Simple Lessons in Grace
Grace in its simplest form is unmerited favor bestowed on us
by our Creator. It is a free gift—not earned by how big of a check you write to
the church or how often you serve a meal at the homeless shelter. While both of
these are good works, it does not increase the grace given to us through our
faith in Jesus Christ.
Below are a few select Scripture verses along with some
thoughts from Dwight Moody and Charles Spurgeon. I hope you find it inspiring:
“There
were one or two women in the inquiry-room last night who said to me, “I am
going to try and become a Christian.” “Well,” said I, “you may as well not try
at all.” “What,” said they, “you would not have us try?” “No,” said I, “as soon
as you stop trying you will become a Christian.” In the north of England, at a
meeting, I urged all the men and women to stop trying to save themselves, and
told them that whenever they did then there was some hope.
Down came a woman from the gallery at the close of the meeting, and
said, “Mr. Moody, you have made me more wretched than ever. You told us in your
sermon that we had better stop trying to save ourselves, and I have been trying
to save myself for many years. I was in hopes of becoming a Christian some day,
but now if I stop trying, what will become of me?” “The Lord will save you when
you stop trying to save yourself,” I told her; “for salvation is a gift, and
you must take it as a gift. And then I got her attention to a few passages of
Scripture, and she saw what grace was. And if there is a man or woman here
to-night who have been trying to save themselves, they may as well stop, and
accept Him who came to save you.
As I told
you last night, by grace are you saved, not by good deeds or good works. We
work from the cross, not toward it; we work because we are saved, not to be
saved. No man or woman has ever been saved who has been trying to save
themselves.”
Moody, D. L. (1877). New
Sermons, Addresses, and Prayers (pp. 100–101). Cincinnati, OH: Henry S.
Goodspeed & Co.
“The Lord gives his people the grace to live a heavenly life
before they get to heaven; he gives them the grace to taste the clusters of
Eshcol before they enter the Promised Land; and he will continue to give grace
till grace is consummated in glory. Do not be afraid of the glorious doctrine
of the saints’ final preservation, but believe that he who hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He who puts his hand
to this plough will never look back from it, but will plough, a straight furrow
right to the last end of the headland. If he has begun to bear our souls up
toward himself and his glory, he will never turn from his purpose, or slacken
his hand, until he has finished the work in righteousness. He who has commenced
this building will never cease to work till the head stone is brought forth
with shoutings of “Grace, grace unto it.”
Spurgeon, C. H. (1897). Grace and Glory. In The Metropolitan
Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 43). London: Passmore & Alabaster.
Select Scripture References on Grace
John
1:16–17 (ESV)
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon
grace. 17 For the law
was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Romans
5:17 (ESV)
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through
that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the
free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Ephesians
2:4–9 (ESV)
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with
which he loved us, 5 even
when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by
grace you have been saved— 6 and
raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, 7 so that in the
coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For
by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it
is the gift of God, 9 not
a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 Timothy
1:13–14 (ESV)
13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent
opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for
me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy
1:8–9 (ESV)
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord,
nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of
God, 9 who saved us
and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his
own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
Titus
3:3–7 (ESV)
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray,
slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy,
hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior
appeared, 5 he saved us,
not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own
mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through
Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so
that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope
of eternal life.
Hebrews
4:15–16 (ESV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,
yet without sin. 16 Let
us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 Peter
1:13 (ESV)
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being
sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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