The Attributes of God
Grace
Exodus 34:6
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth
The grace of God is His favor toward us. So what? Remember, God is Holy, completely separate and perfect in and of Himself needing nothing. God is powerful and wise beyond human understanding. God is eternal declaring the end from the beginning.
The difference in power and ability between an amoeba and a human is nothing compared to the difference between God and man. Why should He look on us with favor? Do you have a favorite amoeba?
But it’s worse than that, God created a perfect, sinless world and we, in our arrogance, dared to deface that creation. If a germ made you sick would you show it mercy? But God’s nature is to be gracious. Consider Noah.
Genesis 6:5
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:8
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Not because Noah was righteous but because God is gracious, a remnant was brought through the flood.
We have looked at God’s omnipotence and omniscience and omnipresence. All of God’s qualities are omni. And his grace is omni-grace. He is all gracious.
Psalm 103:8 (read Ps 103)
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
It is this attribute of grace that Jesus displayed through his whole life, even on the cross.
Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
We bring nothing, God gives us everything.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
2Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
It is by grace alone that we are saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Knowing that God is Holy leaves us in awe of Him. Knowing that He is gracious brings us back into His presence.
Hebrew 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We come boldly but humbly. We pray to our Father but we pray that His will would be done.
James 4:6
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Our world is mostly graceless but this world is not our home. We are the children of Grace, the heirs of the Kingdom of Grace. We can afford to spare a little grace for those around us.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.
This is the last verse in the Bible. Grace has the final word.
Revelation 22:21
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Grace is a good word, a bene-diction, therefore I conclude,
Acts 20:32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
brotherpayne 