The Grace of God Has Appeared
The grace of God has appeared in the Person of Jesus Christ. That first Christmas God's grace came down to us as a baby born in a stable and placed in a manger bed. The grace of God came for a very specific purpose, too. He came "bringing salvation for all people." (Titus 2:11) Therefore, we can say that God's grace is a Person, the God/Man, Jesus Christ. His life was truly grace personified. Let me explain.
Jesus was rich beyond measure, but He came to the earth in poverty. Christ was powerful, but He came a helpless baby. He was Lord of all, but He became a servant. He freely gave up His standing in heaven to provide salvation freely to all people. He gained a life of suffering and death, so we could have life eternal and abundant. He did it all because He loves us all. Jesus knew that His death and resurrection was the only way to pay for the sins of man and to be able to provide salvation as a gift of free grace to whoever trusts in Him. He paid it all, and we received what we could never earn or deserve. That was a life of grace, and that grace extends to every person born into this world. The sad thing is that Jesus appeared bringing salvation to all people, but some reject His gift. They laugh at grace, and they try to work their way to heaven. However, there is no way to get to the Father, except by the grace of God, Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Philemon and Hebrews 1-2.
Jesus was rich beyond measure, but He came to the earth in poverty. Christ was powerful, but He came a helpless baby. He was Lord of all, but He became a servant. He freely gave up His standing in heaven to provide salvation freely to all people. He gained a life of suffering and death, so we could have life eternal and abundant. He did it all because He loves us all. Jesus knew that His death and resurrection was the only way to pay for the sins of man and to be able to provide salvation as a gift of free grace to whoever trusts in Him. He paid it all, and we received what we could never earn or deserve. That was a life of grace, and that grace extends to every person born into this world. The sad thing is that Jesus appeared bringing salvation to all people, but some reject His gift. They laugh at grace, and they try to work their way to heaven. However, there is no way to get to the Father, except by the grace of God, Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Philemon and Hebrews 1-2.