AMAZING GRACE

      "Therefore it is of FAITH that it might be according to GRACE, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all," Rom 4:16. See also: Acts 4:32-33; 18:27; 20:24 Rom 1:16-17); Rom 1:5,7; 4:3-5,16; 5:2; 12:3,6; 14:23; Eph 2:8; I Tim 1:14.

      This passage is explicit and leaves no room for doubt that faith and grace go together as inseparable partners, true yokefellows: whatever is by faith is by grace, and whatever is by grace is by faith. Wherever we find faith we find grace, and wherever we find grace we find faith (except as men reject the grace of God by refusing to believe).
      The faith we speak of here is the trusting faith that forsakes all self-works as helpless and hopeless and looks to "the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy, and find GRACE TO HELP in the time of need," Heb 4:16.

      "For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," Eph 2:8.

      This passage also joins faith and grace together inseparably according to the meaning and intent each word. True Bible faith says our condition is helpless and hopeless, while grace is God's all-sufficient remedy for our helpless and hopeless condition. And God's grace is sufficient for every activity of the christian life. So it is appropriate that grace and faith complement each other throughout our christian experience.

"Through whom also we have access by FAITH INTO this GRACE in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God," Rom 5:2.

      This is one of many passages we will be looking into which teach that the New Covenant is a grace covenant "in which we stand." The New Covenant is a GRACE covenant in contrast to the Law Covenant as a WORKS covenant. As we abide in the New (grace) Covenant, we abide within a sphere of grace where everything we are commanded to do in the Great Commission, if done by faith is done by grace with the Holy Spirit as the power that is constantly working within us, Eph 1:19; 3:20; Phil 2:13; Heb 13:21.
      FAITH is God's way of access for us into this GRACE in which we stand. Faith is the door into the grace covenant within which we perform the all things of the Great Commission. Again we see and emphasize the constant togetherness of faith and grace.

"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Law (Covenant), but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all," Rom 4:16.
      Grace is God's unmerited favor, but it is more than that. Grace is God's help, Heb 4:16. Grace is God working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, Phil 2:13; Heb 13:21; I Cor 15:10; Mt 10:19-20. Grace is the Holy Spirit administering the New Covenant in and through the church and therefore in and through the members of the church, individually and collectively, II Cor 3:1-11,17-18. Grace is the Holy Spirit working in the church both to will and to do the all things of the Great Commission, Phil 2:12-13; Mt 28:18-20.
      It cannot be done by grace if it is not done by faith. Furthermore, it cannot be done by grace if it is not done by the Holy Spirit. But then, it cannot be done by grace nor by the Holy Spirit if it is not done by faith. Then again, it cannot be done by faith nor by grace if it is not done by the Holy Spirit.
      Faith is the God-appointed key that turns on the green (go ahead) light for the mighty working of the Holy Spirit in us, and this working of the Holy Spirit in us is God's grace at work. Again, this is not a play on words. We will come back to these riches in their association with "works" a little further on.
      However, we cannot exercise faith without the working of the Holy Spirit (which is God's grace), which working of the Holy Spirit generates that faith in our hearts (our minds). Now God has predestined that we CAN refuse to believe, and that refusing to believe prevents the mighty working of the Holy Spirit, which working of the Holy Spirit is God's grace.
      All this can be stated simply by saying the Holy Spirit must convince the sinner of sin and work godly sorrow, repentance, and faith in his heart. The same procedure is true with moving the saved person to be baptized or moving the church member to serve God. It is all the working of God's grace.
      REPEAT: it is by faith in order that it might be by grace, Rom 4:16. God's grace is not actively working in us apart from faith. Moreover, when faith is active in us, grace is always active: it cannot be by faith if it is not by grace.
      Therefore ALL ACTS OF FAITH ARE BY GRACE -- by grace through faith. Again, we are not playing on words, we are dealing with vital facts.

      "By faith (by grace through faith) Abel OFFERED to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain....." Heb 11:4. Abel did some "work" by "grace through faith." There was a bit of "work" involved in Abel's offering. Can we throw Abel's work out and still have his sacrifice? Did not his "faith" permeate each activity (work) involved in his sacrifice?
      By faith (by grace through faith) Enoch was translated that he should not see death...he pleased God....." Heb 11:5. Enoch pleased God by his godly life which was by grace through faith. Enoch walked (lived a godly life) for three hundred years "by faith." There is a lot of "work" involved in a true godly life for even one year, one day, one hour. Some would have us believe we must throw all the "works" out of a godly life and out of the Bible. Doesn't James say that faith without works is dead (Ja 2:17), and some people think James had faith and works all mixed up, but we will find Paul, and the Lord, and the Holy Spirit teaching us precisely the same thing. Read on and see.
      "But without faith (grace through faith) it is impossible to please Him (as Enoch did); for the one constantly coming to God must believe (by grace) that He is....." Heb 11:6. This verse is not speaking of the initial act of faith when one's prayer is heard, forgiven, and he is saved eternally, but of one who is constantly coming to God by the brazen altar, the laver, through the first holy place, and through the veil into the second holy place where one is in the very presence of God (as in Heb 4:16; 6:19-20; 7:19,25; 10:19-22) and is constantly and diligently seeking God's will in his daily life as taught throughout the book of Hebrews.
      "By faith (by grace through faith) Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house....." Heb 11:7. Noah "worked" hard by grace through faith for a hundred and twenty years building the ark and preaching to that generation. There was a tremendous amount of "work" that went into building the ark, plus Noah as a preacher of righteousness must have done many times the amount of preaching and no doubt praying along with it, to say little of enduring the mocking, etc. And there is an astronomical amount of "work" that goes into preaching, pastoring, fasting, praying, patient endurance, and suffering with Christ. But whether faith-obedience in working with his hands or faith-endurance with a firmly set heart, it can be done and is all done by grace through faith when it is pleasing to God.
      "By faith (by grace through faith) Abraham, obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Heb 11:8-11. Abraham was first called to get up and go "when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran," Acts 7:1-4. Abraham "obeyed" by grace through faith.
      A few years after the first calling, Abraham was again called to gather up his immediate family and possessions and leave Charran or Haran and proceed on down into the promised land, Gen 12. And again Abraham obeyed by grace through faith. And throughout his life for another one hundred years Abraham served and obeyed God by grace through faith.
      And so was the case of everyone in Hebrews 11. Not only was there the first act of "grace through faith" experience, but that myriad of heros referenced in Hebrews 11 and all those multiplied millions of saints down through the centuries thereafter (including us today) had to "obey" God "by grace through faith" or the lives of those faithful saints would be of no avail before God.