Grace

GRACE

In an editorial one minister declared, "There is nothing that can be added to grace to bring salva­tion to a soul. Grace," he wrote, "wrought salvation with no strings attached." Another minister stated, "Grace plus nothing equal salvation!

Is this biblical? Have these ministers gone farther than the Scriptures go? Must not the recipient of sal­vation take some corresponding action in response to grace? If there is nothing that one can do, or if no response is necessary, what about the scriptural passages that calls for action?

When guilty sinners asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" the Apostle Peter replied, "Re­pent . .." (Acts 2:37-38). When Saul of Tarsus in­quired, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" the Lord answered, "Go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9:6). After a devas­tating earthquake, while springing into the crumbl­ed ruins of the prison in an attempt to take his own life, the Philippian jailer heard the voice of Paul call out, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." He was sure his prisoners would be gone^ When he dis­covered them yet present, he turned to¹ Paul and Si­las and cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Their answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house" (Acts 16:25-31).

In each of these scriptural incidents, action was demanded of the inquirer. The first was, "Repent"; the second, "Go"; the third, "Believe." All three called for action, the action of the will. A command was issued in each instance. It was not "Grace plus nothing equals salvation.”  It. was "Grace plus faith plus obedience equals salvation"! Or "Grace plus obedient faith-equals salvation."

Grace is God's Act

Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favor of God bestowed on a person through the atoning: sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is the source of sal­vation. Grace means that God initiates salvation. It includes every act on God's part that brought salva­tion to mankind. God's grace caused Him to mani­fest Himself in flesh as Jesus Christ, assume human limitations, freely give Himself on Calvary and arise the third day for our justification.

God Alone is the Source of Salvation.

Salvation was initiated in heaven as God's plan. Man was not counselled concerning it. In fact man had nothing to do with its institution other than be­ing-the object of it!

"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);

"God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us..." (Ephesians 2:4).

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for yoursakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (II Corinthians 8:9).