The Grace of God

Friend, Kenneth Hagin once said that understanding scripture is like climbing a mountain. You climb to one side of the mountain and see a view. You climb to the other side of the same mountain, and you have a totally different view. Well, I want us to climb to the other side of scriptures to see grace from another perspective. We have various definitions of grace. One of such is that grace is unmerited favor. Someone else defined grace as God's overwhelming desire to bless you despite your sins. All of these definitions are different perspectives in scripture on grace.

Grace, unlike people’s ideas—with all due respect—is not just something you get that makes you do things beyond your ability. That is part of grace, but it occurs as a result of grace itself.  What then is grace? To define grace, we need to know the source of grace. Peter said, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2). Therefore, the source of grace is the word of God (John 1:1-5, 9).

Now that we know the source of grace, let's go on to define grace. Apostle Paul, speaking concerning grace, said, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward" (Ephesians 3:2). He then goes on to tell us of this grace: "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach..." (Ephesians 3:8-9). Notice he said that the dispensation of grace given to him was to preach, and we know that the grace he referred to came from the word of God.

Therefore, grace can be defined as the plans and purposes of God from his word. In simple terms, grace is what to do from the word of God. Grace is the plan and purpose of God for man. It is God's race (Grace). Paul referred to his mission or assignment on the earth as grace.

Now let’s do a quick comparison and right division of scriptures on the word grace. Where we see grace, we replace it with the word purpose:

Ephesians 4:7: "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."

- Everyone of us has a divine plan or purpose from God.

2 Peter 1:2: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord."

- The purposes and plans of God for your life be multiplied unto you by knowledge of the word of God.

Galatians 2:21: "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain."

- I do not frustrate the plan of God, for if righteousness came by a bunch of rules, then the plan of God, one of which was Christ coming to die, is in vain.

Ephesians 2:8: "For by grace are ye saved through faith..."

- For by the purpose and plans of God are ye saved. One of the plans was the death of Jesus.

Friend, we could go on and on. Grace is the plan or the purpose of God from his word. It is God’s idea for man from his word, and it is also what to do from the word of God.

The Throne of Grace

There is a throne of grace. Grace is the plan and the purpose of God for man from His word. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace..." The throne of grace is the place where grace sits. It is the domain of ALL GRACE, the dwelling place of grace, and therefore, the source of grace! I have defined grace as the plan and purpose of God for man (Ephesians 3:2, 8-11). So, the throne of grace is simply the throne of the plans and purposes of God. It is the throne of the thoughts of God.

In Hebrews 4:16, the writer says we obtain mercy and find grace in the throne of grace. So, the throne of grace is the place where we can find God's plans and purposes for our lives. It is the site of the thoughts of God towards man. Peter, the Apostle to the Jews, told us that we can multiply or increase in grace through the knowledge of the word of God (2 Peter 1:2). Therefore, the word of God is the throne of grace. The word of God is the site of the thoughts of God towards man. Isaiah 34:16 says, "Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail." This means God's plans for every man's life are written in a book called the Bible.

The word of God is the throne of grace, and it has been written in a book called the Bible. So, the Bible is the site of the ideologies of God towards man. Friend, every time you come before the word of God, whether preached or written, you have come before the throne of grace. There, expect to find what to do that will change your situation.

Accessing Grace

Friend, I have defined grace as what to do from the word of God, and I have also said that grace is God's plan and purpose for man. Many know that God has a plan and a purpose for creating them, but their problem is how to find it. The problem is how to locate God's plan and purpose for your life.

Having discovered the site of grace, which is the place where all grace or purposes of God for man can be located—the word of God—we still have a problem searching it out. A friend once asked me, "Do I read or search all the scriptures before I know what God has called me to do?" Even if you were to search the whole scriptures, you may not be able to find your grace or purpose.

The Apostle Paul gave us a hint on how to go about purpose discoveries from God's word. In Romans 5:2, he said, "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." So, faith is a must if you must access God's plan for your life. Many times, we pray prayers of inquiries without faith. The Apostle James said anyone that does not ask in faith is as the wave of the sea, and let not that man think that he would receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7). So, in our search for the plans of God for our life, we must search in faith. Mark 11:23-24 says when we pray, we must believe that we have received it before we can ever have it. It is to every man according to his faith. Let me briefly outline some steps of faith to take in accessing grace (God's plan for your life):

1. Come boldly to the Throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16)

   - The throne of grace is the word of God. It is the site of the thoughts of God towards man.

2. Come to the Throne, asking in faith

   - Jesus said when we ask our earthly parents for bread, they would not give us a stone, and when we ask for fish, they would not give us serpents. Then how much more will our heavenly Father give good gifts to them that ask Him (Matthew 7:7-10). Ask Him, believing that He would not withhold good from you when it is just by Him. He would not tell you to go and come back tomorrow. After all, He said to everyone that asks, receives (Proverbs 3:27-28).

3. Come to the Throne, searching

   - Hebrews 4:16 says when we come to the throne of grace, we come to 'find' grace. We come to look for the plans and purposes of God for our lives from His word.

Friend, I believe with these three steps of faith, you will access God's plan and purpose for your life in the name of Jesus. Remain Blessed.

Remember, Jesus is Lord!

Min. Roi