Posts: Grace

Grace

“I marvel that you are deserting so quickly from Him who called you in the grace of Christ into a different gospel.” (Galatians 1:6) After Paul had moved on from central Turkey, the Christians there became convinced that one had to be circumcised and follow the practices of the Law of Moses to be acceptable. Paul was astonished that they could shift so quickly from a system that led to obtaining the character traits of Jesus, to a system that focused on rules of ritual and behavior. Our behavior must arise from trusting God (faith), not from rules.

“By grace you have been saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8) Justice, which is one of the many positive character traits of God, must be served. Graciousness, which is a way of summarizing the integrated collection of those positive traits, prompted God to come to earth and pay off that debt personally, paving the way to rescue for those who trust God. Jesus paid off justice one for all, not one by one as people qualify at some imaginary level. All that remains is for people to act out their confident expectation that His ways work.

“To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” (Ephesians 4:7) In the immediate context, gifts of miraculous leadership are described, but the generalization is also true. God supplies something to each faithful person. All are different, but all are equally important. These are not natural talents such as those with which we were born or acquired through training. These are gifts that appear out of nowhere after developing Biblical faith. You find yours when you take up the opportunity before you, knowing you lack the skills.

“You all are partakers of grace with me.” (Philippians 1:7) After being trained in a combative, argumentative, albeit zealous culture, Paul experienced a transformation of character. He described himself as gracious. At first, this may seem unhumble, but Paul was past that, just speaking the truth without an eye to personal gain or influence. And, he pulled the faithful of Philippi into the same description. Paul was confident (v 6) that God would complete their transformation on earth. This promise of a miraculous makeover is for all the faithful.

“Great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33) When the church was first getting started, observers saw some miracles, such as the lame man being healed at the beginning of chapter 3. But, the description at the end of chapter 4 focused on something far more amazing: the evidence of the resurrection coupled with the impossible graciousness and generosity of the faithful. Typically, new movements mushroom through emotionalism, not facts. Many have not been peaceful, let alone gracious. The designed appeal of the gospel is character, virtue, and kindness.

“When he [Barnabas] had come and seen the grace of God, he rejoiced…” (Acts 11:23) The early Christians who were run out of Jerusalem by persecution finally got the idea to talk to non-Jews. The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to investigate. When he saw that these non-Jews were developing the same gracious nature as the others, he rejoiced, encouraged them, and set out to enlist Saul of Tarsus to help with this remarkable advancement. When outsiders turn to God and suddenly demonstrate impossibly godly character, forget tradition and dive in.

“When the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.” (Acts 13:43) Paul’s lesson in Antioch of Pisidia (central Turkey) struck a chord with both Jews and non-Jews in the audience. When the meeting ended, several followed Paul and Barnabas to ask questions. Paul did not focus on teachings, practices, or traditions, but the root of the matter: developing a gracious nature through the work of the indwelling Spirit. Our message is the same.

“They stayed there a long time, speaking boldly upon the Lord, who was bearing witness upon the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3) Paul and Barnabas lingered in Iconium (south-central Turkey) after their initial, albeit mixed, success. Their primary subject matter was the gracious nature of Jesus and the philosophical logic that such is the nature of God. Few of that time had heard of a god with only positive characteristics, fully integrated and consistent. Unfortunately, the same is true today.

“From there they sailed into Antioch from where they had been committed to the grace of God into the work they had fulfilled.” (Acts 14:26) Paul and Barnabas were sent by the Spirit on a preaching tour starting at Antioch of Syria, through Cyprus and central Turkey. Upon their return, Luke made the comment that they had been committed to the grace of God, to spread the message that God is gracious and that the faithful are promised transformation into that same character. Few see God that way, or themselves as gaining that much. (See also Acts 15:40.)

“[Apollos] resolving to pass through into Achaia, having encouraged him, the brethren wrote to the disciples to welcome him, who, having arrived, greatly helped those having believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 18:27 – 28) Those who were attracted by the gracious nature of God and the promise of developing the same face an uphill battle from the majority who focus on authority and doctrine. Apollos eloquently and powerfully defended the simplicity of grace.

“But I do not count my life dear to me, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully to the good news of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24) God’s nature is the integrated and consistent collection of positive character traits. Very few people through history reached that logical conclusion, rather settling for internally conflicted perceptions like yin and yang or gods who could be manipulated. This graciousness is doubly good because it resulted in God coming to earth to pay off justice for us.

“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance in all those who are reserved for godly purposes.” (Acts 20:32) Paul recommended to the elders of Ephesus a focus on the graciousness of God, immediately after predicting that some of them would become as wolves, savaging the same flock they had been charged to protect and build up. When teaching departs from God’s graciousness and the promises that the faithful will develop the same, leaders become wolves.

“Through Him we [apostles] have received grace and apostleship into the submissiveness of faith in all ethnicities on behalf of His name” (Romans 1:5) Power corrupts. Therefore, Jesus jump-started church leadership by imbuing the apostles with an extra dose of miraculous graciousness. Armed with that, they were able to attract people of all nations with the kindness, virtue, and character of Jesus (His name). As they learned to trust that character, the faithful allowed the Spirit to lead. Now the church can build up itself, but these methods remain.

Seventeen of the 22 letters in the New Testament have in the first few verses something like, “Grace to you and peace.” Many of those same letters end with the same thought. Commentators often pass this off as a common salutation, but it was not. Before the first century, no one knew that a gracious and peaceful nature was even available. Rather, this phrase framed all that followed in the letter. The faithful are being transformed into the gracious nature of Jesus and are at peace with God, others, and themselves.

“But the gift is not like the offense. For if by one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift in grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, into the many did abound.” (Romans 5:15) The thought continues through 6:1, illustrating that, despite the seeming power of evil and the rapidity with which its effects spread, God’s graciousness overcomes it. Often we think that we must fight fire with fire, defeat evil with power. God demonstrated that graciousness wins in the end, so abandon the inevitable losses of sin and reign with grace.

“Now also working together, we exhort you not to receive the grace of God into emptiness.” (2 Corinthians 6:1) Paul’s first letter addressed the many ways the Christians of Corinth had dragged their culture into the church. Although Paul called them brothers throughout and never once used the word “repent,” some took offense. In the next letter, he did not apologize, but rather explained that he considered them fellow ambassadors, fellow workers. Those who accept the gracious character offered through the Spirit can handle exhortation.

“… glorifying God upon the submission of your confession into the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your connectedness into them and into all, and their entreaty in behalf of you, who long for you on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you.” (2 Corinthians 9:13 – 14) The faithful (but poor) of northern Greece were extolling the graciousness of God for His impact on the faithful (but wealthy) of Corinth, that they were prepared to participate generously in their common famine relief project. Graciousness connects the faithful and opens wallets.

“But when the One God was pleased, who selected me out of my mother’s womb and called through His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him in the Gentiles…” (Galatians 1:15) Saul (later renamed Paul) was instrumental in persecuting early Christians. When Jesus, from heaven, appeared to Saul, He was gracious, not vengeful, which transformed Saul into the divine nature so that Saul (Paul) could effect that same change in the various ethnic groups he encountered. The desired method remains to plant the graciousness of God in others.

“…into the praise of the glory of His grace which He graciously bestowed in us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:6 – 7) All were redeemed when Jesus offered His blood in the tabernacle in heaven. Forgiveness is the result of God pushing aside our pasts and being open to trusting us again. This works because the faithful are transformed into His graciousness by the Spirit. We are not forgiven failures but possessors of a confident expectation of success.

“…which you heard before in the Word of truth, the gospel, being present into you, as also in all the world, and is bearing fruit and increasing, as also in you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.” (Colossians 1:5 – 6) The trigger that made the good news about the One True God attractive to these early Turks was God’s graciousness. In that time, a kind, gentle, consistent God was unknown. The competitors were wrathful, fearsome, and conflicted. We respond not to threats or authority, but consistent, integrated graciousness.