Salvation is by Grace

[savedbygrace57]

Salvation is by Grace Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. What does it mean to be saved by grace. For almost everyone I know who professes faith , says that they are saved by grace, oft times referencing eph 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. But as I talk to most people and they share their testimony, usually in the final analysis they contribute something else to their salvation other than grace. They say , they accepted christ , or that they had to believe, or that they repented after realizing they were sinners, and they go on and on and on.. Most also believe that Christ died for everyone in the world and now its up to you to do your part . Is this salvation by grace ?The apostle paul in acts 20 vs 24 says that he gave himself to the testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God , that is grace was His theme..Paul gives us some clear teachings on the grace of God, he having been a recipient of the same..Let us Look at some of the truthes of grace that the apostle testified to:1st He states that salvation is by grace through faith, and that not of your selves it is the gift of God..Grace is a gift in and of itself : a unmerited gifteph 3:7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.Not only from this verse do we see that grace is a gift, but that it is given by the effectual working of Gods power..Paul says in romans 5 that grace reigns like a king..521 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.Grace is the effectual sovereign power of God , its effectal and it reigns , its Gods power..in vs 21 the word reign is:basileuo meaningto be king, to exercise kingly power, to reignmetaph. to exercise the highest influence, to controlSo we see that grace is kingly it is sovereign...Also Grace is sovereign in its adminastration as its twin mercy is..rom 9:11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth 12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. As God pointed out to moses centuries ago, He has the absolute right to show mercy on whomever He will , and He witholds mercy from whomever He will..The same is true of His Grace...He saves by grace whomsover He will , and He witholds salvation by grace to whomsoever he will, it is not contingent upon the creature , but The sovereign pleasure Of God.. notice vs 1111(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth Notice that the behaviour of Individuals is not what God bases His mercy on..it does not matter if they do good or if they do evil.Why ? That the purpose of God according to elect might stand... not of works , but of Him that calleth..Lets look at two things here..# 1 The purpose of election..what is this ? Now we are talking about grace..Notice rom 11 vs5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Grace , here it is, salvation by grace, by Gods purpose , is election of grace..To be saved by grace , one has to be elected by grace.. thats it, theres no salvation if not having been sovereignly elected by grace. Paul says that he testifys to the gospel of the grace of God..election of grace. I am going to say this and I know its going to cause controversy , but A person who does not believe in sovereign election by grace , does not know what it means to be saved by grace..its just that simple people.To fail to acknowledge or believe in this precious gospel truth is just flat out denial and rejection of being saved by grace..Oh one may pay lip service to the phraseology I am saved by grace, but deny this truth of election, unconditionally, and I will show you a person who has no Ideal of what it means to be saved by grace..But of Him that calleth rom 9 vs 11Now , notice something else about grace :gal 1:But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,Paul says the saints as he was called by grace.. Grace calls and its a effectual call , its a sovereign call its a call of Gods effectual power, its a King calling for its subject.. Notice how one pictures a king or one in authority and power..matt 89For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.Well you see, grace is more powerful than this man of authority who is taking pride in how he is obeyrd by his subjcets , much more sovereign grace, when it calls , the elect become willing in the day of His power...Paul in testifying of this sovereign call gives this testimony to Agrippa in acts 26:12Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: Paul here is describing a sovereign call from the king Jesus , this was a manfestation of christ Glory and Majesty and power converting a mad man , and stopping him dead in his tracks of sin..Thats power , thats grace, thats King Jesus working out his eternal purposes , not of him who worketh but of Him that calleth, called by his grace.. Grace reigned here with paul and it reigns with all the election of grace, to the glory of God...Thank God for His unspeakable Gift..So we see as pauls theme for the gospel of the grace of God:Its an unmerited gift..Its sovereign in its adminastrationIt reigns as a kingIts election of graceits a effectual callIts a powerful testimony as it accomplishes God eternal purposes..So if anyone says they are saved by grace and yet deny any of these precious gospel truthes , they know not Jesus christ , nor his gospel...