Grace

[cheekie3]

All -

I have recently listened again to Ray's audio tape on Grace; and I believe it is a good subject to discuss on this Forum.

Jesus was full of Grace.

Here are the Ephesians 2:8 Parallel Verses:

New International Version
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

New Living Translation
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

English Standard Version
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

New American Standard Bible
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

King James Bible
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift--

International Standard Version
For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God

NET Bible
For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For it is by his grace that we have been saved through faith, and this faith was not from you, but it is the gift of God,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God.

Jubilee Bible 2000
For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,

King James 2000 Bible
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

American King James Version
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

American Standard Version
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God;

Darby Bible Translation
For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this not of yourselves; it is God's gift:

English Revised Version
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Webster's Bible Translation
For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Weymouth New Testament
For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit--

World English Bible
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Young's Literal Translation
for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift,

I was particularly wondering how God's Grace works in us; and what the evidence is in our lives.

What do you all think.

George.

[lilitalienboi16]

Hi Cheekie,

I think one of the verses ray uses to show that grace is more than just God's benevolence towards mankind is this one:

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So the grace of God actually does things, it has an active component to it. Strong's defines it as the "divine influence upon the heart."

Seeing that the matters of the heart are so important to God, it makes sense that this is where grace does its work--Upon the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

We know too that the human heart is part of the problem:

Deut 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

Deut 32:28-29
28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

Ezekiel 16:30 How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately weak: who can know it?

Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Matthew 15:16-20
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

So then it makes sense that God's grace is that divine influence upon our hearts. To change our hearts and conform us unto the image of a son.

Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hebrews 10:15-18
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Of course, its all a process, because we die daily.

Romans 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

God bless,
Alex

[rick]

We know too that the human heart is part of the problem:

I'm starting to believe the human heart is God's solution to His plan of making sons and daughters of all.