Grace From the Beginning

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The law was given by God to show us as humans what His character was like and what He demands from His followers. The law shows us we cannot follow it as God demands and that the law cannot save us.

Jesus came to become our atoning sacrifice and, through His sacrifice, move us from law to grace. It is God’s grace given to us through Jesus’ sacrifice and applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit that brings salvation and provides all we need to be in right relationship with God.

This truth does not mean that grace has not been in operation since the very beginning.

There are four beautiful pictures of grace in the book of Genesis.

The first is picture is seen in how God treats Adam and Eve after they had sinned.

First, God seeks Adam and Eve. They sinned and hid but God sought them out.

Second, God made clothes for them out of animal skins which means that He had to sacrifice animals to make those skins. We are told that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. God, out of grace, makes a sacrifice for Adam and Eve’s sin.

Third, God placed an angel with a flaming sword to keep Adam and Eve from the Tree of Life. God didn’t do this to punish Adam and Eve but to keep them from living for eternity in separation from and opposition with God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing God’s grace of saving us and reconciling us to Himself.

The second picture is seen in the life of Abraham.

Twice in Abraham’s life, he shows a huge lack of trust in God.

The first is found in Genesis 12 when Abraham goes down to Egypt because of a famine in the land where he was living. When Abraham and Sarah go to Egypt, Abraham asked her to tell the people that she was his sister. This almost caused Sarah to become one of Pharaoh’s wives. God intervened and didn’t allow that to happen. God also used this situation to add to Abraham’s wealth.

The second is found in Genesis 20. Abraham was traveling through a region ruled by Abimelek king of Gerar. Abraham again told people that Sarah was sister. It was again to protect himself, showing that he did not trust God to protect him as God had promised. God again intervened and protected Abraham and enriched him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeing that God’s grace not only saves us but also protects us even when the situation develops from our sinful decisions.

The third picture is seen when Jacob and Esau meet again when Jacob returns to Canaan. When Jacob left home, it was because Esau wanted to kill Jacob for stealing his birthright and his blessing.

In Genesis 33 when the brothers meet, Esau greeted Jacob by embracing him and kissed him. He welcomed him back as a brother. Esau had every reason to hate Jacob but showed love and acceptance instead.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing God’s grace by Him accepting and loving you in spite of your sin and failure.

The fourth picture is found in Genesis 50.

After Jacob brought his family to Egypt, he died. After his death Joseph’s brothers were fearful that Joseph would take revenge on them for what they had done to him.

In Genesis 50:19-21 Joseph says to his brothers, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he assured them and spoke kindly to them.”

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the provision of God in every and all situations.

Grace is not a concept that God came up with as a plan B or out of desperation when the His first plan didn’t work.

Grace is who God is and is the foundation of how God relates to us as humans.

God’s grace saves.

God’s grace reconciles.

God’s grace provides.

In and By God’s Grace, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                 Joe