Grace Defined - Part Two

Note: This is the 3rd post in a series on Grace that should be read in the following order:

1 Purpose of this Blog
2 Grace Defined - Part One
3 Grace Defined - Part Two
4 Grace operates through Faith - Faith Defined
5 Faith comes by hearing
6 Faith comes by hearing - Time alone with God
7 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part One
8 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part Two

"For by grace are ye saved...unto good works,
which God hath before prepared that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8,10 partial/margin)

God has prepared a work for you and He is preparing you for that work.

After we are saved Grace works in us to prepare us for that work. This is Sactification in the simplest sense of the word. Being set apart for His purpose.

Also after being saved, Grace works through us, causing us to walk in that work. This is Ministry in the simplest sense of that word. Doing His purpose.

By God's grace, we will explore both of these facets in the very practical sense considering such things as victory over sin, holiness, being led by the Spirit, walking in the Spirit and the like.

A word of caution:
It may appear from time to time as we look at the practical aspects of Grace that it is all about us. That is, He saved us, is preparing us and intends to send us out to do the work He has prepared for us to do.

This is true, but please, never, ever forget that above all, we have been saved to have fellowship with Him and to glorify Him (He must increase, but we must decrease). "...for without me ye can do nothing. " Jesus said. (Jn 15:5b)

Which brings us back to where we left off in part one:

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: "
Colossians 2:6 Emphisis mine

So, what does it mean to "walk in Grace"?

Earlier (part 1) we saw that the Holy Spirit was refered to as "the Spirit of Grace" in both Zechariah 12:10 and Hebrews 10:29 and that when we are saved by the "washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost", or the Spirit of Grace.

Now, as children of God we are admonished to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."(Eph. 6:10) and not our own. To Timothy Paul wrote, "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 2:1) Earlier, in Zachariah 4:6 the Lord tells the prophet, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit." And to Ezekiel he said, "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. " (Ez 36:27)

And to Jermiah He said,

"Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. "
(Jeremiah 9:23-24)

So then, our walk and work as a Christian is not by our wisdom, but by His Grace. It is not by our might, but by His Grace. It is not by our riches, but by His Grace. As the apostle Paul explained to the Corinthians:

"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. "
(1 Corinthians 15:10)

and

"...but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. But to them, the called-out ones, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and the weak thing of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brothers, that not many wise men according to the flesh are called, not many mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things that are; so that no flesh should glory in His presence.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; so that, according as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
(1 Corinthians 1:23-31 MKJV)

So it was not Paul who labored, but the Spirit of Grace in him, and it is not our power or wisdom when we serve God accpetably, but Christ's power and wisdom working through us by that same Spirit of Grace. So that to Jesus goes all the glory and praise, for apart from Him, we can do nothing.

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God; "
(2 Corinthians 3:4-5 MKJV)

Paul, having an abundance of revelations, ran the risk of becoming proud. So God allowed Satan to give him a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble. On three different occasions Paul prayed that it might be taken from him. Finally the Lord answered:

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. "
(2 Corinthians 12:9)

Please note the progression:

My Grace = my strength = the power of Christ.

Thus, as regards our walk as believers of Jesus Christ and our war with the world, the flesh and the devil:

Grace is the Power of God, given to us by the Spirit of God to do the Will of God.

In our next installment, Grace works through Faith.

I leave you with Paul's prayer for the church at Ephesus:

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. "
(Ephesians 3:14-21)