Manifestations of Grace

By Steve Stewart Th.D.

Grace: We all desperately need it, but do we know why?

It’s a theological buzzword in Christian circles, but what exactly is it? The Bible has so much to say about grace and presents many different nuances of grace – but many of them seem to be misunderstood, misinterpreted, misapplied, or just missed.

So, let’s not miss them! Let’s get ready to receive all the grace we can. It’s available. It has a never-ending supply. It is ours for the taking, and God is ready, willing, and able to give.

Author Steve Stewart takes us on a journey through the pages of Scripture, looking at individuals who experienced the wonder of grace. He will guide us into a deeper understanding of and appreciation for God’s many Manifestations of Grace. Are you ready for grace? Let’s start the journey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664266605

Steve Stewart Th.D.

Steve Stewart is a college professor, blogger, writer, and former pastor. He is married to Teresa. They have three children and six grandchildren. Steve has served as pastor of churches in both Carolinas and Texas. He has taught in seminary extension classes through the Southern Baptist Convention’s extension system and is presently teaching at Fruitland Baptist Bible College. His education credentials include a B.A. in Biblical Studies; an M.A. in Biblical Studies; an M.Div.; and a Th.D. Steve has led men’s retreats, revivals, and Bible conferences, and he and Teresa have led marriage retreats in several different states. Steve has experienced the many-faceted grace of God, and it is out of his experiences with grace, and his study of grace that he encourages you to experience it for yourself.

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Copyright © 2022 Steve Stewart, Th.D.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6661-2 (sc)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022908615

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/14/2022

CONTENTS

Introduction

Dedicated To

Chapter 1

Scriptural Emphasis on Grace

Chapter 2

Sovereign Grace

Chapter 3

Saving Grace

Chapter 4

Salvaging Grace

Chapter 5

Sanctifying Grace

Chapter 6

Sin-defeating Grace

Chapter 7

Supplying Grace

Chapter 8

Strengthening Grace

Chapter 9

Satisfying Grace

Chapter 10

Securing Grace

Chapter 11

Sufficient Grace

Chapter 12

Sustaining Grace

Chapter 13

Serving Grace

Chapter 14

The Stewardship of Grace

Epilogue

It’s All About Grace

INTRODUCTION

The subject of grace has been written about by many authors who have approached the subject from a wide variety of angles. Nothing I could say in this work would ever add anything of any consequence to the multitudinous volumes that have already been written, and it is not that purpose for which I write.

So, to the question of why I felt another work on grace was needed. Actually, it’s not at all that I thought another volume was needed, but that possibly the subject could be approached in a slightly different way. In this work I will attempt to look at how grace manifests itself in the lives of individuals. Grace is a necessity in the life of everyone, and every person is the recipient of grace.

Believer and non-believer alike all experience the grace of God. There is a general administration of the grace of God which is the common experience of humankind. There is grace to be seen in the natural course of things as it is by God’s grace that the natural order is kept intact. Grace is seen in the fact that individuals – whether they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or not – experience good things, and actually display good works.

God is good, and all good things flow from Him. Goodness is evident even in the life of those who would curse God’s name. Humankind, in general, is the recipient of the good things of God, thus we have the term common grace.

There have been tremendous contributions to humanity through the good works of believer and non-believer alike. Non-believers prove to be good parents, good spouses, good employees and employers. Many have been great philanthropists, donating huge sums of money and other resources to wonderful causes. So many have contributed to the human family as medical researchers, scientists, technology experts, educational institutions and so many other fields.

The goodness of man is possible only because of the goodness of God. And the experience of God’s grace is only possible because He is the giver of all good gifts in the lives of believers and non-believers alike. The Bible speaks of the rain falling on the just and the unjust. This is common grace. It is no respecter of persons. The individual who curses God with every other breath enjoys the same bountiful rainfall as his God-fearing neighbors. Oftentimes the non-believer’s family enjoy financial success, family unity, and physical heath, while the God-fearing Christians across town experience financial hardship, family dysfunction and chronic health issues. Good things and bad things happen to the God-fearing and the godless all the same.

Still another way the term common grace can be understood is in relation to God’s working in the governments of man. Paul reveals to his readers in Rome that the governments of the world are all ordained by God. He has established them for the restraint of evil in society. The authority of established governments is granted by God for the rewarding of good behavior and the punishing of bad behavior.

This work, however, is focused not so much on common grace, but rather specific manifestations of grace. It is also not looking at God’s grace in the lives of unbelievers except in indirect ways. It will focus more on the working of grace in the lives of believers. Attention will be given to non-believers as grace impacts them through the work of grace in the life of a believer.

Special Note

As you read the pages of this work you will notice that there are no footnotes. The reason for this is that this book is written from knowledge gained through twelve years of Biblical/theological education and forty years of pastoral ministry. I have benefited from so many in the classroom as well as in the study. I was privileged to sit under the teachings of great men and women of God, and to read the writings of Bible scholars and commentators. I have listened to countless sermons and attended dozens of Bible conferences. It is with a spirit of gratitude that I give credit to those from whom I have been taught, and with a word of sincere appreciation to those whose words and teachings have so impacted my life and ministry.

DEDICATED TO

This work is dedicated to the following:

• First and foremost, this book is dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His grace in my life that I have been saved, sealed, and am now in the process of sanctification. To Him be the glory both now and forever, Amen!

• Second, I dedicate this book to my wife, Teresa. She has been by my side for forty-eight years and counting. She has been a faithful wife and mother. Now I, along with our children arise and called her blessed!

• Third, it is with joy that I dedicate this work to our three children and their families: Bryan and his wife Tammy, and children Gaige, Trinity and Jayden; Joshua and his wife Amanda, and children Luke and Levi; and Charity, and her daughter Luna Rey.

Special Thanks:

• Special thanks to my dear friends, Mike and Marilyn Grenfell. They very graciously gave of their time to proof-read this manuscript, calling attention to grammatical and syntactical errors, as well as sharing suggestions on how to make the book more ‘readable’.

• Thanks also to the many professors, mentors, and fellow pastors who have helped ‘sharpen the iron’ as we have discussed doctrine, theology, practical application of the text, and so much more.

CHAPTER 1

Scriptural Emphasis

on Grace

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.

Second Peter 3:18

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind, but now I see.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fear relieved;

How precious did that grace appear,

The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares

I have already come;

Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun;

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we first begun.

Amazing Grace – John Newton

T he Bible places a tremendous amount of emphasis on grace. You can’t read very far into the pages of Scripture before coming across this powerful biblical concept. The word grace is found 138 times in the Bible, but the emphasis on grace is evident far more than the number of times the word is found. And, as we see in the words of Peter, we are admonished to grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In this book, attention will be given to the multi-faceted concept of grace, with chapters dealing with the different ways in which grace is manifested in the world at large, as well as in the lives of individuals. But to begin, it would be wise to invest some time in striving to come to a deeper understanding of the emphasis grace is given in the Bible. Reading through the Bible, one becomes aware very quickly of the overwhelming emphasis on grace, and the desperate need for grace.

Grace in the Old Testament

One might be a bit confused when reading through the Bible due to the fact that the Old Testament and the New Testament are often viewed as having distinctly different emphases. It might appear that the Old Testament leans more toward the judgment and wrath of God, whereas the New Testament leans more toward the love and grace of God. How are we to reconcile this seeming discrepancy?

It needs to be understood, first and foremost, that there is not a discrepancy between the two testaments. The Bible presents a progressive revelation of God, from the first word in Genesis to the last word in Revelation. And, the Bible presents the ongoing saga of the history of man – the creation of man, the fall of man, the depravity of man, and the redemption of man. This unfolding story begins in the Old Testament, where we see the plans and purposes of God begin to unfold.

We don’t have to read very far into the Old Testament before we see the expression of God’s grace. A few examples will be sufficient to clearly illustrate that God’s grace is just as evident in the Old Testament as it is in the New.

ADAM AND EVE

To begin our survey of grace in the Old Testament, there are a few foundational principles that need to be reviewed. First, the Bible teaches clearly that God created humankind, not as a collective whole, but with the creation of one couple – Adam and Eve. God’s instruction to this couple was clear and concise. It is found in the following words:

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.

(Genesis 1:16-17)

Second, it is interesting as well as essential to note that at this time Adam and Eve had no children. It was just the two of them in the Garden of Eden, enjoying the bounty of God’s creation. And it was indeed bountiful! The imagination is not sufficient to truly envision what it must have been like in the garden. The trees in the garden bore all manner of luscious fruit. Each of them was there for their enjoyment and pleasure. Adam and Eve could enjoy the fruit of all trees in the garden with the exception of one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from that particular tree.

Third, it was Adam and Eve, still alone in the garden, who decided to go against the instructions from God. The story is familiar. They chose to disobey God’s command and decided to eat of that forbidden fruit. And this is where the fact that they had not yet given birth to any children becomes so significant. Remember, God had clearly told them that if they ate fruit from the forbidden tree, they would die that day. However, after they ate of the fruit, they lived hundreds of years. How are we to understand what appears to be a glaring mistake in Scripture? Why did they not die that day?

God could have carried out His pronouncement of death within that twenty-four-hour period of time. It would have meant that He would have to start over, with the creation of another pair of human beings. It would require the repeat of the consequences of eating fruit from the forbidden tree. It would have required the newly created couple doing what Adam and Eve did not do. It would call for obedience to God’s command to never eat the forbidden fruit. And, God would have been perfectly just in carrying out the death penalty immediately.

However, He did not carry out the prescribed sentence immediately, at least not in terms of a twenty-four-hour day, and not in terms of physical death. This should not be of concern to the modern reader, because the Bible makes it amply clear that God does not reckon time the same way we do. There is an important verse that teaches this concept clearly. The apostle Peter makes the following statement:

But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

(2 Peter 3:8)

Much time has been spent, and many ideas have been shared, as to what exactly Peter had in mind when he penned those words. For our purposes, we will simply take this statement at face value, and understand it to mean that time places no restrictions on God. He dwells outside of time. Time is His creation, part of the created order, but does not constrict God in any way whatsoever.

If we apply that verse to God’s decree that Adam and Eve would die in that day, then in God’s eyes their death could have occurred at any time within a thousand years, and still have been within a day. So, physically, they did indeed die that day.

But the point we need to see is that God could have carried out His decree of death the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed had He chosen to do so. Instead, He showed grace toward the wayward couple. He took the skin of an animal to cover their nakedness, banished them from the Garden, and carried out His decreed punishment, but in His own timing, and for His own purposes.

In keeping with His decree, the earth was put under the curse brought about by the disobedience of this first couple, and humankind has been suffering the consequences ever since. The fact that God allowed Adam and Eve to continue living, to bear children, and to reach an age of hundreds of years is truly an act of grace.

So what does this have to do with Adam and Eve being alone in the garden when they chose to disobey God’s command? Had they already given birth to children prior to their act of disobedience, then the children would have been presented with the same choice as Adam and Eve. But, because they disobeyed prior to have any children, then their children inherited the sin nature that has now been passed down to all humankind. Each of their children were born with that sin nature and were thus accountable to God for their personal sinfulness. As is each person who has been born since that initial act of rebellion in the garden of Eden.

Therefore, the amazing grace of God is seen, not only in Adam and Eve, but in all of their descendants as well. The grace of God is magnified exponentially as we consider this initial act of grace between God and His human creation.

NOAH

Another beautiful example of God’s grace in the Old Testament is witnessed in Noah. Consideration of Noah must begin with a review of what has transpired between the time of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and the historical era of Noah. There are approximately eleven hundred years between the creation of Adam and the birth of Noah. Much happened in those hundreds of years. One thing of grave importance to note is that the Bible makes it abundantly clear that there was a consistent move toward depravity. Man, in his state of fallenness, moves further and further away from God and His demands for holiness. Genesis records for us the following depiction of the sinfulness of humanity at the time of Noah:

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’

(Genesis 6:5–7)

What a sordid record of the wickedness of man. The eating of the forbidden fruit was just the beginning of the downward spiral of man into total depravity. Please make note of the phrase, every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. This is a tremendously difficult thing to comprehend. Humans had become so wicked that God saw nothing of any redeeming value. No one had a thought for God or the things of godliness.

It appears that humankind once again, in a total state of disobedience and disregard for the things of God, is at a point of no return. God was grieved that He had created humans and decided to wipe all of humanity off the face of the earth. And once again, as observed in the story of Adam and Eve, He would have been perfectly justified had He chosen to destroy humanity entirely. When consideration is given to the depth of humankind’s depravity as they have given themselves totally over to the dictates of fleshly desires, it is no wonder that God is so indignant toward them.

But we can be eternally grateful for the words recorded in the very next verse:

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

(Genesis 6:8)

Out of all the masses of humankind populating the earth at this time in history, only one man and his family found grace, favor, in the eyes of God. So, once again, there will be a new beginning. Because of the evil of mankind, God sends a great flood, wiping out all humankind, with the exception of Noah and his family. His instructions to Noah are clear about what he is to do to prepare for this worldwide deluge. Noah and his three sons carry out the plans for building an ark large enough to house the four of them along with their wives – eight people in all – and two of every animal on the earth (seven of all clean animals) so that the earth could be repopulated after the floodwaters subside. What a tremendous portrait of grace.

Once again, God had every reason and right to completely rid the earth of all humankind. They had rebelled against God, broken God’s law, and become a law unto themselves. It is a reflection of God’s boundless love, and a display of His astonishing grace, that humankind survived the devastation of the global flood.

DAVID

From the time of Noah to the time of David we must move ahead approximately 1800 years. So much has happened during these intervening years: the calling of Abraham, the birth of Isaac, of Jacob (Israel), and of the twelve sons of Israel from which the twelve tribes of the nation would come. After that we have the record of the birth of Moses, who is used by God as the deliverer of the people of Israel after they had spent more than four hundred years in Egyptian bondage. After Moses’ death Joshua succeeded him as leader of the people of Israel. Joshua then led the people into the promised land.

Following Joshua there are the tumultuous years that are recorded in the Book of Judges, in which the people of Israel go through approximately four centuries of a cycle of rebellion, repentance and restoration. And finally, we come to the time of the kings. The first king of Israel is Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. His tenure as king proved to be disastrous, and God removed him from the throne, replacing him with David. God revealed His plan to remove Saul in these words:

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.

(1 Samuel 13:14)

The man here referred to as the one who will replace Saul is none other than David. And the truly amazing thing about this is the testimony God gave of David: He says David was a man after God’s heart. This testimony borne of David is spoken by none other than God Himself. What an astounding thing to consider. God stated that David is a man with a heart for God. This is truly a remarkable thing to consider given some things we know about David.

When one studies the life of David it becomes evident very quickly that he was a man prone to moments of weakness in which he sinned grievously against the Lord. This makes the statement of David being a man after the heart of God all the more amazing.

David had given in to sinful lusts when he engaged in sexual relations with Bathsheba. Then, when he discovered she was now pregnant through their sexual liaison he tried to cover it up by having her husband, Uriah, placed on the front line of battle, and then having the army retreat from around him. This resulted in Uriah’s death. He then had Bathsheba brought to his palace where he married her, which resulted in his having to engage in deceit in order to cover up his sinful activities. He hid his sinful actions a full year and did not come to confess until confronted by the prophet Nathan.

This does not sound like the actions of a godly man, and yet, God testified of David that he was a man after the heart of God. How are we to understand this assertion? Does it mean that God was pleased with David’s actions? Of course not. That is the very reason God sent Nathan to confront David over his sinful actions. Then how are we to reconcile these difficulties?

The answer can be seen, at least to the satisfaction of this writer, with the reaction of David when confronted by Nathan:

I have sinned against the Lord.

(2 Samuel 12:13)

Granted, David did not make this confession until he had been confronted by Nathan and had heard the indictment Nathan pronounced against him. But when he was finally confronted, he quit trying to cover it up. Neither did he try to deny his actions. Rather, he openly confessed. He openly acknowledged his sin.

Perhaps it is this spirit of contrition and brokenness when confronted about his sinful actions that helps us understand God’s testimony of David. Yes, David made some enormous mistakes. Yes, he willfully disobeyed God. Yes, he then tried to cover it all up. But also yes, he made full confession when finally confronted. Should he have gone to God in confession before being confronted by Nathan? Absolutely. But the fact is also true he could have continued to try to cover it up by denying it even after being confronted.

And yes, he received the grace of God. Now granted, the text tells us that he still had to suffer consequences for his actions. Sin always has a price. Someone has said that sin will always take you further than you want to go; it will keep you longer than you want to stay; and it will cost you more than you want to pay. This all became reality to David.

This all becomes so painfully clear in the charge brought against David. Nathan reveals God’s disapproval by pronouncing the following sentence:

Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun."

(2 Samuel 12:10–12)

David’s sin led to him suffering the consequences of his actions. However, in the midst of it all he still experienced the amazing grace of God.

This should teach us a very important Biblical principle. God’s grace of forgiveness is available to all who will sincerely repent and seek forgiveness from God. This truth is spoken beautifully and powerfully in the first epistle of John.

If we confess our sins, He if faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:9)

The grace of forgiveness is a reality for those who will meet God on His terms. When we fall to the temptation to commit an act of sin against God, He will immediately bring about conviction of that sin. When we respond with confession and repentance, then we experience the wonder of God’s limitless supply of forgiveness. David is a perfect example of the imperfections of our fallen nature, and of the availability of God’s willingness to forgive. More consideration will be given to David in the chapter on salvaging grace.

JEREMIAH

Another example of God’s amazing grace in the Old Testament is the prophet Jeremiah. His life bears testimony to his commitment to carry out God’s calling, but it also bears testimony to one who struggled with that calling. Jeremiah spent years wrestling with God’s call for him to be a prophet. It was an intense struggle as he tried to make sense of the initial explanation God offered him as he received the call to preach the Word of God to people who would not listen.

This struggle is seen clearly in his response to the call of God:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Before I formed you