The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 1:2,
In his opening salutation to the church in Philippi, Paul wishes God's grace upon them. So, just what exactly is God's grace? Mirriam-Webster defines it as "1. Unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. 2. A state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace."
The first definition is manifested in passages such as Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Here God's grace is seen in the reality that when we embrace God in faith, saved from his wrath, given eternal life, given a place in his family, it is something given us, a gift, not as a reward for anything we have done or any effort we have made, but given to us for free. It is not compensation, not a quid pro quo. As such it is unmerited, unearned.
The second definition is demonstrated in passages such as Romans 5:1-2a, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Grace is said to be a state believers stand in. An existential reality for all who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith. Believers live in a state of favor with God, removed from all judgement of sins we may have committed, anything we may have thought, said or done that would otherwise bring his judgement against us. And, beyond this, a state of favor with God where we are considered to be holy and blameless in his sight, Ephesians 1:4, adopted as his sons and daughters, Ephesians 1:5, as his own heirs Romans 8:17.
Additionally, grace is associated with power, as seen in the early church, Acts 4:33. God's grace is all we need to face our challenges, as Jesus told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Also, grace is associated with accomplishment, Acts 11:23. Faith is said to find its expression through God's grace, Acts 18:27. Grace trumps sin in God's court, Romans 5:20. Grace precludes the option of pleasing God through our works, Romans 11:6. Special enablement from God to serve one another is a manifestation of God's grace, Romans 12:6 and 1 Peter 4:10. The grace of Christ is also seen as a lifestyle choice, Galatians 1:6 that we can fall away from, Galatians 5:4, "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."
The reality of God's grace is the manifestation of something that transcends my own ability to comprehend the fullness of, God's great and wonderful love for us! Paul makes a wonderful observation of the grace of Jesus Christ, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." This reality of grace is simply life-changing!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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