The grace of God is evident from the earliest portion of the Biblical narrative to the end. From the beginning of man’s separation from God, the Lord has worked to bring about the salvation of all humans. In this sense the faithful of all time are united by the goodness of God. The grace, or favor of God, shown toward mankind defines the love of God for His creation and His unwillingness that any should perish. In this chapter we will discuss the various aspects by which God’s grace has been manifested and the purpose for His favor. In addition to the attributes of God mentioned in other chapters, the Lord emerges as a skillful engineer working patiently throughout the ages to bring His eternal plan to it’s fulfillment. The fulfillment of that plan is the coming of Christ, the Messiah.
The theme of the Bible is the salvation of mankind from sin and separation from God. Christ is the focal point of the Biblical narrative. The Old Testament points toward the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the kingdom which shall have no end and the New Testament points back to the cross and the sacrifice of Christ making an appeal for those who will listen to obey and be saved. The discussion of God’s grace will begin with Christ as the center of the divine plan. We will then move back in the scriptures to review the ways in which the favor of God prepared the way for the Messiah. Finally wewill examine the impact and implications of the grace of God in it’s entirety as given in the New Testament. The power and majesty of God and Christ can then be seen as it is expressed by the love and patience of the Lord.
God put a provision in place before creation for the redemption of mankind. Peter, speaking of salvation, brings this out. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you...” (1 Peter 1.18-20). God’s plan, as Peter states, was in place before the foundation of the world. As the Biblical narrative progresses, God acted in certain ways to conceal His purpose until the time He selected.
Paul speaks of the concealment of Christ in his address to the Colossians referring to God’s plan as a mystery. “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory...” (Colossians 1.26-27). The manner in which Christ was hidden from the world was in the form of prophecy as discussed in previous chapters and the section on representation. God concealed Christ until the time that the full revelation should be made known. This was the work of the apostles and inspired teachers during the first century. The writing of the New Testament scriptures put this revelation into a final form for the ages.
Paul links Christ to God as the manifestation of His grace in his address to the Ephesians. “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit...” (Ephesians 3.1-5). God had concealed Christ through the ages by prophetic means and revealed the completion of this in the first century.
Paul illustrates that the grace of God is contained in the gift of Christ to the world. Paul also states that the “mystery” is no longer such when one turns to the revealed word of God. Understanding of the grace of God can be found by studying Christ and the means by which God prepared the world for Him. This demonstrates the wisdom of God as Paul also talks about. “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2.7-8).
Paul explained to the Ephesians that the purpose of God is to “....make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, whichfrom the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord....” (Ephesians 3.9-11).
The purpose of God was established before the world began, as can be seen in the passages cited above. Holding this in mind it is possible to see God working with a definite purpose throughout the narrative. Christ spoke of the preparation that was made for His arrival while He was on earth. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5.17-18). Christ points out the significance of the law and prophets as preparation for Him. Christ signifies that He is the totality of God’s expression of love toward mankind. This love is the grace of God shown toward all humans.
The importance of Christ emerges in the revelation of the New Testament as the demonstration of God’s power. Paul illustrates this in his writing to the Ephesians. “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1.19-23). This demonstrates the importance of Christ in God’s plan reinforcing the statement that Christ is the focal point of the Biblical narrative and the expression of God’s grace in it’s totality.
The significance of Christ is also due to the fact that He is part of the godhead. Speaking of Christ, Paul states, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1.16-17). The writer of Hebrews makes a similar statement describing the nature of Christ. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high....” (Hebrews 1.1-3).
John confirms that Christ is a member of the godhead in his writings. John states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1.1-5). Later in his first epistle John states, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5.7). John shows that Christ is eternal, was present with God from the beginning, and is in agreement with the purpose of God.
Christ shared God’s love for mankind. His agreement with the Father was such that He was willing to sacrifice Himself according to His father’s will. Paul, writing to the Philippians, states, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name....” (Philippians 2.5-9).
Christ humbled Himself, becoming the final sacrifice for sin, as the completion of God’s work to redeem mankind. Christ stated, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3.16). This is the summation of God’s grace toward mankind. God loved His creation so much that His desire is for all of humanity to be saved. Christ’s mission in the world was to offer the sacrifice that would be the means by which humans could be reunited with God. The writer of Hebrews clarifies this point. “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” (Hebrews 10.5-7).
The Messiah’s purpose was to provide the sacrifice that could finally take away the sins of the world. Peter speaks of this in the first sermon delivered on the day of Pentecost. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves know: him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain....” (Acts 2.22-23). Peter clearly shows that God intended for Christ to die for the sins of the world.
It was noted earlier that Christ is the focal point of the entire Biblical narrative. In His sacrifice Christ unites the faithful of all time as can be found in the book of Hebrews. The writer states, “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” (Hebrews 9.15-16). By one sacrifice, at the appointed time (Galatians 4.4), the faithful of the past were cleansed from sin. Christ stated that He needed to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3.15) which paid the price for all sin for all time.
Christ came into the world to fulfill all righteousness. The righteousness under consideration includes that of God who promised that deliverance would come, and of those who acted in accordance with God’s will through the ages. Christ therefore is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1.8,11) or the completion of the righteousness of God. The labor of God is such that He provided the means of redemption. God worked throughout the ages, in spite of the actions of many who called themselves His people, to bring about His eternal purpose. Paul writing to Timothy states, “Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began....” (2 Timothy 1.8-9).
From the above discussion we may see that God does not desire for mankind to perish. The grace of God is such that He determined there would be a provision to redeem the creation from sin and appointed Christ as the agent by which this would be possible. God then set His plan into motion from the beginning, never forgetting the promises He made. The faithfulness, perseverance and patience of God can be seen in the way in which He brought these things about. The provision for salvation was therefore not according to the righteousness of mankind who had sinned, but was by the faithful love and care of the creator Himself in spite of mankind’s actions in opposition to Him. Bearing these things in mind helps us to see how God utilized people and events through the ages to accomplish His purpose.
God, throughout the narrative, acts in the present as though future events are in the past. He kept His promises along the way demonstrating His commitment to making salvation a reality. A variety of agents and means were utilized by God to achieve the results desired. He selectively chose individuals, events and objects to accomplish different tasks and serve as representative elements pointing to Christ. A survey of the scriptures illustrates how this was done.
God’s grace can be seen in the preservation of man during the life of Noah. As mankind began to multiply so did the evil that humans were capable of (Genesis 6.1-7). The situation became so bad that God decided to destroy the world by a flood (Genesis 6.7). God is viewed as a wrathful being because of such accounts but it should be noted that God only acts in such a destructive way when conditions reach a point of no return. This was noted in the discussion of the Northern and Southern kingdoms in section one as both nations reached a point for which there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36.16).
God’s mercy toward mankind can be seen in the fact that he made a provision for life to continue. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6.8). The favor, or grace, shown to Noah in this instance points to the fact that God desired to preserve mankind. Noah is described as a “just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6.9). God not only recognized the evil growing in the world but also saw the righteousness of Noah. For this reason God gave instructions for the ark’s construction which preserved Noah and his family (Genesis 6.14-16).
God’s grace did not eliminate the need for Noah to perform a task and comply with specific conditions detailed by God. Noah is known as a faithful man, not because God spoke to him, but because he built the ark in accordance with God’s instructions (Hebrews 11.7). God’s grace was demonstrated by the fact that the Lord told Noah what was going to happen and what he needed to do to avoid calamity. God sets a precedent that should be recognized as part of the overall context of the Biblical narrative. He extends mercy, details conditions for acceptance and keeps His promises to those who believe and comply with the directives.
God’s grace is evident in the preparation of a physical nation that provided a suitable environment for God to introduce the Messiah to the world. God called upon Abraham to leave his home and go to a place that He would show him (Genesis 12.1- 3). The descendants of Abraham would become the nation and the land Abraham was promised became the location where God finished His work. The promise God made to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his family was not without problems along the way. We can observe a contrast between the nature of God and man as the Hebrews settled into Canaan, rejected God, were conquered by their enemies and a remnant allowed to return. This demonstrates that the goodness of God continued and prevailed in spite of the actions of His people. God’s plan was accomplished independent of the behavior of His servants. God simply waited until the time He selected came and then performed His will. A brief review of the history of the Hebrews will illustrate this point.
Moses led the people out of Egypt and was aware of their characteristic stubborness and instability. All humans have these tendencies so this is not an antisemitic statement meant to cast a negative light on the children of Israel. The fact is they behaved in much the same way that any of us would if we were in their place and time. The strong leadership of Moses, Joshua and others was needed to keep the people focused on their unique place in the world. Moses brings this out as he intervened on behalf of the people when God was displeased with them. Moses states, “... if now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.” (Exodus 34.9).
The history of the Children of Israel has been reviewed in earlier chapters. This history, as presented in the scriptures, shows that God continued to work toward accomplishing His purpose in spite of the evil of the nation. Eventually the sin of Israel was so great that the Lord allowed them to be destroyed. God, however, preserved a remnant which would carry on in accordance with His plan. Habakkuk, knowing of the destruction that was coming on the nation, prayed for God to continue His work. “O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3.2).
God extended His grace to the Hebrews by establishing and preserving their nation. Conditions were outlined in the Law that would allow them to continue living in the land as an incentive to remain faithful. When the people reached the point they would no longer respond to God He allowed their enemies to overtake them (2 Chronicles 36.16-17). God’s mercy however is shown by the fact that He limited their captivity (Jeremiah 29.10) and allowed a remnant to return. Zephaniah speaks of the return of the remnant in his writing (Zephaniah 3.1-12). Ezra acknowledges that God accomplished this. “And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.” (Ezra 9.8).
God’s people sinned against Him and were destroyed because of it. Allowing a remnant to return to Judah was not something God was obligated to do. The purpose for their return had to do with God’s commitment to the promises He made to save mankind. The return from Babylonian captivity was necessary in order to bring Christ into the world. The fact that God’s goodness, or grace, exceeds that of humanity, can be found in the fact that shortly after the Hebrews began the rebuilding, they began to sin against God just as before. The prophets Haggai and Malachi focus on the unfaithfulness and lack of reverence the people had for God.
The provision for the future, and the plan to reconcile mankind, is a central theme in the writings of the prophets. God intended to bring the Messiah into the world and His actions were directed toward the completion of that task. Although the nation which was to be a peculiar treasure among the nations (Exodus 19.5) had corrupted themselves, God continued to work through those who remained faithful to Him. The preservation of this heritage eventually resulted in the birth of Christ as God promised. The following passages are a few of those which speak of the grace of God as it relates to this discussion. There are however many other passages, some of which have been presented in other chapters, dealing with the coming of the Messiah and the role of the Hebrews in the work of God.
In one sense God’s grace is specifically directed toward those that obey Him. The Psalmist states, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84.11). This passage points out that God requires faithful obedience, or uprightness, in those who serve Him. Solomon adds, “The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.” (Proverbs 3.33-34). Those who try to keep God’s laws are recipients of His grace or favor as long as they continue in accordance with God’s commands. Failure to remain faithful severs the relationship one has with the Lord and separates us from the blessings He gives. This is an oversimplified explanation of what happened to Israel. They were selected, being the offspring of Abraham, to be part of something they had not chosen. God compensated them for this more than adequately with deliverance, riches and leadership. Throughout the Law, we find that the abundance of God would continue if they remained faithful to the Lord. God’s grace was conditional based on their observance of His commands.
God’s grace is extended toward all mankind in a general sense. The events of history show that humans strayed from God and forgot the creator over time. Although humans forgot God, the Lord did not forget about us. The general sense in which God’s grace is available to everyone is concentrated in Christ and His appearance in the world at the time God had determined. This is alluded to throughout the scriptures. The prophet Zecheriah describes the process by which God’s grace would come into the world. Zecheriah writes, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zecheriah 12.10). Zecheriah shows that the manifestation of God’s grace would be coupled with the death of the “firstborn” who was “pierced”. These statements, written hundreds of years before the events took place, describe Christ’s death, and more importantly, clarifies that this was God’s will. Christ’s sacrifice opened the door to salvation and further defines the magnitude of God’s grace toward humanity.
John describes the nature of Christ in the opening of his Gospel account. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1.14-17). Christ’s eternal nature is evident in this account as John refers to Him as the Word who was made flesh and was preferred before John the baptizer. John also links Christ with the revelation of the grace of God in it’s entirety in his statement, “....grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1.17).
John presents a contrast between Christ, Moses and the Law. Moses was a lawgiver and intervened on behalf of the people with God. Moses, although a great prophet and faithful servant of God, was mortal and subject to sin. Christ on the other hand was sinless and therefore able to provide a better means of redemption for mankind. The law given to Moses acted as a guide to prepare the way for Christ (Galatians 3.24). Christ’s physical appearance marks a transitional point in which God revealed the fullness of the gospel and changed the conditions for acceptable service to Him. The law, while containing provisions for foreigners, was given to the Hebrews. The Gospel, revealed through Christ opened the door for all nations to be reconciled to God (Acts 10.34-35). Christ is not only the fulfillment of the law and the prophets (Matthew 5.17-18), but is the fulness of God’s grace (Colossians 1.26-27).
During the Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations, the grace of God is obscured. During Noah’s lifetime, it was God’s grace that preserved humanity. God’s grace, looking toward the future, separated Abraham from his native land and made him the father of a nation that was critical in the fulfillment of God’s plan. God’s grace did not completely exclude foreigners from living with the Hebrews but limited their involvement in sacrificial aspects of worship. Grace was not fully defined during the Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations and like other elements of the New Testament that were foreshadowed in the Law, was concealed until God chose to fully reveal and explain what His actions had been leading up to. Prophets spoke of it and the faithful knew of it but grace would not be fully understood until the Messiah appeared, the law changed, and a new law was given. Jeremiah speaks of this change in his rebuke of Judah.
“Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring themout of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31.31-34).
The new covenant, or law, would be of the heart, not physical inheritance. The Hebrews were born into the covenant with God since they were the offspring of Abraham and over time lost sight of what God and His law meant to them. The new covenant would dwell in the hearts of believers making it a matter of deliberate choice rather than a physical inheritance. The new covenant would be widespread and open to all so that everyone from the least to the greatest could know Him. This was later accomplished when the Gospel was preached to every creature and written down in the form we know as the New Testament.
Other prophets point to the universal nature of the new covenant. Hosea states, “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, thou art my people; and they shall say thou art my God.” (Hosea 2.25). Paul quotes this passage in his address to the Romans speaking of the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles who had gained acceptance by God through the preaching of the gospel (Romans 9.25-26). The grace of God, through Christ, was made available for anyone desiring to know and serve the Lord.
The grace of God and it’s availability to all nations is supported by the prophets Isaiah and Micah in their description of the kingdom God would establish. Isaiah states, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2.2-3). Micah also speaks of this in his writing (Micah 4.1-2).
Peter later learned it was God’s intention to include the Gentiles in the new covenant as he observed at the house of Cornelius (Acts 10.34-35). Paul, speaking to the Ephesians concerning salvation, states, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby....” (Ephesians 2.11-16).
These passages point to Christ as the summation of God’s plan to reconcile all nations. The promise made to Abraham, that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his seed (Genesis 12.3), was fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ. In His death, the Law was taken out of the way, or, as Paul stated, the middle wall of partition was removed (Eph 2.14). Quoting Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31.31-34), the writer of Hebrews states, “In that he saith, a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8.13). The sacrifice of Christ was such that His blood removed the sins of the faithful of all time (Hebrews 9.15-16). For this reason the old covenant could not continue.
The above discussion does not rule out the importance of the Law. Christ was identified in the writings of Moses and the prophets long before His appearance in the world. This supported His identity as the Son of God. Paul states, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15.4). The credibility and validity of Christ as the Messiah rests firmly on the Law and the prophets. Specifically, Paul states that the Law was a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Galatians 3.24). The scriptures, all of them, provide evidence for accepting the things which have been revealed as truth. In this respect the Bible can be seen as a system of proofs for the love, mercy and kindness of God extended to all of mankind through Christ. This is the grace of God.
Christ came into the world at the will of God and in accordance with God’s plan to save mankind as has been stated above. This is a gift from God who could not benefit from the actions of humans. God has never been obligated to save mankind but did so out of His love and concern for us. Because of this the scriptures stated that salvation is not of works which we have done. The provision for salvation is purely a gift from God that we could never have achieved on our own.
Paul, writing to Timothy states, “Be not thou therefore ashamedof the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel....” (2 Timothy 1.9-10). Paul places Christ at the center of God’s plan as the manifestation of His grace. The Gospel is the instrument by which God’s grace is preserved and extended to us. Christ’s presence remains in the testimony of the scriptures delivered through the work of the Holy Spirit according to God’s desire that none should perish. The question now is whether the grace of God contained in the word constitutes a law.
The passage cited above implies that the grace of God is centered on Christ who is contained in the word and is therefore inseparable from the scriptures. The grace of God, the revelation of that grace, and the link with Christ through the word delivered to the saints is brought out in several statements made by Paul in his writing to Titus. Paul states, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ the saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3.3-7).
Paul provides precise detail concerning the nature of God’s grace in these verses. Paul notes the state of humans as they are separated from God and describes the range of human emotions and behaviors typical of all humans (Titus 3.3). In spite of this God extended His love toward mankind through Christ who was willing to lay down His life as the only acceptable sacrifice for sins (Titus 3.4). Paul clearly states that this was a gift from God, a sentiment expressed by Christ while on the Earth (John 3.16).
God was not obligated to save mankind from sin (Titus 3.5). This is a statement of the magnitude of God’s love and mercy toward mankind. Salvation made possible by God’s grace comes about by obedience to the Gospel which places one in contact with the cleansing blood of Christ. Paul calls this “the washing of regeneration” (Titus 3.5). As a proof of His power, God further revealed and confirmed the message by the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost in the King James version of the Bible (Titus 3.5). The renewing of the Holy Ghost clarifies that God indeed resumed and completed the work Habakkuk prayed for (Habakkuk 3.2).
Finally Paul contains the grace of God in Christ as the center of God’s message. God’s grace is “shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our saviour” (Titus 3.6). For the student of the Bible today, as in the first century, the way to Christ is through the message of the Gospel. The Gospel was revealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3.16, 1 Corinthians 2.10-11) and recorded by divinely inspired writers. The grace of God is then found in Christ. Christ is found in the word of God. The word tells us what we must do to partake of God’s grace. The word of God, in it’s entirety, is the only avenue to reach God through Christ.
Does the grace of God constitute a law? A review of some of the passages mentioned so far helps to answer this question. Isaiah stated, speaking of the establishment of the eternal kingdom, that the “law” would go forth out of Zion, or Jerusalem (Isaiah 2.3). In this same passage Isaiah also refers to this as the word (Isaiah 2.3). Likewise, Micah states that the law would go forth out of Zion (Micah 4.2). Micah adds that the Lord would “teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths” indicating there would be instructions to be followed (Micah 4.2). Jeremiah, speaking of this same time and event, states that this would be a new law unlike the previous covenant which had been given (Jeremiah 31.31-34).
Christ spoke of the fulfillment of these prophecies in His final days with His disciples. “Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24.45-47). Christ told the eleven, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you....” (Matthew 28.19-20). Christ began teaching the Gospel and His disciples were to direct believers to keep Jesus commands after His departure (John 16.12-13). The Holy Spirit guided them into all truth so the disciples were able to remember and record Christ’s commands in the form we know as the New Testament.
Christ instructed the apostles to teach those who received the gospel to “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28.20). The New Testament, representing the complete revelation of these commands thus constitutes a law. The commandments of Christ are found in the word, which came by the Holy Spirit, which leads one to Christ, who is the manifestation of God’s grace. The grace of God then includes a law, or set of instructions, which must be followed. This is consistent with all of the passages cited above.
The new law, revealed in the New Testament, is similar to the Old Testament law in that conditions for acceptance before God are detailed and must be followed in order for one to be saved, or justified in God’s sight. In no way does this detract from the fact that God’s grace is a gift from the Lord. God was not obligated by the righteousness of mankind to perform this work. On the other hand mankind is obligated to meet God’s conditions. This has been true of God’s people throughout all time.
The law given to Moses detailed conditions by which God’s people were to live. These conditions demanded action on the part of the people through the offering of sacrifices and adherence to the various ordinances and regulations issued by the Lord. Failure to follow these instructions resulted in transgression which brought about negative consequences from God. The new law is no different. The Gospel, containing the revelation of God’s grace, consists of instructions or commands. These commands detail conditions which must be met in order for one to be justified in God’s sight. In order to meet these conditions one must act on the information contained in the Gospel. In this manner both laws share a similar nature.
Finally, in discussing the grace of God, it must be noted that it is possible for one to sin or fall short of this grace by one’s actions. The Hebrews fell short of the law by which they lived and were punished in accordance with the provisions for sin in that law. The new law is no different. Christians are warned to continue in the faith, or doctrine, or word, or law. Paul states, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister....” (Colossians 1.21-23).
The writer of Hebrews addresses the need to continue in the faith, or the grace of God as well. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled....” (Hebrews 12.14-15). The bulk of the New Testament provides instructions to Christians on how to remain faithful and grow strong in the Lord. Paul himself indicated that even he, an apostle, could sin and be lost if he did not concentrate on this. Paul states, “But I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9.27 NASB). If it was possible for Paul to be lost, then so could anyone else who serves God. Our actions, when we step outside the conditions set forth by God, constitute sin and will cause us to be lost eternally.
The discussion presented in this chapter is only an introduction. Many other passages could have been utilized to reinforce the points made. In summary, some aspects of God’s grace have been examined. In one sense God’s grace is unconditional in that God gave salvation freely through the gift of His son Jesus Christ. In another sense God’s grace is conditional since there are requirements that must be met. These conditions specify the manner in which one becomes a Christian, and afterward, how one remains faithful and justified in the sight of God.
God is loving and forgiving but He also understands and demands obedience to His will. Christ stated, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14.15). Christ is the manifestation of the grace of God and as such commands obedience and faithfulness of his followers. The acceptance of those who will hear, obey and continue in the doctrine of the New Testament is the expression of love by mankind toward God. The provision for salvation is the grace of God since mankind did not earn or perform any action at any time which would have obligated God to provide this. The grace of God, through Christ, is the expression of God’s love and care for all of mankind.