. If we permit sin, and resist God's leading in our lives, we are cut off from proper communion with Him and from the spiritual power He can give to enable victory over sin.

5. Grace Is Supplied to The Needy Christian

   a. This is the very nature of grace. We will not draw on it if we are not aware of our need, and of God's willingness to provide for it. Hebrews 4:16 gives us the phrase, “grace to help in time of need”.

   b. Because there is a principle of spiritual neediness in the Christian in this present body, God 's salvation has provided the indwelling Holy Spirit for all believers. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19).

   c. Jesus foretold that the person of the Holy Spirit would have an indwelling ministry to Christians. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17).

   d. The name Comforter used of the Holy Spirit has the idea of one who is called alongside to help. From the moment of salvation He dwells within to apply the Word of God to our life with power. This indwelling Helper ministers grace in a number of ways made clear in the Bible. His ministry to us is a study in itself. He promises to stay within the believer never to depart. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

6. Grace Is Supplied to The Worshiping Christian

   a. Spending time in God's presence in personal devotion time, and time in God's house, is the foundation for a continual flow of grace into the life of God's children. “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God ... Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalms 84:1-2, 4-7).

   b. The Psalms are rich in encouragements to God's people to partake of their privilege to enjoy God's presence in a special way by seasons of devotion and worship. This is the place of true security and protection from the many snares and dangers that threaten the soul. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalms 91:1-2).

7. Grace Is Supplied in Times of Trial

   a. God promises His help to sustain us as we go through troubles in this life. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6). There is no trial that is too much for the promised presence of God.

   b. The great Shepherd Psalm is recommended reading for those who are experiencing difficult times (Psalm 23).

   c. God's grace goes even farther than providing comfort in the midst of suffering. The trials we face are themselves part of God's gracious program of conforming us to the image of His Son. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:28-29). Trials are part of God's grace to us for His highest purpose.

   d. The knowledge of God's use of trials themselves for such a sublime purpose in our lives enables us to go beyond merely enduring trials to even rejoicing in them. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5). The benefits of God's workmanship in our lives by the use of trials are better than the easier life that comes by not having them.

   e. God also promises us a special reward for believing in His goodness to us despite trials, and for continuing faithful in the path of obedience to His will. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).

8. Grace Is Supplied to Those Who Share It

   a. We are responsible as recipients of God's grace to tell others the good news of its availability in Jesus Christ.

   b. God loves to sustain those who first trust in His care for them according to His promises and who also labour to tell others of this faithful God. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

   c. The Holy Spirit was given in a special sense to provide the grace needed to be a good witness of the Saviour. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).