Irresistable Grace & Some Fun

Last week I wanted to post some things I had learned about grace, but didn't have all the information I needed.  Instead I wrote about the history of the song "Amazing Grace."  Well, thanks to Thomas, a learned man from church and the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, I bring you the 3 definitions of grace.

Grace - unmerited favor - God's grace extended to sinful humanity in providing salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ that is not deserved and withholding the judgment that is deserved.


We see this kind of grace demonstrated in the verses John 3:16-18.  It is grace offered to all humanity from the beginning of time until Christ's return.  It does not matter if you are rich, poor, American, Indian, Russian, or African.

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

(New King James Version)

Common grace - God's universal, nonsaving grace in which blessings are given to humanity for physical sustenance, pleasure, learning, beauty, ect., as expressions of God's goodness.

This is the grace that God allows so that we may live and enjoy, that is demonstrated throughout the Bible.

"And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food."

Genesis 1:29 (New King James Version)

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Matthew 6:28-29 (New King James Version)

Irresistible grace - God's grace that is always efficacious and accomplishes its purpose in those whom God has chosen to receive salvation (the elect)

This is the grace that provids us with eternal life, the grace that saves us from ourselves and the destructive choices we make.  The grace that changes who I m and makes me a new creation.

"...We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Acts 15:11 (New International Version)

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Ephesians 2:1-10 (New International Version)

There is no way I could say it better. To GOD be the glory for His Irresistable Grace!

Now for some other fun...I have recently taken on a persona of Mabel.  Mabel and her best friend, Millie have recently opened a little shop in Bloggersville.  I would dearly love it if you would visit the shop and keep it in your favorites.  It's called Millie and Mabel's Fantastic Finds.