“Thy Grace Alone”

"Thy Grace Alone"

    The writer of Hebrews declares grace to be our hope for acceptable service to God.

   "Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).

    United with Truth, it's constant companion, the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ justifies, sanctifies, and ultimately glorifies all who trust in the Savior.  "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).  

    We enter into Christ through the grace of God's freely given favor, as received by faith.  "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.  It is the gift of God, and not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    We subsequently walk with our Lord by the same grace that introduced us to Him.  "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him… I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (Colossians 2:6; I Corinthians 15:10).

   Finally, our Heavenly Father's gracious process of conforming us to the spiritual and moral image of the Lord Jesus ensures that every believer will one day "be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).  "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

   Grace covers us in terms of past, present, and future.  Regarding our present lives, born again believers must realize that we live by the same grace as received through faith whereby we were born again.  Our spiritual enemies tempt us to view the Christian life in terms of our doings as the central aspect of walking with God.  Without minimizing the truth that God calls us to action and good works, we must never forget the grace and originates and empowers faithfulness to God.  As Paul wrote to the Philippians, we "work out" that which God first "works in" (Philippians 2:12-13).  We are always in response to Him, our faith being the product of His grace, and His love begetting our own: "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).  The Lord Jesus Himself lived such a life during His earthly journey - "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17).  Since Scripture calls us to "walk even as He walked," we must follow in the footsteps of the Son, as empowered by the Father's leadership and Holy Spirit's enabling (I John 2:6).  This is the grace and truth of God in Christ, this is our salvation, and this is our hope for a life lived in the glorious light thereof.

Thy grace alone, dear Father,

this is hope for me,

to walk in the truth of the gift You give 

in Christ so wonderfully free.

I have no other way, dear Lord,

 no other hope for me

to walk in faith and faithfulness,

to please and honor Thee.

So here I am, dear Father,

the vessel of Thy grace.

Lead me now and ever on

in the light of Thy dear face.

To shine with truth, to walk in grace,

to live throughout my days

by Thy Son, Thy Word, Thy Spirit,

Thy freely given grace!

Thy grace alone, dear Father,

this is hope for me...

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."

(II Corinthians 9:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

(Hebrews 12:28)