All of Grace

I've recently finished Spurgeon's book, All of Grace. Good book. I commend it to you all. But I'm not going to talk about it. I just want to consider the idea suggested by the title.

We know our salvation is "all of grace" (Eph 2:8). Clear enough. And magnificent, too. But if that's all you think of when you think of God's grace, you're missing a lot.

We know that God is complete in Himself. He has no lack, no need, no shortcoming. Thus, when we read, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1), we understand that He did so out of His grace -- His unmerited kindness. He didn't have to create us; we exist because He is gracious.

In the 19th century it was common to hear people referring to "Providence". It was a general reference to God, of course, but it highlighted His providing. The point was that all our needs are provided for by God. He gives us air to breathe, food to eat, a roof over our heads, friends and family -- all we need. He doesn't do it out of compulsion; He does it out of grace.

We know that we are saved by grace through faith, but did you know that faith is something God gives? The faith you needed to come to Christ was granted to you (Phil 1:29). Thus, in that phrase, "saved", "grace", and "faith", all are gifts -- God's grace. In fact, Paul says that the other aspect we need to bring -- repentance -- is also granted to us by God (2 Tim 2:25). In other words, all that you need to be saved is a product of God's grace.

Once we are saved, there is a need to persevere, to endure (2 Tim 2:12). As it turns out, God also provides that. You must "work out your salvation", even with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), but, lest you think that's all on your shoulders, it turns out that it's just not true. Your very perseverance is a product of God "who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13) Your assurance of salvation is by the grace of God.

Well, the truth is, Spurgeon was right. It is all of grace. Existence, life, movement, breath, faith, repentance, salvation, assurance, endurance, eternity ... all of grace. He owed us nothing. He needs nothing. He lacked nothing. It is all of grace, favor given without merit. Paul said that it is God in whom "we live and move and exist" (Acts 17:28) "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things." (Rom 11:36) "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." (Col 1:17) All that is is of His grace, from your salvation by grace through faith to your perseverance to the end to your every breath and every bite of food to the simple fact that you and I exist at all. That, dear reader, is a lot of grace.