Confessions: The Grace of God - Full Transcript

Let us begin with prayer. Almighty and merciful God, we come before You this day to consider the mystery of Your grace. Open our hearts and minds to understand the depth of Your love and the power of Your transforming grace. May we, like the great Augustine, be moved to confess our sins and rejoice in Your mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Beloved in Christ, we gather today to consider one of the most profound mysteries of our faith: the grace of God. This grace, which is the unmerited favor of God toward sinners, is the foundation of our salvation and the source of all spiritual transformation. Through the lens of my own experience and the testimony of Scripture, we will explore how this grace operates in the human heart. The word "grace" comes from the Latin "gratia," meaning favor or kindness. In the New Testament, it is the Greek word "charis," which speaks of God's unmerited favor toward those who deserve His wrath. This grace is not something we can earn, merit, or deserve. It flows from God's love and mercy, freely given to those who are utterly undeserving.

Grace is God's unmerited favor toward those who deserve His wrath. It is not something we can earn, merit, or deserve. It flows from God's love and mercy, freely given to those who are utterly undeserving. This grace is the foundation of our salvation, for "by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). The apostle Paul understood this truth deeply. He wrote to the Romans, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). Notice that justification comes "by his grace as a gift." It is not earned or merited, but freely given. This grace is also sufficient for all our needs. Paul testified, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:9). God's grace is not only sufficient for our initial salvation but also for our continued sanctification and for every trial we face in life.

I can testify to the power of God's grace from my own life. For many years, I lived in sin and rebellion against God. I pursued worldly pleasures and philosophical systems that led me away from the truth. I was a slave to my passions, seeking satisfaction in created things rather than in the Creator. But God, in His infinite mercy, did not abandon me to my sin. He pursued me with His grace, drawing me to Himself through the prayers of my mother, Monica, and the preaching of His Word. I remember the day when I heard the voice of a child saying, "Take up and read." I opened the Scriptures and read from Romans 13:13-14: "Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." In that moment, God's grace broke through my hardened heart. I was convicted of my sin and drawn to Christ. It was not my own effort or merit that saved me, but the sovereign grace of God working in my heart.

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." This truth I discovered through bitter experience. My heart was restless because it was seeking satisfaction in created things rather than in the Creator. I sought pleasure in sin, knowledge in philosophy, and meaning in worldly pursuits, but none of these could satisfy the deep longing of my soul. The human heart is designed to find its ultimate satisfaction in God alone. When we seek satisfaction in anything else - whether it be wealth, power, pleasure, or knowledge - we find only emptiness and disappointment. This is because we are made in the image of God and are designed to find our fulfillment in Him. The psalmist understood this when he wrote, "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalm 42:1-2). This spiritual thirst can only be satisfied by the living water that Christ offers.

God's grace has the power to transform even the most hardened heart. When grace enters the soul, it begins a work of transformation that continues throughout the believer's life. It changes our desires, our thoughts, our actions, and our character. It makes us new creatures in Christ, conforming us to His image. This transformation is not instantaneous but progressive. The apostle Paul wrote, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, who applies the grace of God to our hearts and lives. The evidence of this transformation is seen in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These qualities are not produced by human effort but by the grace of God working in us.

The relationship between grace and free will is a mystery that has occupied the minds of theologians for centuries. God's grace does not destroy human freedom but enables it. Grace works in us to will and to work according to His good pleasure. It is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13). Notice the balance here: we are to "work out" our salvation, but it is "God who works in" us. Our responsibility and God's sovereignty work together in perfect harmony. We are responsible for our choices and actions, but God's grace enables us to make the right choices and perform the right actions.

God's grace is not only sufficient for our initial conversion but also for our continued sanctification. The same grace that saves us also sanctifies us, keeping us in the faith and working in us to produce the fruit of the Spirit. This grace will ultimately bring us to glory, for "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). This truth gives us great comfort and assurance. We do not have to rely on our own strength or ability to persevere in the faith. God's grace is sufficient to keep us and to bring us safely to glory. The apostle Jude wrote, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy" (Jude 24). This perseverance is not based on our merit or effort but on God's faithfulness and the power of His grace. He who began the good work in us will complete it.

The church is the community of those who have experienced God's grace. It is through the church that God continues to dispense His grace through the preaching of the Word, the administration of the sacraments, and the fellowship of believers. In the church, we find encouragement, correction, and support as we grow in grace. The apostle Peter wrote, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:10). Each believer has received gifts of grace from God, and these gifts are to be used for the benefit of the whole church. This creates a community where grace flows freely from one member to another. In the church, we also find accountability and correction. When we stray from the path of grace, our brothers and sisters in Christ are there to restore us gently. The apostle Paul wrote, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1).

How should we respond to God's grace? With gratitude, worship, and obedience. Gratitude for the gift of salvation we did not deserve. Worship for the God who has shown us such mercy. Obedience to the One who has redeemed us at such great cost. Our lives should be a continual offering of thanksgiving for His grace. The apostle Paul wrote, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1). This is our reasonable response to God's grace - to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Him. This obedience is not legalistic or burdensome but flows from love and gratitude. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). When we truly understand and appreciate God's grace, we will naturally desire to obey Him out of love and gratitude.

Understanding God's grace should motivate us to share the gospel with others. If we have experienced the transforming power of grace, we should desire others to experience it as well. We should be ambassadors of grace, proclaiming the good news of God's love and mercy to a world that desperately needs it. The apostle Paul wrote, "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). This love of Christ, which is the result of His grace, compels us to share the gospel with others. We cannot keep this good news to ourselves. We must tell others about the grace that has transformed our lives.

In the end, all glory belongs to God for His grace. We have nothing to boast about, for our salvation is entirely the work of His grace. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31). The glory of grace is that it exalts God and humbles man, bringing us to our knees in worship and adoration. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). The purpose of salvation by grace alone is to eliminate all human boasting and to give all glory to God. This truth should fill us with humility and gratitude. We are saved not because of anything we have done but because of what God has done for us in Christ. This should lead us to worship and praise Him with all our hearts.

Let us examine our hearts today. Have we truly experienced God's grace? Are we living in gratitude for His mercy? Are we growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us pray that God would continue to work His grace in us, transforming us more and more into the image of His Son. If you have not yet experienced God's grace, I urge you to turn to Christ today. Confess your sins and trust in Him for salvation. His grace is sufficient for you, no matter how great your sin or how far you have strayed. If you have experienced God's grace, let us live in gratitude and obedience. Let us be ambassadors of grace, sharing the good news with others. Let us grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might be transformed more and more into His image. May God grant us all the grace to understand and appreciate His mercy, that we might live lives of gratitude and obedience, bringing glory to His name. Amen.