Now can one obtain Grace?

Romans 11:7-12

“What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

As you read this the old saying “a warning to the wise is sufficient” in that many who claim the name Christian seem to be attempting to obtain heaven by performance.  The Jewish nations missed Salvation because they sought it by works, much like many in the church are doing today.  Why have so many missed the message or letter written to the church of Ephesus, for it is clearly stated, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8-9) Jesus came not to do away with the Law but to complete the Law, grace is a gift and it came in this manner; God’s immeasurable blessing of sending His Only Son to be the pure Lamb of God, the only sacrifice for sin that met God’s requirement.

So the question one must ask, how can I obtain this grace, how can I not fall into the trap of religion, for the Jewish people were very religious?  What is required to acquire grace if the whole process of salvation is not a human achievement, but an act of God’s goodness and mercy?  The goal is not what I can do to meet God’s requirements, but what God has done and is doing today and in what we call the past, to bring us into the fullness of His grace.  You will find the answer only in one person, the Christ, the one the Jewish people were looking for, the Messiah.  Ephesians 1:20-23, “He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens— far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.”

So it was God’s grace that was extended to all through Christ, it was not of works, for if it were many would arrive on their abilities and performance, and not having any need of faith.  We understand that is not part of the plan based on Ephesians 2:8-9, then how can one receive the kind of faith that is needed, is there a special course on growing in faith?  That is a great question and the answer may come as a surprise, you will find the answer in Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  Now faith is not something we can generate, it is also a gift from God as found in Hebrews 12:2 “ . . . Jesus, is the author and perfecter of faith.”  And Romans 12:3 says “ . . . God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”  It seems very clear to me that faith is a gift from God and cannot be developed by man’s effort.

 The great preacher Spurgeon had this to say in a sermon on faith, this is only a small part, “But when men are brought under the teaching of the word, to see that the pardon of their sins, and the acceptance of their souls does not lie with any merit of their own, or any doings of their own, another difficulty generally presents itself: they say, "What is this faith of which you speak?" and when we assure them that it is a simple trust or confidence in the finished work of Christ, then straightway they say, "How can we get this faith? How can we obtain this confidence?" To us, who have faith, this question is very easy to answer, for when we heard the gladsome news of a finished salvation for lost sinners, complete forgiveness for the guilty, and acceptance for the ungodly, simply upon believing in Jesus we came to Jesus, and we trusted in him, and we continue still to trust, and we have joy and peace through believing. We see far more reasons for belief than for doubt. Yet, nevertheless, there are hundreds and thousands who are awakened, and seriously enquiring, to whom this is a great difficulty—"How can I get the faith which gives me possession of Christ Jesus, and brings me salvation?" Our text is the ready answer, practically a complete answer; not doctrinally or theologically complete, but practically perfect. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." "But faith is the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul is it not?" Certainly. "And it is given by the Spirit to God's own chosen?"

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice