Partakers of Grace

Grace is the work of God, to accomplish the salvation of His elect, redeemed, regenerated, believing, and now-being-sanctified people (Eph 2:8–9; Titus 3:5). Where Christ Jesus is preached and received, grace is abounding (Jn 1:12–13; Rom 1:16–17; 1 Cor 2:2). When a person hears about the things of God, from the Spirit who searches the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:10), he or she is privy, to tasting and seeing that God is good (Ps 34:8).

When God, in His grace, grants faith to His people as a gift (Gal 3:22; Phil 1:29), they have the grace to apprehend the truth (2 Pet 3:18), that is, Jesus Christ (Jn 14:6). Moreover, grace affords us the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). This is the mind set on the things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5–6), who directs our focus to Jesus (Jn 12:21), who is actually authoring and perfecting each believer’s faith (Heb 12:2), in the measure of His choosing (Rom 12:3).

The Bible reveals the glory of God in the face of Christ, but each believer is a blind man, being shown more light, like the dawning of the morning star (2 Cor 4:6). Therefore, we can say that God does increase our faith (Lk 17:5), which is the assurance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1a). Because unbelievers cannot see, being blinded from Gospel truth by the devil (2 Cor 4:4), they think the Christian faith is an unknown leap in the darkness.

In reality, faith is a conviction of the indwelling Spirit (Rom 8:9, 11; Heb 11:1b), who has given sight to the blind, by illuminating them with the truth. The psalmist prayed, “O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places (Ps 43:3).” Jesus, of course, is God’s answer to the psalmist’s request.

Jesus is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12). Jesus is the truth, and no one comes to the Father but through Him (Jn 14:6). The fruit of the Light is truth (Eph 5:9), and he who practices the truth comes to the Light (Jn 3:21). With more light, we see more truth. It is the truth that sets us free from the old ways of bondage to sin (Jn 8:32).

Christians are saved by grace (Eph 2:8). This means it is all God’s work in election, redemption, regeneration, and sanctification unto glorification (Rom 8:30). What is so amazing about grace is how powerfully and wisely it transforms us (Rom 12:2), having already transferred us into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col 1:13).

Grace wills and works the conformity of every saint into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), who is the icon of God (Col 1:15). The sanctifying work of the Spirit is Word-centered (Jn 17:17; Rom 15:16; 2 Thess 2:13). God’s Word is truth (Ps 119:160), and it is revealed from our God, who is true (Rom 3:4; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21).

The indwelling Spirit of truth is working the Word of truth, into the heart and mind of every believer (Jn 16:13). If one does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ (Jn 10:26; Rom 8:9), and there is no grace at work within him. With no grace, he has no faith to apprehend the truth, which is also not in him because the Spirit has not baptized him into Christ (Mt 3:11; Acts 11:16; 1 Cor 12:13).

On the other hand, it is the Spirit working grace that manifests the entire Christian life experience, from regeneration to glorification. The difference between the Christian and the unbeliever is the presence of the Spirit, working grace. If one says he had faith in Jesus Christ, before he had the Spirit of Christ, and before he had the grace of the Spirit that gives men faith (Gal 3:22; Phil 1:29), then he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

God’s children are walking in the truth (2 Jn 1:4; 3 Jn 1:3–4), by walking in faith (2 Cor 5:7), which only happens when one is walking by the Spirit (Rom 8:4; Gal 5:16, 25). Because God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19), and gave His Spirit to us, as a gift (Rom 5:5; 1 Jn 4:13), Christ is manifest through us (Gal 2:20), as His chosen people (1 Pet 2:9), made alive to God by the Spirit (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13), who caused us to be born again of God (1 Pet 1:3). It is the grace of God that accomplishes all that concerns us (Ps 57:2; 138:8).

Everything God does in the life of His saints is to the praise of His glorious grace, which God freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Eph 1:6). The Christian’s faith is by grace, and so is his growth in holiness and godliness. With minds set on the things of heaven above (Col 3:2), where Christ is seated in glory (Eph 2:6; Heb 1:2; 10:12; 12:2; Rev 3:21), it is grace that gives us the desire for Christ above all else (Mt 6:33).

Because grace is the work of God, it cannot fail (Rom 9:6; 1 Cor 13:8; 2 Cor 3:8). It works all things to accomplish God’s purposes (Eph 1:11; 3:11), including working all things together for good, for those who love God, and who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

Grace does not do this for those who do not belong to Christ (Jn 10:26). These are condemned already (Jn 3:18), for they do not have the Son of God (1 Jn 5:12), in order to have the life of God (Jn 14:6). They also do not have the will to want Christ (Jn 1:12–13), nor do they have the ability to attain the righteousness of God on their own (Rom 8:7; Eph 2:8). They are vessels of wrath, prepared for destruction (Rom 9:22).

Christian, grace has come to you, with the gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). Every aspect of your new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), is the result of the Spirit’s work of grace. Praise God for giving you abounding grace (Rom 5:15, 17, 20; 2 Cor 4:15; 9:8), which can only mean abundant life (Jn 10:10), and for affording you the title “partaker of grace” (Phil 1:7).

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

October 24, 2022