The Grace of God
Pastor A.W.Weckeman Jan. 2013
“…by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me.” (1Cor.15:10). [Emphasis mine]
The Two Facets of Grace
1st Unmerited favor: mercy is not getting what we deserve and grace is getting what we don’t deserve. (Eph.2:8-9).2nd The enabling power of God. (Eph.3:20).
When the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin, I repented, calling upon the name of the Lord, I didn’t ask to Him to help me get saved. There wasn’t anything on my part that I could do to save myself...it was all His power and grace. “…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Heb.1:3b).
Nor, after salvation did I ask Him to help me stay saved...I am “kept by the power of God” (1 Peter 1:5).
The same holds true regarding serving and pleasing Him. Just as my flesh had absolutely no part in gaining or retaining salvation we are equally powerless to maintain a Godly life. “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3).
It is by His grace that we are enabled to effectually serve Him.
Only by God’s grace can we manifest Christ-like character.
It is by His grace that we grow.
It is by His grace that we gain “spiritual understanding”
It is only by His grace that we are enabled to overcome our enemies (the world the flesh and the devil).
It is by grace we are faithful.
It takes grace to give.
The essential grace needed to live the Christian life and please the Lord is simply the outcome of “faith” and “obedience” in God’s Word.
The reason for this is simple, “That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Cor.1:29). Salvation, service and worship must be all of God’s grace, otherwise God doesn’t deserve all the glory. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Cor.4:7). Our attitude should be, give me the grace and I’ll give you the glory!
Jesus stated “the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63) “with out me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Paul said we are to “have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).
We need to replace “Help me Lord” (to do this or that) with, here am I Lord, accomplish your will in me and through me.” Lay on my heart that which is on your heart and give me the grace to carry it out. “I can do all things through Christ...” (Phil.4:13). The request shouldn’t be help me to see and understand but empty me of myself and empower me to see and understand.”
Consider David's pray in Psalm 25, vs.4-5 "Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my savation; on thee do I wait all the day." [Emphasis mine].
Also:“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Ps.119:18).
When Solomon desired to serve God he didn’t ask for God to help him understand...Solomon asked the LORD to give him and understanding heart (1 Kings 3:9 cf. Ps.119:27).
“There are three ways to do God’s work. We can plan and do our best; we can plan and ask God to bless our plan; or we can ask Christ to show us His plan and obey Him.” James Hudson
The humbling reality is, that we, in and of ourselves, are totally incapable of pleasing God...it is impossible for us to live a righteous life. Whatever we accomplish on our own is but filthy rags in the sight of God! (Isa.64:6).
Trying to live the Christian life by attempting to reform the flesh is what Paul was describing in Romans chapter 7. It is not God’s will that His children live a life of relentless struggle and failure trying to make the flesh serve God.
In reality God is not interested in our abilities, manmade programs or good intentions to help Him advance His Kingdom on this earth...He is more concerned with our surrender. Surrender is prerequisite…only then can our service be effectual. “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord...” (2 Cor.8:5).
Walking in the Spirit is not a matter of self discipline...it’s a matter of self surrender. Our work is to believe what Jesus said (John 6:29) and yield to His power (Rom.6:13).
We are saved to serve; to live in the strength of our Saviors’ victory, humbly acknowledging our utter helplessness and surrendering to the indwelling Holy Spirit. We need to get out of the way and let God do it through us. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…(Eph.3:20) Herein is the key to a profitable life that is pleasing to God.
Prior to salvation I had a dead spirit (in the sense that it was separated from God) and live flesh. Upon salvation my spirit was quickened (indwelled with the Holy Spirit) and my flesh crucified with Christ (Gal.2:20) circumcised with the circumcision made without hands...“putting off the body of the sins of the flesh” (Col.2:11).
The doctrine of “co crucifixion (Gal.2:20) “crucified with Christ” not only refers to our spiritual position “in Christ” but also involves our daily walk.
We are dead in the sense that we are unable of accomplish anything of eternal worth in and of ourselves. Again, this is what Jesus meant when He said, “the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63) “for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The reality is that, in God’s eyes we have died…we are dead “in Christ.” Consider, (Rom.6:1-12).
See related Article:"the power that worketh in us."
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