“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

AS CHRISTIANS, THERE is no one – neither the most eminent saint – who will reach the shores of eternity without a profound and overwhelming realization – that what actually enabled us to persevere and complete our pilgrimage was nothing short of the pure grace of God.

If we are honest, we will humbly acknowledge that there have been sufficient occasions, where if it was not for the mercy of God, we would have soon forsaken Him Who loved us, called us, cleansed us, redeemed and adopted us as His sons and daughters.

As the accuser of the brethren, the devil has much ground to bring before God innumerable instances that would disqualify us from the race set before us, but God in His wisdom knew exactly whom He chose before the very existence of this world; Christ atoned not only for our past sins, but also for our present and future failures. We have been saved, we are presently being saved and we shall be saved (Ephesians 2:8; John 17:11, 15, 17-19; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; Romans 5:9-10).

Peter, who denied the Son of God, would have been eternally ruined had not God kept to His promise of completing the good work He began in him. It was nothing but the sheer grace of God that restored Peter back into encountering the felt joy and security of fellowship. Peter had not fallen from grace or rather – lost his salvation; assurance and delight of belonging to his Master completely dissipated through his moments of denying Christ. The grace of God abounded for Peter in his blackest hour just as much as any other exhilarating moment of Immanuel’s closeness.

It is astounding when you come to realize, that despite the failings of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David and Solomon… despite Israel and Judah continually wandering and waning… despite the lukewarm and backsliding churches throughout our history – God still faithfully unfolds His great plan of salvation. Had God not repeatedly revived the Church, the gospel would not have advanced and the gates of hell would only prevail.

Oh! How we need to be frequently reminded that we remain in the faith, not by our persevering, but because of the grace of God that enables us to persevere – to be content despite our circumstances, to continue running the race, to earnestly contend for the faith and to faithfully proclaim the gospel – thereby making disciples of all nations. It is the love and grace of God that constrains us.

Have we not felt heaven’s hound and the tugs of grace withholding us from sin – and even if we have fallen, grace has been there to restore us?! How the weight of sin had almost crushed us that sometimes we saw no way out, but how the Spirit relays to our downcast spirits that sin shall not have dominion over us, for we are not slaves to its realm but rather to the God of all-sufficient grace. He has purchased us with great price and in such a heavenly economy, no refunds exist; He that began a good work in us must bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6); our predestination must lead to our glorification – our final and perfect conformity to Christ’s image (Romans 8:30).

Is this advocating that God ‘winks’ at our sin or our persistence therein? Paul refutes such antinomianism (The theological doctrine that by faith and God’s grace a Christian is freed from all laws) throughout Romans 6 – “Are we to [can we] continue in sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely no way! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Any child of God that is obstinate in their sin will face the chastisement of God, but that discipline is the love of the Heavenly Father bringing such a one back into touch with the reality and joy of their salvation – not to settle there, but to worship Him for His abounding and unmerited saving grace. Our salvation is not an end in and of itself; our redemption is the gateway to worshipping Him, where our gaze shifts from ourselves unto Him.  

There never has been, or ever will be, the slightest degree of self-merit that could earn a single token of God’s benevolence. To be poor in spirit (destitute of any self-righteousness) is the only grounds to receiving God’s mercy – and even such a heart-felt condition can be only granted by God Himself. We cannot improve or add to our salvation one iota. If God freely justified us while we were enemies of God, how can we add one stature to such reconciliation? “While we were without strength” to even begin seeking God, He awakened us and broke the chains of sins captivity to arise and pursue Him. God indeed has written His law within our hearts and so our obedience is now of sheer delight in order to please Him. It is God’s covenant – not man fulfilling his side of the bargain; our flesh is too weak to keep it. God’s faithfulness nullifies all humanity’s boasting. His grace simultaneously humbles and exalts, but humility always leads the way. What an unsearchable inheritance He has graciously bestowed on us! Can we possibly fathom the depths of this truth that we are heirs of God?  What glorious riches He has lavished upon us! – “He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

This immeasurable grace is guaranteed to continue; the deeds have been signed by Christ’s blood and attested by heaven’s council. It is overflowing, super-abounding and perfectly matched for all our moments. God’s grace never runs dry; neither do we have to wait until the next morning to draw fresh supplies – it is always now, for yesterday’s or tomorrow’s grace is not sufficient for our present needs – “I need Thee every hour”. His constant supplies of grace are fresher than the morning dew that brings sweetness to every trial, the caress of the Heavenly Father in every grief, and a sense of heaven in all the mundane.

Where does this leave us? Are we to be passive and just ‘let go and let God’? If salvation is of the Lord from beginning to end, does it matter now how we live? Just two Scriptures alone will suffice in answering that: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). The evidence of salvation must yield fruit. Our works are the result of salvation, never unto. “Work out your own salvation…for it is God Who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

It is all by grace and by grace alone, but let us not wound such love by which we are saved and by which we continue to stand; let our gratitude be expressed through greater obedience to Him.