September 6 – Grace is Heaped

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight  ” – Ephesians 1:7-8 (ESV)

The fourth of six promises we received by faith when we are saved by grace. We are redeemed and forgiven for all our sins and placed in Christ Jesus permanently. If we did not have this assurance from God, we would be in a miserable and dark place. Human nature first thinks that any good thing we have received is according to what we do with our own effort and works. This is why within all the other belief systems in this world, each requires the one to work to be good enough to qualify. This is not so with those who are in Christ Jesus. True Christians who are faith believers do not earn salvation or maintain salvation by their own effort. We have been redeemed not by our good deeds but by the one deed of Jesus Christ who shed his blood and died for us. He paid the penalty we owed and when we believe in Him for what He has done we are forgiven for every failure. All have failed and for those who believe, God applies His work of grace in a lavish way. His forgiveness is for all who believe and is forever.  

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September 2 – Bound to Abound

“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:20-21 (NIV)

The Law of God, revealed at Mt Sinai through Moses, was intended to lead Israel closer to God.  Although constantly rebellious as they were, God used the Law as his righteous prod to teach, what sin is and how they should walk on the path which kept them undefiled by sin and holy to the Lord.  In the Garden of Eden the first Adam sinned and was condemned to living by the “sweat of his brow.”  In another Garden Jesus, the Last Adam, obeyed the Father sweating great drops of blood, and conquered Adam’s sin on the cross.  The result was that when sin – which is a trespass of the law –  increased (literally “abounded”) grace increased all the more (“overflowed superlatively”). What a contrast! No matter how great sin of humans become, God’s grace abounds– overflows beyond it and surpasses it abundantly. Superlatives fail to express the depth of his grace and love. No wonder Paul wrote that God’s grace “is sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Verse 5:20 more accurately reads, “Then the Law came in beside” (literal translation). Grace was not an addition to God’s plan; grace was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning.  

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