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GRACE


 

If grace is undeserved pardon from God, then why do we need to grow in grace?

 

This is quite an interesting question and one that needs to be looked into.

 

Let’s look at how God felt about man in the time of Noah. Mankind was just a cesspool of sin; everyone just did what they wanted to without any thought of what God had commanded.

 

Gen 6:6  And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

 

Noah was different and he found grace in God’s eyes.

 

Gen 6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

 

Why did Noah find grace? Because he was righteous.

 

Gen 7:1  Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.

 

2Pe 2:5  and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

 

Moses also found grace with God.

 

Exo 33:17  So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

 

The way the world knew Israel found Grace was that God was with them.

 

Exo 33:16  For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

 

So how do we get grace, what do we have to do to obtain it from God? Notice the following scripture shows that we need to walk uprightly.

 

Psa 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

 

We need to hear instruction and follow the law.

 

Pro 1:8  My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;

Pro 1:9  For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.

 

We need to be humble.

 

Pro 3:34  Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

 

We need to have wisdom, which will then lead to grace.

 

Pro 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

 

Pro 4:9  She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

 

Notice that Christ waxed strong in spirit and was filled with wisdom, and grace was upon Him.

 

Luk 2:40  And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

 

Grace and truth came by Christ.

 

Joh 1:17  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 

Rom 5:15  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

 

We must have faith.

 

Rom 5:2  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 

Because of grace, Paul was able to achieve much.

 

1Co 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

 

Notice we are saved by grace through faith, this is a gift of God.

 

Eph 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

 

It is important that we set a good example to those around us.

 

Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

 

It is important to be able to answer people properly.

 

Col 4:6  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

 

We are called according to the Fathers own purpose and grace before the world began.

 

2Ti 1:9  who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

 

We can find grace at the throne of God.

 

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

We have shown that we need grace and that we should grow in grace, this will mean that God will show us favour.

 

The following is from the Strong’s Concordance showing what grace means.

 

Devine influence upon the heart and its reflection in our life, includes gratitude and favour.