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Amazing Grace!, January 28
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2
.
“Grace be to you.” We owe everything to God’s free grace. Grace in
the covenant ordained our adoption. Grace in the Saviour effected our
redemption, our regeneration, and our exaltation to heirship with Christ.
Not because we first loved Him did God love us; but “while we were
yet sinners,” Christ died for us.... Although by our disobedience we have
merited God’s displeasure and condemnation, yet He has not forsaken us,
leaving us to grapple with the power of the enemy. Heavenly angels fight
our battles for us, and cooperating with them, we may be victorious over
the powers of evil.
We should never have learned the meaning of this word “grace” had
we not fallen. God loves the sinless angels, who do His service and are
obedient to all His commands, but He does not give them grace. These
heavenly beings know nought of grace; they have never needed it, for they
have never sinned. Grace is an attribute of God shown to undeserving
human beings. We ourselves did not seek after it, but it was sent out in
search of us. God rejoices to bestow this grace upon all who hunger for it,
not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our
need is the qualification which gives us the assurance that we shall receive
this gift.
God’s supply of grace is waiting the demand of every sinsick soul. It
will heal every spiritual disease. By it hearts may be cleansed from all
defilement. It is the gospel remedy for everyone who believes.
We may make daily progress in the upward path to holiness and yet
we find still greater heights to be reached; but every stretch of the spiritual
muscles, every taxation of heart and brain, brings to light the abundance
of the supply of grace essential for us as we advance.
The more we contemplate these riches, the more we will come into
possession of them, and the more we shall reveal the merits of Christ’s
sacrifice, the protection of His righteousness, His inexpressible love, the
fullness of His wisdom, and His power to present us before the Father
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
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