Thoughts  On Grace

The grace of God is available to all. Then why are not all saved? Titus 2:11 declares, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Universal grace is sound Bible doctrine. So why are all not saved? The word “grace” suggests a gift—given without merit on the part of the recipient. If salvation by grace is given without our merit, then it is not possible that one, through personal righteousness, could be saved, while one with a lesser degree of righteousness would be lost. Both, as sinners, would stand condemned by divine justice. So how could God be both just, in judging sin, and at the same time justify the sinner? 

The answer is found in Romans 3. Consider especially verses 23 to 26: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” 

God is just, in that sin was punished at the cross. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). In satisfying the justice of God, Jesus became our Justifier, assuring us of a right-standing with God by grace. 

But, like all gifts, the gift of salvation must be accepted. A father, prior to his death, had left a will granting a fund for his two sons’ college education. One son went to college, thus benefiting from his inheritance. The second did not want to go to college, and thus forfeited the money that was available to him. Our heavenly Father is no more gracious to one sinner than to another. He offers salvation equally, by His grace, to all. As free moral agents we may either accept or reject His grace and the salvation He provided through Jesus’ death and resurrection. In repentance and trusting faith in Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, we are to be buried in baptism, being “baptized into his death,” and raised to “newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4)