Read 2 Timothy 1:9 from your Bible
The place and importance of salvation, with respect to the subject of grace, cannot be over-emphasized!
Salvation delivers you from the grip of sin, and grace enables you to fully do the will of God.
Salvation translates you from the kingdom of darkness to that of Christ while grace empowers you to say “No” to sin and “Yes” to God. This way, you escape the corruption that is in the world. So, salvation and grace are interwoven!
Salvation is made possible by grace (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11), Grace enables you to share and partake of Christ’s divine nature, so you can be like Him in thoughts, words, attitudes, faith, love, purity, etc.
Grace is not legalism. Legalism is law-depending, not law-keeping. The scripture warns against this.
This explains why, the practice of some Biblical religious rites such as water baptism, receiving the Lord’s Supper, laying on of hands, etc, in themselves can never substitute the need for the grace of God in your life, though these are all vitally important to your Christian life!
In exploring the subject of salvation and grace, it is vitally important to understand that the grace of God is not a cheap grace; it cost the life of the Son of God, Jesus Christ Himself!
Jesus swapped places with men, reconciling us to Himself and by His grace we are saved.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:19, 6:1 from your Bible
The first contact any man can make with the grace of God is through salvation. The Bible says that salvation is not even possible without the grace of God. Salvation appears to men, only by grace.
Read Titus 2:11, Ephesians 2:8, 2:5 from your Bible
Clearly, from the above scriptures, salvation is impossible without grace!
Indeed, salvation and grace work hand in hand; neither is possible without the other.
So, all men would have ended in hell for eternity, except for the grace of God!
What a priceless treasure grace is!
By salvation, God takes a fallen man and transforms him into a son of God. This salvation covers the spirit, soul and body realms of life.
In my next writeup, I will discuss how salvation works.
shalom!
#pstnath.
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