The Standard October 15, 2020
Unmerited favor. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. The word “grace” appears in just three verses of the Gospel of John, all in the first chapter.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14, 16-17)
The Message, an idiomatic paraphrase of the Bible, translates verses 16 and 17 as, “We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift. We got the basics from Moses, and then this exuberant giving and receiving, this endless knowing and understanding—all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.”
God bestows on us in unlimited supply good things which we do not deserve. Instead of disgrace, Christians receive grace heaped upon grace. In Christ, there is no shortage of love, forgiveness, or mercy. At our disposal we have an endless reserve of kindness and compassion; from God come knowledge and truth. These are thoughts worth dwelling upon.
In this prayer by Pastor Scotty Smith we are reminded of just a few of the many aspects of God’s undeserved favor. “From the fullness of your grace we keep receiving grace upon grace upon grace: The grace of your imputed righteousness, the grace of perpetual favor with God, the grace of your intercession and advocacy, the grace of your Spirit’s work in our lives, the grace of citizenship in heaven, the grace of knowing the good work you have begun in us will be brought to completion, the grace of inheriting the new heaven and the new earth… and that’s just for starters!” Thank God for these and for other aspects of his grace which come to mind.
celiastone 