"Grace Is..." (Part 4)

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23 NIV).

Today, we come to the third principle in understanding the fullness of grace: It is expressed in blessing. Paul knew that which would be most important in the lives of the Philippians. It was grace. Though the Scripture never gives us a one verse definition of grace, it appears on every page, in every experience accounted. Donald Barnhouse, former pastor and well respected Bible scholar, said it very well: “Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.”

To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God’s acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the companion thought of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the heart of the giver.

Charles Swindoll writes of this concept from his early childhood, actually from his thirteenth birthday. He recounts how, thinking that he was now a part of the adult world; thought very highly of himself; and, his father was out in the garden pulling weeds and called him to come out and help. In a very sassy, belligerent tone, he said, “No. It’s my birthday, remember?” He said he knew better than to disobey his dad, and it did draw the expected response. His dad punished him immediately for his rebellion. That same night, Swindoll recounts his dad taking him out for a surprise birthday dinner! That’s the difference in getting what you deserve and not! That night he enjoyed what a proper theologian named Benjamin Warfield called “free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving”!

When I was nearly 20, I took my first trip to North Carolina. I had never traveled beyond College Station from my hometown of Galveston. Needless to say I had never seen mountains. Was I in for a surprise! All the way across Arkansas and most of Tennessee, I kept wondering if I was seeing mountains yet. Each time I was told, “Not yet.” Sure enough when we reached the Smokies I knew they were mountains. The sight was magnificent. For the first time in my life I was able to experience the excitement of that sight, which to this day, I have never lost! That day I was changed and would never be the same. Some of you need to take a trip, not to the Smokies, or the Rockies; but, a trip to the mountain of God’s grace. You will never be the same. And, you will never be satisfied living on the coast! Like Paul, my blessing to you is simply… May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with your spirit!