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Grace: Free, But Not Cheap!



“Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:30-32, NKJV).

The Father delivered Jesus for our sins, our sicknesses and to destroy any evidence of the devil’s work in our lives. Grace means “unmerited favor” in that it can’t be earned. Grace must be received and activated, to release its power in our lives.

In the passage above, Paul is speaking to every believer, not just those in Rome. Who are the “Whom” Paul is speaking of? It’s you and me. The Bible says God “Blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3, NKJV). God has freely given to us, but we must receive by faith.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV).

God’s grace didn’t just provide for our eternity with Him in heaven – though that in itself would be enough, but God had so much more in mind for us; to bring healing for every sickness or malady we face, “By whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV); to bring prosperity in every area of life where we face lack, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).

God’s grace was given to us that we may have a hope and a future. Which is easier to believe for, a “someday” in the future, after we pass from this life, or for God’s provision along the way?   Faith demands that we see an end result. While Hebrews 11 cites many who never saw what was promised, there are yet many more who did.

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10, NKJV). The word “salvation” is the Greek word, “sode-zo,” meaning, “To save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss, destruction” (New Testament Dictionary, Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible, copyright 2013 by AMG International).

I encourage you to receive God’s grace today; activate it through your faith.  Begin an amazing journey with God as He supplies your needs.

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Rob Granger and his wife, Becky, serve as Executive Pastors of Grace Church San Marcos under Senior Pastors Brian and Melissa Bauer. Located at 855 E. Barham Drive, San Marcos, Grace San Marcos meets at 10 a.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays with meetings for youth, children and other groups scheduled throughout the week. Visit www.gracesanmarcos.net for further information.

  The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Times-Advocate.

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