Law and Grace

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"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" — John 1:17

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The most obvious and striking division of the Word of Truth is that between Law and Grace. It is vital to observe that Scripture never mingles these two principles.

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Law is God prohibiting and requiring; grace is God beseeching and bestowing.

Law is a ministry of condemnation; grace, of forgiveness.

Law curses; grace redeems from that curse.

Law kills; grace makes alive.

Law shuts every mouth before God; grace opens every mouth to praise Him.

Law puts a great and guilty distance between man and God; grace makes guilty man nigh to God.

Law says "do and live"; grace, "believe and live."

Law never had a missionary; grace is to be preached to every creature.

Law utterly condemns the best man; grace freely justifies the worst.

Law is a system of probation; grace, of favor.

Law stones an adulteress; grace says, "neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

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Under law the sheep dies at the hand of the shepherd; under grace the Shepherd dies for the sheep.

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— Condensed from Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth by C.I. Scofield

 

 

The Gift of Grace

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"The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men" —Titus 2:11

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It stands to reason that a gift may be given, and yet we may remain none the richer for it, unless the gift is accepted. Of course, when a gift is not accepted, he to whom it was given is no more actually benefited than if the gift had never been offered at all. There are necessarily two parties to such a transaction.

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All are not saved. But why not? Not because the grace of God does not bring salvation to every man, but because all men do not receive the gift which the grace of God has brought to them. Only they receive salvation who are content to fix the eye of their faith upon Him who is the Grace of God revealed, and to trust themselves with simple, child-like faith, to Him. Only they who receive God's gifts are the better for God's gift, although the gift has unquestionably been given.

— W. Hay M.H. Aitken

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Question & Answer

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QUESTION: What does it mean to be saved by grace?

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ANSWER: The question, no doubt, has been taken from the Bible verses in Ephesians 2:8,9, " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." In answering this question I would like to focus on three words in this verse. They are grace, saved and faith.

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First of all, the word saved.

What is it that we need to be saved from? Ephesians 2:1-3 tell us that by nature we are:

(a) Spiritually dead in trespasses and sins.

(b) Children of disobedience who love to do what we want to do.

(c) Children of wrath.

We need to be saved from spiritual death, from a life of disobedience, and doing our own thing and most importantly from the wrath of God!

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Secondly, the word grace.

The verse quoted tells us that it is by grace that we can be saved from these things. The source of our salvation is found alone in God's grace. What is grace? The root meaning of "grace" is "to give freely." Grace has also been de-fined as God's unmerited favor to us.

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Can't my good works save me? What does the scripture say about works? "Not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:9). "Not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Titus 3:5). Grace is the opposite of works. In Romans 11:6 we read "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Because we are spiritually dead, having no life towards God, there is no way that we can earn salvation by our works.

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What if I try to keep the law? What does the scripture say? "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:10,11).

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Doesn't baptism save me? What does the scripture say? "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 1:17). Baptism is not part of the gospel. Baptism is something we do in obedience to Christ. It is the answer of a good conscience toward God (1 Peter 3:21).

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We do not deserve to be saved but God in His grace has provided a way of salvation through the death of His beloved Son. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

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Thirdly, the word faith.

Faith is the key that enables us to lay hold of God's grace. "For by grace are ye saved through faith." Faith is simply believing that what God has said is true. "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31). "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). — John D. McNeil

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"Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan!

Oh, the grace that brought it down to man;

Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span

At Calvary! "

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— William R. Newell

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Grace: Difficult to Understand

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Grace is a difficult , perhaps impossible, concept to understand...

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First, grace is unmerited favor. As a concise definition of grace, this serves well. More elaborate definitions have their place; but simply stated, grace is unmerited favor. It is undeserved on the part of the recipient. It is unearned and unearnable. Those kids had no claim on my grace. They were in a state of total demerit. Anything I might do could not be in response to any merit they had (for they had none at that point) nor as a reward for anything they had done (they only deserved to be punished). My grace that night was pure unmerited favor.

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Second, grace is not cheap. Grace is expensive. It is free to the recipient but costly to the donor. The only way one may say that grace is not very costly is if the particular benefit costs the donor very little. My forgiveness that night cost those kids nothing. It cost me a lot of agonizing and soul-searching, which is nothing in comparison with what grace cost our Lord. But to use the word cheap in the same breath with the grace of God in salvation seems almost blasphemous. It cost our Lord Jesus His life. Some may insult grace, reject it, trample on it, or disgrace it, but that does not lower its infinite value.

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Third, it is not easy to believe someone who offers grace. Those kids were dumbfounded when I announced the verdict of grace. They could not believe what they were hearing. And why should they? From day one they were reared (and so are we all) in a merit system, in which acceptance is based on performance. “Do this and you will be rewarded. Fail to do this and you will be punished.” This kind of merit system permeates all of life and most religions. It is not easy to believe someone who says that he or she will do something good for us that we do not deserve.

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Human works are like termites in God's structure of grace. They start small, but if unchecked, they can bring down the entire structure. And what are such works? Anything I can do to gain any amount of merit, little or much. Water baptism could be one such work if I view it not as an important or even necessary result of being saved, but as a requisite to be saved. It is a work even if I insist that it is God who gives me the desire to want to be baptized that I might be saved.

The same is true for surrender. If surrender is something I must do as a part of believing, then it is a work, and grace has been diluted to the extent to which I actually do surrender.

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Fourth, grace that is received changes one's life and behavior. Those kids, though really not bad before that night, showed a number of changes in their lives. Their bond to me personally was much stronger. They followed me around like puppy dogs anxious to do whatever they could to please me. And they had new insight into the love of their Savior for them.

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The Gospel is the good news of the grace of God to give forgiveness and eternal life. Let's keep that Gospel so full of grace that there is no room for anything else to be added to dilute or pollute the true grace of God. — Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation

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Grace and Mercy

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Grace is the love of God in active exercise towards the guilty and undeserving, while mercy is God's tender and compassionate regard towards the weak and suffering. Thus, the Good Samaritan showed mercy towards the man who had been robbed and wounded, while the creditor, in the Lord's parable, who forgave the debt of five hundred pence instead of sending the debtor to prison, showed grace (Luke 7:41,42).

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The two words are closely allied in meaning, but they are by no means synonymous. We need supplies of both, like Timothy, Titus and the elect lady to whom John wrote (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; 2 John 1:3); and we can at all times obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need at the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Grace perhaps directs us mainly to the love in God's heart, while mercy looks chiefly at the need we have. — W.J. Hocking

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Sufficient Grace

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"My grace is sufficient for thee." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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In a world characterized by unrest, the Saviour says to His own: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). In a scene marked by sin and its consequent sorrow, He declares: "These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11). Well He knew the problems His people must face, the trials through which they must pass, and the tribulations they must endure. In view of all this, He made the simple but sublime statement, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Cor. 12:9).

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Saved by Grace

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"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:39-43).

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We see here the case of one who entered paradise in the simple character of a sinner saved by grace. He was a condemned criminal in the morning, a railing blasphemer in the course of the day, a ransomed spirit in heaven before the day closed. Led to cast himself on Christ as a justly condemned sinner, he went straight to heaven with Christ as a blood-bought saint. His was not to be a long and useful Christian course, nevertheless through the blessed Redeemer's blood alone he received salvation, by grace he was saved. And so it is for every sinner who repents and believes in Jesus. Yet, before the dying thief expired, he was enabled to bear testimony:

1. To the sinless humanity of the blessed Lord Jesus.

2. To own Jesus as Lord.

3. To speak of Christ's coming kingdom at a moment when, to mortal vision, not a trace of lordship or royalty was discernable.

 

These were good words and good works indeed. To confess Christ and flatly contradict a Christ-rejecting world are works of the first order--works that shed forth the sweetest perfume and shine with the brightest lustre.

 

Sweet indeed this testimony as it fell upon the ears and heart of the dying Saviour. Sweeter still the response which fell upon the heart of the dying thief. "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise." This went far beyond the thief's expectation. The gracious Saviour was about to do "exceeding abundantly" above all that the thief "could ask or think." He had asked to be remembered in the time of the kingdom, and so he shall be, but the Lord Jesus said, "I shall have you with Me today."

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This is the grace that saves to the uttermost. Why, oh why reject it?

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— C.H.M.

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Grace and Glory

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The Psalmist in Psalm 84:11 affirms truly that "The LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." This is a blessed assurance to believers who know that by grace they are saved, through faith; and that not of themselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Blessed it is to have learned that our God is not making demands on us, but in Christ Jesus has brought grace for all men so that salvation is available for all. It is God's love displayed in Christ, going out freely to all men, supplying forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

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Not only does our God meet the sinner in his sins and saves him from their consequences, but He also supplies grace for the whole wilderness journey. "He giveth more grace," as James 4:6 tells us. But for this to be available to us, humility is necessary, for He "resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." One source of grace day by day is the glory that continually beckons the child of faith, for we know we are almost home. The realization of this gives strength for each day and each moment along the way.

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In 1 Peter 1:1-13, these two themes--grace and glory--are brought before us a number of times. In verse 2, the apostle prays that grace and peace may be multiplied to them. After being so long under law, as these Jews of the dispersion to whom he wrote had been, this word grace must at first have had a peculiar sound, but when understood, it became a blessed sound indeed! Our needs are many and, having no power of our own, as we continually bring these needs to our God, grace and peace are multiplied.

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The Old Testament prophets prophesied of this grace that was to come unto us and, while not understanding it, they searched what and when this was to occur--"Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow" (1 Peter 1:10,11). Now we know, and have the privilege of entering into these blessings of grace which even angels desire to look into (v. 12), though not themselves the objects of grace. In all ages, God's salvation has been, is, and will be on the ground of grace based on the finished work of Christ, for on no other ground could ruined man be brought to God. But the age in which our lot is cast is one in which the grace of God is acting in a special way to bestow blessing beyond any period before or after this present age (Ephesians 3). That grace is come unto us. We are inheritors of it and of all those blessings secured in heaven (1 Peter 1:3), so that nothing can touch them or defile them. Thus, this age is rightly characterized as the day of grace.

 

But the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ is still future. In view of this we are exhorted to gird up the loins of our minds and be sober, and hope to the end (1 Peter 1:13) in the grace that is to be brought unto us then. It is the believer's privilege to live in the power of this now. What a day that will be! What strength it imparts even now! Clearly it is grace from first to last.

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Just as the sufferings of Christ preceded and led to the glory that shall follow (1 Peter 1:11), so also it is for the believer as he looks on to the glory, though now, if need be, he is in heaviness through manifold trials (1 Peter 1:6). This trial of faith is one of the precious things of which the apostle Peter speaks--more precious even than gold tried with fire--as it will be found to be to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7).

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We who know Him love Him now even though we have not seen Him as the apostle had. And though now we see Him not, there is a present joy, a joy unspeakable and full of glory, or as it literally is, "glorified" (1 Peter 1:8). Thus the joy of eternity is entered into by faith even now, and the soul is lifted above the power of things around. Truly He will give grace and glory. Let us delight in it and worship Him for it. — John B. Rogers

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A farmer and an elderly woman

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Some time ago a farmer was much troubled by an elderly woman who persisted, in spite of repeated remonstrance's, in breaking down the fences of his fields in order to provide wood for her fires. One day, he caught her in the very act. Without speaking a word, he walked back to his house, and instructed one of his sons to take the neighbor lady a large supply of firewood. This was done, and the woman was so touched by his grace that the farmer was never again troubled by her.

 

Dear Friend, have you experienced God's amazing grace? If not, you can experience it right now - no matter who you are or how much you have sinned. You can begin your own life - changing relationship with Jesus Christ. You might pray something like this: Dear God, I realize that I have been lost in my sins and blind to your truth. I know now that you sent your Son to die on the cross for me - to pay the penalty for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life and change me by your grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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