Understanding God’s Amazing Grace
Since I often feel that God’s grace is one of the most abused and misapplied spiritual laws, I was glad to see that Joyce Meyer started a series on God’s grace today, especially since it is such an important principle for everyone standing for marriage restoration to understand.
As I’ve stated in earlier posts and elsewhere on this site, it’s very disheartening to see how today’s Christian leaders misuse and abuse God’s grace to excuse and cover up the sin of adultery as described in the Bible, and perform, condone and even encourage remarriage after divorce, especially when the divorce was not the result of the other spouse’s adultery or marital unfaithfulness. Jude 1:4 clearly warns against such teaching, because it says For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. While that may sound very harsh and even judgmental, I didn’t write it. And I didn’t write what Hebrews 10:29 says either, which is How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? And then Romans 6:1-2 tells us What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? While it’s important for all of us to understand that grace is not a license to sin or to continue in sin, there are even more important aspects of God’s amazing and infinite grace to understand as we stand for the restoration of our marriages.
First, we need to understand that it’s just by the grace of God that we are saved, that He chose and called us to be Christians and representatives and vessels for His glory, and except for HIS grace, we could be just like so many of the people in our lives that upset, offend and hurt us. That should be a very humbling thought and help us keep things in proper perspective when it comes to the grace of our Lord and Savior! Ephesians 2:7-10 makes that point quite well, because it says in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. And then Romans 5:1-2 says 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. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And Ephesians 1:4-8 says For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Grace is often defined as unmerited favor, because it’s by the grace of God, through our faith in Jesus, that we receive the forgiveness of our sin, as we see in the above verses. While it’s often difficult for those of us standing for the restoration of our marriages to look at and acknowledge our own sin and responsibility for the breakdown of our marriages in the beginning, it’s not all that unusual for us to have a difficult time accepting God’s grace and forgiveness by forgiving ourselves once we do. And that’s just as wrong as those who want to use God’s grace as an excuse or license to go right on sinning! So we really have to work on receiving the grace the Lord so freely gives, so we can then walk in the peace and power that comes along with it, because God’s grace is about SO much more than the forgiveness of our sins! The following verses are just a few that help us gain a much better understanding of all that our Lord’s amazing grace entails and provides, which is ALL very good news for us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages!
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Ephesians 3:7
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
2 Thessalonians 1:12
We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Timothy 2:1
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:23
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 4:10
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
And I know we all love the two following verses!
1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Fortunately, the next two verses tell us exactly HOW to live in the abundance of God’s grace and ALL that comes with it!
2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Now that we have a better understanding of what God’s grace is and how to get it and what blessings it provides for us as we stand for our marriages, may we all experience the blessing found in 2 John 1:3, which says Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
And here’s a link to Joyce’s message, Gods Grace, Your Choice – Part I, from this morning. And here’s tomorrow’s continuation of this message, Gods Grace, Your Choice – Part II. And here’s If Not For the Grace of God – Part I and If Not For the Grace of God – Part II. And finally, Grace and Peace Be Multiplied to You.