By Grace Through Faith by George Parsley

May 2, 2016 - Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8). God has given man many things but the greatest of these is His Son as a sacrifice for sin. All that we have is by grace. Grace is not merely “unmerited favor” for all men everywhere each day receive unmerited favor from God in many different ways.

Grace when it comes to salvation is also coupled with our faith. For it is by faith that we are purified (Ac. 15:9), sanctified (Ac. 26:18), receive the propitiation (Rm. 3:25), are justified (Rm. 3:28), have access into grace (Rm. 5:2) and we are the children of God by faith (Gal. 3:26).

So how are we saved by grace and our faith? Paul said, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rm. 10:17). So if we are saved by faith and grace then the Word must have something to do with this.

Paul also writes, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. …And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Ac. 20:24,32). Now notice that he said according to the “word of his grace” we are built up and are sanctified, which we noticed earlier that we are sanctified by faith (Ac. 26:18).

It was also this “grace” that Paul would testify to (Ac. 20:21; Ac. 14:3) and which he also said teaches us (Tit. 2:11-12). It is also this same grace that saved Noah (1 Pet. 3:20-21). Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord (Gen. 6:8) and that grace consisted of the word of God by the giving of the blueprint of the ark (Gen. 6:13-22).

It was Noah’s faith in the revealed grace of God (His Word) that saved Noah (Gen. 6:22; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:21). Noah was saved by grace through faith such as men are today. As Peter wrote, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:22-23).

God’s grace is found in the gospel and when we have faith in it and obey it then we are saved by grace through faith. As Jesus said, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15-16). Being saved by grace is dependent upon men having an active obedient faith in the gospel of grace which is able to sanctify us.

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