The Grace and Love of God

By Arthur J Licursi

Millions of people, even religious people, are afraid of God and are struggling to “earn” His favor. Sadly, many Christian denominations and sects today teach or imply that a man must “initially earn” and/or “secure” his salvation by continuing to being “good enough” through some means of “good works.” Of course these works based religions can never tell us just how much good works is enough.

Therefore, most men suppose that salvation is the reward for doing one’s good works or for showing enough love to Him; but then live without the security of knowing God’s grace and love.

This of course is folly, as we learn by reading such clearly spoken verses as these from the Apostle Paul’s epistles.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (AMP) For it is BY FREE GRACE (GOD’S UNMERITED FAVOR) THAT YOU ARE SAVED (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; ⁹ NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS [NOT THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW’S DEMANDS], LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

Romans 6:14b (AMP) … NOW YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW [AS SLAVES], BUT UNDER GRACE [AS SUBJECTS OF GOD’S FAVOR AND MERCY].

If only every person could hear and believe what God Himself says, rather than what men say about God. If we are to be saved from perdition it will be entirely because He loved us and graciously and freely provided for our salvation.

The Apostle Paul called God “the God of love” (2 Cor. 13:11) and John declared that “God IS love” (1 John 4:8). Thus John goes on to say:

“HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins” (1 John 4: 10).

This is why salvation is called “the gift of God” in (Eph 2:8 above). It is the expression of God's love to sinners. So Paul tells us:

“[We] were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)” (Eph. 2:3-5).

“...after that THE KINDNESS AND LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR TOWARD MAN appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us...” (Tit. 3:4, 5).

Does all this mean that God overlooks sin or condones it?

By no means!

In His love He fully and freely paid for our sins on Calvary 's cross “that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). This is why we read in Rom. 5:8:

“...GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US.”