PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

Grace Does That?

2nd Edition with Questions Coming Soon!

Preface

Grace. Can a topic be both overexposed yet underdeveloped? Yes! That is the paradoxical premise of this study. Yes, grace is a gift but it is a gift that keeps on giving because it is also a tool for every day living. As you read this book, I hope that you will think with pleasant surprise, “Grace does that?”

Considering the Originator of grace, we should expect to never exhaust our learning about this grand topic because we cannot exhaust our learning about the Grace Giver. We should expect grace to be deeper than the ocean God created, higher than the expanse of space, and more multifaceted than the most precious jewels.

To illustrate, let’s compare grace to a diamond. How many purposes are there for diamonds?—simply put, what’s a diamond good for?

• It is used as a cutting tool, even as a surgical instrument
• It is used as a tool or abrasive
• It is turned to powder or paste for grinding and polishing
• It was used as needles on record players

Additionally, all those uses don’t even touch on the most obvious use of a diamond—to bribe women to marry us men—and to make up for our mistakes after they marry us! The surprising number of functions of diamonds is indisputable and impressive.

The more we learn about diamonds, the more uses we see that they have and the more impressed we are about them. In fact, the more we learn about the uses of diamonds, the more lessons we learn about purposes still unknown and undiscovered. Similarly, the more we learn about grace, the more uses we discover it has and the more impressed we are with God’s grace; and hopefully, we will begin wondering what other new truths God can reveal to us about His amazing grace.

So what can grace do? That’s what  this book is about. Grace can give us the confidence to approach God (Heb. 4), motivate us beyond our natural ability and common sensibility (2 Cor. 8–9), obligate us to obedience (Rom. 6), cause us to be fruitful through a better and deeper understanding of Christ (Col. 1); rekindle our fire of faith (2 Tim. 1–2), cause us to burst out in worshipful song (Col. 3), sustain us through disappointing times—including when we are disappointed with God (2 Cor. 12), and vastly more. I did not even mention the most common thing grace can do, which is save us (Eph. 2:8). Grace is not only received, it is used. Grace is not only theological, it is practical. Grace is to be used in speech, in worship, and in life.

All of the above and even more is expressed by a phrase found in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Manifold (poikilos) means “many colored,” “various,” or “varied.”  Doesn’t that fit the analogy of a diamond perfectly?

In this book, how are we going to see the different dimensions, uses, and manifold purposes of grace? Simple. We are going to discover how the New Testament uses grace in context—context will be our prism, our diamond loop, our microscope, and diamond tester. This is not a topical study of grace, but rather an expository look at grace. We are going to look at grace the way one looks at a diamond, up close and personal. Simply put, this book will examine what the Holy Spirit reveals through various texts to see how and why the inspired writers used the precious jewel of grace. What lessons were Bible writers, through the Holy Spirit, trying to teach?

Let me share a bit of personal history with you. I do not remember what prompted this expository approach to the study of grace; but I do remember what it was not—I didn’t begin my study in order to write a book. In recounting the beginning of this series of studies, my wife said she couldn’t remember what sparked this approach either, but she did remember my effervescent response. After making a list of the occurrences of grace within the New Covenant, I systematically started studying one at a time within its context, letting the inspired text form my conclusions. What my wife remembers about this period was the excitement with which I came home after each study proclaiming, “Guess what I learned about grace today!” My reaction explains the title, Grace Does That?

Grace. Are you ready to go digging for something greater than diamonds? Let’s see what God has to say about His grace. Let’s see how grace “graces” our lives every day. Grace does that? Yes! Grace does that!

Tags: Books, Grace

This entry was posted by admin on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 at 8:16 am and is filed under Bible, Books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.