Almost any Sunday school child can give a definition of grace. It is "the unmerited favor of God." The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary expands this thusly, "unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification." The Greek word charis which is translated "grace" basically means favor.

A grand old hymn says, "O to grace how great a debtor–Daily I’m constrained to be!" The older I get, the more grateful I am for the grace of God. I am now in my seventh decade of life, and my fifth decade of ministry. Though I have been a Christian and a minister for many years, I realize that I need the grace of God as much as I did when I first gave my heart to the Lord as a small child–as much as I did when I returned to Him as a backslidden teenager. We all need His grace.

Through all the vicissitudes of life, we continue to need the grace of God. As John Newton said in his great hymn, "Amazing Grace," "Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come. ‘Tis grace hath bro’t me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."

Consider then THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF DIVINE GRACE. First, let us notice--

Consider the words of Paul to the Ephesians, "For by grace are ye saved: through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2: 8, 9).

Saving grace is based upon the blood of Jesus. Previously in this epistle, Paul wrote, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Often we see the motto, "Freedom isn’t free." The recent Memorial Day activities reminded us that brave veterans died and are dying to preserve our freedom. Sometimes we hear the term "free grace." May we be reminded that, while grace is free to us, it cost Jesus His life’s blood to make it available to us. His was the greatest sacrifice that was ever made. Ponder the words of Paul to the Corinthians, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Again note that saving grace is totally unmerited. We have not done, we cannot do anything to deserve the grace of God. If we could, salvation would be a reward rather than a gift.

If we could merit God’s favor, we would have the right to boast, but it is, "Not of works, lest any man should boast." The best of us, those who have attained the highest spiritual heights, have no bragging rights. If we make heaven it will be by the grace of God.

Still further, consider that saving grace is in response to faith. Paul says that we are saved "through faith." The Scriptures teach that Jesus atoned "for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). Paul tells us that God "is the Saviour of all men, specially those that believe" (1 Timothy 4:10). Jesus is potentially the Savior of the world, He is actually the Savior of "those that believe."

It should be noted that saving faith is preceded and accompanied by repentance. No one can truly believe who has not repented. Jesus said, "...repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Paul gives the essence of his preaching in Acts, chapter 30, verse 21, "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."

Let us notice, secondly--

We read of this in the words of Paul to Titus, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:11-14). We find that the same grace of God that saves us also teaches us how to live after we are saved.

The grace of God teaches us "to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts." We are not to indulge, but deny. These things are off-limits to the child of God.

The grace of God teaches us to "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Some tell us that we cannot but "sin everyday, in thought, word, and deed." They teach that we will have to go to heaven in order to live a righteous, godly life. However, Paul tells us to "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." If it were not possible to do so, God would never command it. Of course, we can only do so by the grace and power of God. Galatians, chapter 5, verse 16, points the way to victory, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

The grace of God teaches us to look "for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." "The blessed hope" is in itself a sanctifying hope for, "...every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:3).

"The grace of God teaches us to be "a peculiar people, zealous of good works." We work not to be saved, but because we are saved. An apple tree bears apples, not in order to be an apple tree, but because it is an apple tree. If a person is a child of God, they will do the works of God. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew5:16).

Finally, consider God’s--

Paul speaks of this in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12. In the opening verses, he tells of his wonderful vision of heaven. Then he passes from his blessings to his buffetings.

Consider, first, his thorn. I do not know, and I do not believe that anyone else knows, exactly what Paul’s thorn was. Some think that it was a physical infirmity. Others think that it was a spiritual conflict. What we do know is that it was painful. He described it as "a thorn in the flesh," "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Not only was Paul’s thorn painful, it was also beneficial. Twice in this verse he states the purpose of the thorn–"lest I should be exalted above measure." Paul had received many great revelations, so he had a special temptation to pride. The thorn was to keep him humble and dependent upon God. Brother Wilmerton, one of our former instructors, used to say, "Now don’t get exalted.  God knows how to bust your bubble!" Sometimes he uses a thorn.

Next, notice Paul’s petition. In verse 8 he says, "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me." There are several things in Paul’s prayer that are commendable. Notice that Paul’s prayer was directed to God, "I besought the Lord." Then it was persistent, "I besought the Lord thrice." He continued until he got an answer. Again, it was definite, "that it might depart from me." It was not general, but definite and specific.

Finally, consider God’s answer to Paul’s prayer. In verse nine Paul shares it, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness..." This was not the answer that Paul expected, but he gladly submitted to the Lord’s will. His reaction was, "...Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of God may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (verses 9 & 10).

As I have grown older, and health and physical strength have lessened, God’s promise has become more and more precious to me. Ponder it with me again, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

In conclusion, I share an experience Charles Spurgeon had. It has been a great blessing to me:

"The other evening I was riding home after a heavy day’s

work. I felt very wearied, and sore distressed, when swiftly, and suddenly as a lightning flash, that text came to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ I reached home and looked it up in the original, and at last it came to me in this way, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee,’ and I said, ‘I should think it is, Lord,’ and burst out laughing. I never fully understood what the holy laughter of Abraham was till then. It seemed to make unbelief so absurd. It was as though some little fish, being very thirsty, was troubled about drinking the river dry, and Father Thames said, ‘Drink away, little fish; my stream is sufficient for thee.’ Or it seemed like a little mouse in the granaries of Egypt, after the seven years of plenty, fearing it might die of famine; and Joseph might say, ‘Cheer up, little mouse, my granaries are sufficient for thee.’ Again, I imagined a man away up yonder, in a lofty mountain saying to himself, ‘I breathe so many cubic feet of air each year, I fear I shall exhaust the oxygen in the atmosphere,’ but the earth might say, ‘Breathe away, O man, and fill thy lungs ever; my atmosphere is sufficient for thee.’

"Oh, brethren, be great believers! Living faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls."

So we see that grace saves us, sanctifies us, and strengthens us. The last verse in the Bible is my prayer for all who read this article, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Revelation 22:21).