GOD’S FREE GRACE

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.”
—Ephesians 1:7-8

The Apostle Paul wrote in our text, “according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us.” In other words, redemption and forgiveness is according to the riches of God’s grace. Paul is not only drawing our attention to costly and forgiving grace, but he is calling our attention to God’s free grace. He is reminding us that redemption has been granted to us through God’s rich and abounding grace. One of the things I find among many Christians is that when God convicts them of the greatness of their sin, it is very difficult for them to believe that such wicked sins can be fully and finally forgiven. When we realize how ugly sin is and how it has offended our loving Father and painfully affected our loved ones, sin becomes so wicked to us that it becomes very difficult to believe that it’s fully and freely forgiven. But here in our text the Lord is saying that His abounding grace of forgiveness is far more abounding than our sin. 

In the hymn, “Marvelous Grace of our loving Lord”, we read these words, “grace that exceeds my sin and my guilt!” Have you been convicted of your sins? Have you been able to say, “I’m even worse than I appear to be! I’m worse than I ever thought myself to be!” Now hear these words, God’s grace exceeds your sin and your guilt! Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all my sin!

You see, the Apostle Paul is saying that when you come into the throne room of our heavenly Father, and you come to worship and adore Him, don’t forget to praise Him for His costly, forgiving, free, abounding, generous grace, which He has given to us in His Son. It’s a grace that’s greater than all our sin. Amazing, pardoning, cleansing, loving, forgiving, restoring, beautifying, grace of God that is granted to us in Jesus Christ! 

Believer, we have been redeemed by God’s grace, which He made to abound toward us because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. That’s life transforming because people who realize that they have been redeemed not because they deserved it or because of something they have done, but because of God’s free, costly, and rich grace, they become tender-hearted, loving, merciful, and charitable people who strive to honor God by loving and forgiving others. 

Let us testify to the greatness of our God’s grace not simply in our words, but in the abundance of mercy that flows from our lives. And we do this by remembering the words of our text: “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” 

Friday Devotional, March 15, 2024
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry