4-02-2006
Pretoria #2 Convention
(Grace)
Grace is the unmerited favour of God. It could also be substituted with the love or help of God. Grace is the divine influence in our lives - a part of God himself that He gives to us. Perhaps grace is better demonstrated than defined. Jesus was the perfect manifestation of grace. Grace is not human. God has the monopoly on grace. Grace is a power that all hell cannot resist. It can reach from heaven to the most lowly, needy sinner.
There are three parts to grace:
(1.) Grace toward us (Salvation)
(2.) Grace in us (keeping saved - strength from God)
(3.) Grace through us (beauty - helping others to be saved)
(1.) Grace toward Us
Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith"
Salvation is a 2-way street. It is a gift from God, but there is a part for us to do. Think of rocks in a stream of water getting clean and smooth due to the action of the water. There is a condition for us to fulfill to receive salvation - we need to be in the stream of God's grace that He can do for us which we cannot do for ourselves. By faith we reach out and take up what God offers and let it do what it's intended to do.
We mustn't doubt the power of God's grace. A lump of clay might look at a china tea-cup and think that he could never be like that. God doesn't take lumps of clay to heaven, only tea-cups, but, God can take poor material and make it into a masterpiece.
(2.) Sustaining Grace - Strength
2 Timothy 1:9, Gods purpose is to have a whole family of sons and daughters like His Son, Jesus.
Romans 5:1-2, We have peace with the past, grace for the present and hope for the future.
I visited our old farm where I grew up and found that the farmhouse (now uninhabited) was hardly standing anymore due to the wind and storms. However, the old barn which my father had built was still fine. Inside I saw that he had just put up a lot of bracing, and this had kept the barn upright. Grace is the bracing in our lives, not just to stand, but to withstand a world of winds and currents contrary to our salvation.
2 Corinthians 9:8, abounding grace - more than we will ever need
2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul's "thorn in the flesh". Sometimes we need something that keeps us humble and feeling our need. Sometimes we need to fight the same battle over and over so that we don't get too familiar with the enemy.
Hebrews 2:9, When Jesus prayed "if this cup can pass from me" - all the wheels in the plan of salvation stopped turning, but God's will was still paramount in His life and He was willing for it all.
Romans 6:1, "shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Disgrace is abusing the grace of God. During the Passover in Egypt, the blood had to be on the door mantle, not on the mat. No-one should trample on the blood of the Lamb. Lasciviousness is accepting the grace and forgiveness of God and then going on to do whatever we want to. Because of grace there is forgiveness for sin, but not a license to sin.
Hebrews 12: 15, A root of bitterness will spring up if we don't get the grace of God. Therefore it is not someone else's fault if we feel bitter; it is because we didn't get the grace of God. God's grace will soften and change us.
(3.) Beauty (Grace through us)
We need to be "ornaments of grace". Grace makes God's people beautiful from the inside. Not just a polished article which is only beautiful from the outside.
Gracious words are always in season. Grace makes truth easier to swallow.
Sometimes we can sacrifice grace for our love for punctuality or efficiency.
Jesus was the most balanced person because of grace - He was no extremist!
He was the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God.
James 4:6, "giveth more grace". We can come without fear to the throne of grace.
Ephesians 4: 7-16, His grace equips us to be of help to others.
Grace goes to the person that takes the humble place,
Paul's letter to Philemon is also called the gracious epistle. Paul pleading for one who certainly didn't deserve grace - but who of us does?
Something else that was very special at this convention. Dale Spencer spoke about the order that Jesus brought to earth. One thing that He "got in order" was the ministry. If we read the 10th chapter of the first 6 books of the New Testament, we see how Jesus set up the ministry.
- Matthew 10 - sending out the 12
- Mark 10 - the rich young man
- Luke 10 - sending out the 70
- John 10 - the good shepherd vs. the hireling
- Acts 10 - Cornelius calls Peter
- Romans 10 - "how shall they preach if they have not been sent?"
Also something special from open meeting: We need to draw a straight line between where we are now and where we want to be - anything that doesn't fall on that line is not important.
(Rebuttal by Lloyd Fortt)
Before one can begin, one MUST present a definition, just as Mr. Bennett did. But I will present a definition that is generally held by most English speaking people – from Vine’s Expository Dictionary, as follows:
"Charis: has various uses,
(a) objective, that which bestows, or occasions pleasure. delight, or causes favorable regard; it is applied, eg., to beauty, or gracefulness of person, Luke 2:40;
Acts, 2 Corinthians 8:6, or speech, Luke 4:22.
(b) subjective, (1) on the part of the bestower, the friendly disposition from which the kindly act proceeds, graciousness, loving kindness, goodwill generally, eg., Acts 7:10; especially with reference to the divine favor or grace. eg.,
Acts 14:26, in this respect there is stress on its freeness and universality, its spontaneous character. as in the case of God's redemptive mercy, and the pleasure or joy He designs for the recipient; thus it is set in contrast with debt, Romans 4:4,16, ..." – (Vine's Expository Dictionary)
Now, let me quote Mr. Bennett's definition for direct contrast here;
“Grace is the unmerited favour of God. It could also be substituted with the love or help of God. Grace is the divine influence in our lives - a part of God himself that He gives to us. Perhaps grace is better demonstrated than defined. Jesus was the perfect manifestation of grace. Grace is not human. God has the monopoly on grace. Grace is a power that all hell cannot resist. It can reach from heaven to the most lowly, needy sinner.” (Mr. Bennett, above)
It is usually revealing to substitute the meanings of words in place of those words in the verses of Scripture – to see if the definition fits logically or not. So first let me quote the whole verse of Scripture that Mr. Bennett has quoted just part of above:
Ephesians 2:8-9 "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.”
I’ll now substitute the applicable definition from Vine’s;
Ephesians 2:8-9 (substituting) "For by “goodwill” are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
I will now substitute Mr. Bennett's definition of “grace”;
Ephesians 2:8-9 (substituting) "For by “the love or help of God” are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
I think this is enough to show that while Mr. Bennett starts rightly stating, “Grace is the unmerited favour of God”, his very next sentence throws a cloud over the word “favour.” And his next sentence further clouds that meaning, “Grace is the divine influence in our lives - a part of God himself that He gives to us.” Already Mr. Bennett has ‘gradually’ ‘personified’ “grace” as “a part of God” in sharp contrast to God’s “goodwill.”
And finally, in his second last sentence the word “grace” has been completely converted into “Grace is a power…”
So, finally, let me substitute that ‘definition’ for the reader:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (substituting ) "For by “a power” are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Need anyone say more?
Now let’s look at the effect of that process of redefining the word “grace.” Again, I’ll substitute Mr. Bennett's last definition into his own words where he uses the word “grace” further along;
“we need to be in the stream of God's “a power” that He can do for us which we cannot do for ourselves”
“We mustn't doubt the power of God's “a power”
“Sustaining “a power” – Strength”
“We have peace with the past, “a power” for the present and hope for the future.”
”a power” is the bracing in our lives, not just to stand, but to withstand a world of winds and currents contrary to our salvation.”
“2 Corinthians 9:8
I think the reader can see where Mr. Bennett is headed –
i.e., why did Mr. Bennett redefine “grace” into “a power?”
“It is a gift from God, but there is a part for us to do.” – perhaps to put a PRICE that we must pay upon the GIFT of God?
In other words, while Mr. Bennett truncated Ephesians 2:8-9, leaving out the “not of works” part entirely.
Mr. Bennett redefined the word “grace” in order to teach that “there is a part for us to do” to earn it.
