Page 14 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

Our focus on grace to this point shows that common grace enables
a person to respond favorably to God. However, it is saving grace that
actually draws a person to God (John 6:44), renews one’s heart, and
frees him or her from sin. We see the best example of saving grace in
Christ, whom God gave for the salvation of all people. John states in his
Gospel that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

This statement doesn’t mean that saving grace didn’t exist before
Christ came. We know that God accepted all the righteous people of
Old Testament times on the basis of their faith in His provision and their
obedience to His commandments. In this context, John simply means
that Christ is the full and final revelation of saving grace; He is the only
One through whom people receive saving grace.

Grace in the Bible
Since the word grace is so important to salvation, we’ll consider its
use in the Bible. A brief search shows that the inspired writers used the
word grace 166 times. It appears 38 times in the Old Testament and 128
times in the New Testament. Further study reveals that the writers use
grace most often in describing God, for He is by nature gracious
(Isaiah 30:18). God expresses this virtue by (1) giving good things to all
people (Luke 6:35), (2) wanting all people to be saved
(2 Corinthians 5:14–15), (3) providing His riches for all who believe
(2 Corinthians 8:9), and (4) keeping His people during times of testing
and trial (1 Peter 5:6–10). Best of all, we see that God’s grace has no
limit. It is sufficient for all the needs that sinful people bring to the
cross—and even more. It is a boundless supply!

We have seen that while the
biblical writers used the word

God’s grace has no limit. grace in the Old Testament, they
use it much more in the New
It is sufficient for all the Testament. They do so because

needs that sinful people Jesus, the Son, revealed the
best example of grace in the
bring to the cross. It is a New Testament.

boundless supply.
The New Testament writers
used the word grace quite often

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