First of all, what is
Grace?
Most people have no idea what grace really is and how
it functions in the life of a Christian.
Thankfully
for us, God is rich in grace and mercy
and He doesn't want to see man suffer
for all eternity. Grace as a comprehensive Biblical
term represents everything God did in securing a means of redemption
for mankind.
For God to give man His law is
grace.
For God to let man know he sinned
is grace.
For God to provide a means
of reconciliation through the sacrifice of His Son is grace.
For God to accept the death of His
Son at the hands of man for the sins of man is grace.
For God to make this means of
reconciliation known through His word is grace.
For God to allow mankind time to
respond is grace.
The availability of salvation,
under any circumstances whatsoever, is grace.
What is Faith?
So does this term "faith" simply
mean belief in God or belief in Jesus Christ? Is faith alone
all that is required or is there something else? That's something we can put to the test very easily.
When we read James 2:18-24 we see this, "But someone will say,
"You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your
works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that
there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and
tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith
without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by
works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that
faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was
made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then
that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (NKJV)
It's God's grace and
our faith.
God's grace represents everything He did to make
salvation available for mankind. Our faith is the response we
must make in order to receive God's grace. By grace we are
saved through faith. The grace that saves us is God's.
The faith that saves us is ours.
Grace is God reaching
down to the lost from heaven with a chance for eternal life.
Faith is man reaching upward to God in hope of that salvation.
We can't have one without the other. Grace won't save without
faith and faith can't save without grace. It's God's grace and
our faith.
David
Hersey
|
