The sufficiency of God's grace

Read: 2 COR. 12: 1 – 10

There are many beautiful words in the Bible.  These words are beautiful because they have very special meanings.  We take for example the word “love.”  In the secular world the word “love” has a plethora of meanings.  But the Bible uses this word to tell us of God’s love for mankind. God chose the Greek word “agape” to express to us His love.  The agape type of love is most beautiful and altruistic.  It is a sacrificial, forgiving, and charitable kind of love.  This love does not ask for anything in return from the one who is loved.

God the Father loves the world and “gave His only begotten Son.” (Jn 3:16) God the Son loves the world and "gave himself a ransom for all.” (1 Tim 2: 6)

Another predominant word is “grace.”  We often mention in our prayers and our preaching of “the grace of God”.  What does it mean?  In order for us to appreciate the significant of grace, we need to understand its concept in both the Old and the New Testaments.

A. The OT Concept of Grace.

The word seldom appears in the English OT versions.  There is no full parallel to the NT concept.  The closest parallel is drawn from the Hebrew word “hānan,” meaning “to be gracious,” “to be merciful.”

The verb portrays the compassionate response of one who is able to help another person in need.  In society it is often used in statements concerning helping the poor.  The book of Psalm illustrates best the theological use of this Hebrew term.

In Psalm 51:1, David pleaded for forgiveness.  This appeal was uttered out of a sense of helplessness.  He turned away from self and looked to God as a loving and compassionate deity.

When we look through the Psalms we gain an insight into the weaknesses that cause those who love God to cry out to Him:

1.       Weakness and trouble (41 : 1; 86 : 16 - 17)

2.       Distress (Psalm 4 : 1; 31 : 19)

3.       Agony (6 : 2)

4.       Persecution (9 : 13; 56 : 1)

5.       Loneliness and Affliction (25 : 6)

6.       Disaster (57 : 1)

7.       The contempt of others (123 : 3)

God alone can act to release us and enable us to overcome the enemies within us and around us.  God acts, not because we merit help, but because He recognizes our desperate need and His love moves Him to exercise His power to meet our need.  This is truly grace!

B.   The NT Concept of Grace

The Greek word for grace is “charis.”  The Greeks used this word for any thing that would give them pleasure and joy, admiration and heart wonder.  This word also signifies the doing of a favour graciously, spontaneously, a favour done without expectation of return but arising only out of the generosity of the giver. Consequently the bible writers used this word to portray the acts of God.  He sent His Son into the world to die for sinful men.  This is grace! Grace means unmerited favour of God shown or done to someone, and a favour done without expectation of return.

I) God’s Grace is Sufficient in Salvation

We are saved by grace.  Eph 2: 4 – 9   No man can work for his own salvation - eternal life is God’s gift.

a. Grace is sufficient for all men

His grace is sufficient to save everyone who comes to Him in faith.  The promise in Jn 6: 37 is “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

John Newton (writer of the hymn “Amazing Grace”) said, “When I get to heaven I shall see three wonders there.  The first wonder will be, to see many people there whom I did not expect to see - the second wonder will be, to miss many people whom I did expect to see, and third and greatest wonder of all, will be to find myself there.”

b. Grace is sufficient in keeping the believers to the uttermost.

“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrew 7: 25) Jesus saves us “to the uttermost” (completely and eternally).  He is able also to keep and to preserve us to the end.

II) God’s grace is sufficient in forgiving Sin (Romans 5: 20 - 21)

God has super-abundant grace.  He created the sun to give light and heat to the earth.  Only a very small fraction of that light and heat ever reaches the earth.  The rest is lost in space.  We need never be concerned that the light and heat of the sun will run out.  God has made an oversized reservoir to serve us.

Have we sinned?  The promise in 1 Jn 1: 9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

III) God’s grace is sufficient in our Sanctification (Titus 2: 11 – 14)

We are concerned with how to overcome the wickedness around us.  Many Christians say that they could not put their faith into practice in the world.  “Every one in my company smokes and gambles.  I am pressurized to do what they are doing.”

But remember the prophet Daniel. He served a heathen nation which offered food to idols. But Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself. (Dan 1: 8)  God’s grace was sufficient to see him through this temptation.

IV) God’s Grace is Sufficient in Suffering (1 Pet 4:19; 5:10; 2 Cor 12: 1 – 10)

Bible scholars don’t agree on the precise nature of Paul’s thorn.  Some suggest a physical ailment such as an eye disease, malaria, or epilepsy.  Others interpret it as a spiritual temptation, or the constant opposition of his Jewish enemies.  The Bible gives no clear evidence on the nature of his affliction.  Regardless, Paul stressed that God permitted the thorn to continue, despite his prayers for relief, to teach him an important lesson about grace and dependence.

God promises grace and sufficiency of grace to those who trust Him. We realise that we are unworthy of God’s mercy and grace.  However, we are thankful to God for showing us His loving-kindness always.

 By Rev. Lim Chee Boon