GRACE

 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Titus 2:11

 

Many Christians believe that  salvation is by faith! Though, Christians follow the fundamental doctrine that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone, many miss the most important point in Doctrine of Salvation - The GRACE of God. Many Christian teachers and pastors teach that FAITH in Christ alone is the basis for salvation. Though, FAITH in Christ alone is the product of true salvation, GRACE is the main reason why there is salvation! According to The New Lexicon Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary (NLWED), “FAITH is trust, confidence and complete acceptance of a truth which cannot be demonstrated or proved by the process of logical thought, the virtue by which a Christian believes in the revealed truth of God.” 

 

Similarly, according to Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible (IDB), “FAITH is a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life.” The Bible clearly states that FAITH is the product of man’s response to God (Hebrews 11:1, 6; Romans 10:17).

 

 Here is the big question: If FAITH alone can save and FAITH is the response of man to God, then, man can choose to believe or not to believe in God. But the problem with this teaching is that, since man is dead because of sin (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians. 2:13), how can he make himself alive to respond to God’s offer of salvation? Logical reasoning tells us that it is impossible for a dead man make himself alive Only God through His
supernatural power who has the author of life can do this impossible possible! We must understand that man is depraved because of his personal sins (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23) and inherited sins (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22), and therefore, spiritually dead. A spiritually dead person cannot respond to anything spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, since man is dead and depraved because of sin, the only way that he can be alive and respond to God’s call for salvation is through the mercy and love of God by providing him the gift of GRACE and at the same time the gift of FAITH that he may be able to respond to God’s call! According to NLWED, “GRACE is unconstrained and undeserved divine favor or goodwill, God’s loving mercy displayed to man for the salvation of his soul.”
 

The same way IDB states, “GRACE is favor and kindness without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that
person deserves.” Paul said (Ephesians 2:5) “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by GRACE ye are aved.)”.

 

Ephesians 2:8
“For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”. The “quickening” or “to make alive” mentioned in Ephesians 2:1, is the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:14) that God has given at the same time to them who are called according to His foreknowledge, purpose and will (Rom. 8:29, 30). Salvation, therefore, is by GRACE It is a gift through the unmerited mercy
and love of God to a depraved and sinful man.