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God’s Great And Glorious Grace
John R. Gentry
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2.11-14).
Our first article in this series of bulletins discussed our need for salvation (the January edition, check www.ChurchOfChristInGalena.com for archives). This article began by showing that man cannot save himself and, if he is going to be saved, is totally dependent on God to provide this salvation. This article will show what God has done to provide this salvation for all people the worldwide. The next several articles will then focus on what God requires people do in order to received this salvation.
God Sent His Son
God sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4.10).
God sent Jesus so that we would not perish, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3.16).
God sent Jesus so that we would have everlasting life, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4.9; cf. John 3.16).
God Bestows His Grace
Justification before God comes by his Grace, “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3.22-25).
Salvation comes by God’s grace, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2.8-9).
Eternal life is the free gift of God, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6.23).
Jesus Shed His Blood
We have redemption through the blood of Jesus, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1.7).
Jesus’ blood is no ordinary blood, “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1.17-19).
Christ’s purpose in coming to earth was to bring salvation to the lost, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19.10).
The Holy Spirit Revealed God’s Will To Man
Salvation is found in the teaching of the good news, the gospel of Christ, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1.16).
This gospel of Christ was revealed by the Holy Spirit, “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power” (Ephesians 3.1-7; cf. 1 Corinthians 2.12-13; 2 Peter 1.19-21). This is how the Holy Spirit works today; not by miraculous intervention.
Conclusion
God has done everything necessary to extend his grace and mercy to all the earth, including you. The question now becomes, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 2.37; 16.30). Be sure to read the upcoming bulletins to find the answer from the word of God.
Galena Guardian
Vol. IX, No. 5, May 2007