The grace of God is just that, “the grace of GOD.” It is like Him and comes from Him who is holy, immutable and righteous. Thus it is holy grace, unchanging grace and righteous grace. Therefore it could only be in Christ alone and through the work He accomplished by Himself in His death on the cross. It is unmerited and undeserved favor. It is uninfluenced by anyone or anything outside of the Triune God and He is unaided by any. It is grace. To be saved by grace is to be saved without anything done on our part. No contribution whatsoever is made by us at any point. There is never a “but” after grace. When one says “we are saved by grace BUT,” their grace is not God’s grace. Salvation by grace was never and is never conditioned on anything or anyone. A “condition” implies the possibility of non accomplishment. Salvation by grace is in One outside of ourselves, the Lord Jesus Christ, and there was never any possibility of Him failing! Thus, He is salvation. To be saved by grace is to be saved altogether by Jesus Christ the Lord alone. The apostle states this to those in Christ by saying, “by grace are you being saved.” But someone replies, “what about faith?” Faith is the gift of God and therefore a part of GRACE! “through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Faith is a gift of God’s grace in Christ. Then he continues, “NOT OF WORKS lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) As a matter of fact, “it is of faith that it might be of grace! (Rom. 4:16) Faith is a ceasing from works and a trusting Christ and His work! Grace equals Christ and Christ equals grace. Most people make salvation to be in some way by their works but there is no salvation except salvation by grace. But even now there are some people that God is saving by grace in Christ: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Rom. 11:6) When the last one saved by grace in Christ, the last stone in that Building, the Church, when the Builder calls them by grace, “he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” (Zech. 4:7)

GS

What we feel, say and do toward other believers might be very different if we remember some things. Remember, they were bought with the blood of Christ. They are one with the Lord Jesus. Also, their union with Christ brings a union with all His people and they are part of the same “body” we are. They are His elect, His Church, His children and His sheep. They have been loved by Christ with an everlasting love. But remember this most of all, whether it be good or bad, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

GS

DYING TO SELF

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself…" Matthew 16:24

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, and spiritual insensibility, enduring it as Christ Jesus endured it, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you no longer care to hear yourself in conversation, or to record your own works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in far more desperate circumstance, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Bruce Crabtree

“And ye are Christ’s”—I Cor. iii. 23: Rom. xiv. 8.

SINNERS who on Jesus rest,

Must eternally be blest;

All Jehovah’s love can give,

They from Jesus shall receive.

Loved of God, to Jesus given,

In the purposes of heaven;

They are bought with blood divine,

And they must in glory shine.

They are Jesus’ flesh and bone,

Nor from him shall e‘er be torn

Can a part be sent to hell,

And the whole in Zion dwell?

No! we bless the Lord on high,

Not a single joint can die

Every member lives in him

He’s the life of every limb.

They are Christ’s by ties divine;

Here his brightest glories shine

All creation must give place

To the subjects of his grace.

Matchless Jesus! may we be

Wholly taken up with thee!

And, in every deep distress,

Lean upon thy truth and grace.

William Gadsby 7s