Grace is not a Thing

Grace is not a “Thing”

It is legitimate to speak of “receiving grace,” and sometimes (although I am somewhat cautious about the possibility of misusing language) we speak of the preaching of the Word, prayer, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper as “means of grace.” That is fine, so long as we remember that there isn’t a thing, a substance, or a “quasi-substance” called “grace.” All there is is the person of the Lord Jesus — “Christ clothed in the gospel,” as Calvin loved to put it. Grace is the grace of Jesus. If I can highlight the thought here: there is no “thing” that Jesus takes from Himself and then, as it were, hands over to me. There is only Jesus Himself.

Grasping that thought can make a significant difference to a Christian’s life. So while some people might think this is just splitting hairs about different ways of saying the same thing, it can make a vital difference. It is not a thing that was crucified to give us a thing called grace. It was the person of the Lord Jesus that was crucified in order that He might give Himself to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
 – Sinclair Ferguson



 

Something to think about...

"Can we really be righteous in God's sight? Yes, but the truth is even more remarkable--in Jesus Christ, I am as righteous in God's sight as Jesus Christ Himself.

How can that be? The only righteousness with which I am righteous, is Jesus Christ's righteousness.

It is as if He has said to me, 'Here is my righteousness. Wear it; it is yours. It fits your needs perfectly and completely'.

As I stand in God's presence and He looks at me, I hear Him say: 'Where have I seen that righteousness before? Come near, I recognize it now. That is My Son's righteousness you are wearing! Enter! You are welcome - and safe - here."

-Sinclair Ferguson, By Grace Alone-

Something to think about...

How you view God determines the quality and style of your Christian experience. Many Christians spend much of their lives paralyzed because, although they have trusted Christ as Saviour, they have never really seen what His sacrifice teaches us about the character of God.

He gave His Son; He sent His Son; He "handed over" His Son, because He loves us.

-Sinclair Ferguson-

Something to think about...

"You cannot open the pages of the New testament without realizing that one of the things that makes it so 'new', in every way, is that here men and women call God 'Father'. This conviction, that we can speak to the Maker of the universe in such intimate terms, lies at the heart of the Christian faith. Through Christ, says Paul, we have 'access to the Father'."

-Sinclair Ferguson-