Hello all,
I have some questions as there seems to be confusion on the purpose of God's grace. Of course God's Grace is a free gift by God to mankind in Christ and his death on the cross for our sins. There is nothing that we can do to earn it as the scriptures teach it is God's gift to mankind because he loves us and sending his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life *John 3:16 and as the scriptures teach we are saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves and not of works lest any man should boast according to Ephesians 2:8-9.
The Questions I am proposing in this OP is...
Q1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD'S GRACE OR WHAT IS GOD'S GRACE FOR?
Q2. CAN WE HAVE GOD'S GRACE WITHOUT GOD'S LAW?
Q3. WHERE DOES GOD'S GRACE LEAD US?
(the above questions when linked are answered but what are your thoughts?)
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I will start of by providing my view from the scriptures in regards to Q1.
Q1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD'S GRACE OR WHAT IS GOD'S GRACE FOR?
Grace is linked to mercy and peace from God the father and from JESUS in love and truth for obedience to the faith.
2 JOHN 1:3 [3]
GRACE be with you,
MERCY, and
PEACE, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
ROMANS 1:5 [5], By whom we have received
GRACE and apostleship,
FOR OBEDIENCE TO THE FAITH among all nations, for his name.
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We are to grow in God's GRACE and the KNOWLEDGE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
2 PETER 3:18 But
GROW IN GRACE, AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. *
2 PETER 1:2
We do this by seeking JESUS to be our teacher and continuing in God's WORD.
JOHN 14:26 [26], But the Comforter, which is the
HOLY GHOST, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, AND BRING ALL THINGS TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE, WHATEVER I HAVE SAID TO YOU.
JOHN 8:31-36
[31], Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YOU MY DISCIPLES INDEED;
[32], And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
[33], They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free?
[34],
JESUS ANSWERED THEM, TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER COMMITS SIN IS THE SERVANT OF SIN.
[35], And the servant stays not in the house for ever: but the Son stays ever.
[36],
IF THE SON THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.
TITUS 2:11-12 [11],
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED BRINGING SALVATION TO ALL MEN, [12], TEACHING US, THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTOUESLY AND GODLY IN THIS PRESENT WORLD
ROMANS 6:1-2, [1] What shall we say then?
SHALL WE SIN [break any one of God's 10 commandments],
THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? GOD FORBID. [2], How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
ROMANS 6:15-17 What then? SHALL WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? GOD FORBID! [16] Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of SIN RESULTING IN DEATH, or of OBEDIENCE resulting in righteousness?
ROMANS 3:31 [31], Do we then make void the law through faith? GOD FORBID: YES,
WE ESTABLISH THE LAW.
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God's GRACE is given to us because all of us have sinned and are sinners (broken God's 10 Commandments) and the wages of SIN is death *ROMANS 3:23; ROMANS 5:12; ROMANS 6:23.
ROMANS 8:3-4
[3], For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4],
THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.
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WORD MEANINGS OF GRACE
GRACE GREEK WORD
χάρις; charis khar'-ece From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially
the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
GRACE HEBREW WORD
חן; chên khane From H2603; graciousness, that is, subjectively kindness, favor or objectively (beauty): -
favor, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favored.
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CONCLUSION: Grace is unmerited favor leading to a change of behavior. God's GRACE IS FOR OBEDIENCE to the faith (God's Word) in those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW it to save us from our sins and the penalty of sin (death) and our sinful nature through our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Hope this helps.