The God of All Grace

Q: What does the Bible say about grace?

The Bible describes grace as God's unmerited favor towards sinners, emphasizing His role as the God of all grace. Grace is defined in various ways throughout Scripture, with many understanding it as unmerited favor or undeserved love. In 1 Peter 5:10, God is depicted as the God of all grace, highlighting His sovereignty in granting grace to those who do not deserve it. This definition shifts the focus away from human merit and actions, underscoring that all spiritual blessings come from God alone. From His comforting presence in trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) to His promise of eternal glory (Romans 8:18), God's grace encompasses every good thing bestowed upon believers, ensuring that no aspect of salvation or daily provision can be attributed to human efforts.

Q: How do we know that God called us to eternal glory?

We know we are called to eternal glory because Scripture affirms God's initiative in our salvation through Christ. The assurance of being called to eternal glory is rooted in the Biblical teaching that God initiates the relationship with humanity. In 1 Peter 5:10, it is stated that the God of all grace has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus. This calling is not based on our works or merits, but is an effect of His sovereign grace (2 Timothy 1:9). The progression of justification, sanctification, and glorification (Romans 8:30) illustrates that those who are called by God will ultimately be brought to eternal glory. This reflects God's character as a loving and faithful redeemer who completes what He begins in us.

Q: Why is suffering important for Christians?

Suffering serves to mature Christians, establishing their faith and drawing them closer to God. Suffering is a common theme in Scripture and plays a crucial role in the life of a believer. In 1 Peter 5:10, we learn that after we have suffered a while, God will make us perfect, mature, establish, strengthen, and settle us. This indicates that suffering is not without purpose; rather, it is used by God to grow us in our faith and reliance upon Him. As we encounter trials, we are reminded of our weakness and God's strength, teaching us dependence on Him. The temporary nature of our sufferings, highlighted in 2 Corinthians 4:17, assures us that they are ultimately for our good and a means through which God glorifies Himself. Thus, suffering is not only a part of our Christian walk but is also a transformative process that leads us to eternal joy.

Q: What does it mean that God is the God of all grace?

It means that God is the ultimate source and giver of all grace, emphasizing His sovereign control over salvation. When we refer to God as the God of all grace, as stated in 1 Peter 5:10, we acknowledge His preeminence in granting grace freely to sinners. This concept eliminates any notion of human merit or works in the realm of salvation, underscoring that every good gift and perfect gift derives from Him (James 1:17). Grace is especially significant because it highlights God's character as one who forgives unconditionally and loves unreservedly, offering salvation to the guilty rather than those who perceive themselves as righteous. As believers, we find assurance and security in the understanding that our relationship with God rests completely on His grace, eliminating the weight of personal performance and allowing us to rest in His promises.

If you would like to follow in
your Bibles today while I bring the message, I want you to turn,
please, with me to 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter 5. I'll be speaking
from verses 10 and 11. My subject today is the God of
all grace. The God of all grace. Now, one
of the secrets that I've discovered during the many years that I've
been a pastor and preaching the gospel, over 40 years now, I've
discovered this secret. The sermon or message which is
the greatest blessing to the congregation is that message
which was first a blessing to the heart of the pastor or preacher
who prepared it. In other words, if God speaks
to me, through His Word, then I can speak to you. If God makes
a certain passage of Scripture or message a blessing to my heart,
then I can preach it to you and He'll make it a blessing to you.
But it's got to bless me first. It's got to take hold of my heart
first. I can't tell what I don't know. I cannot preach with any
authority that which I have not experienced. If God's pleased
to teach me, then I can teach others. But I cannot teach others
if I have not been taught. I cannot be a blessing to you
if the Word has not been a blessing to me. That would be hypocrisy.
You see, a man cannot tell what he doesn't know. So this being
true, and it is true, the message that is the greatest blessing
to the hearer has first been a blessing to the preacher and
that being true what I'm going to preach to you today should
be a special blessing to you because this scripture that I've
chosen for my text has certainly been blessed of God to my heart.
I have in the past several weeks gone through a very difficult
sickness and trial and I believe during the entire time that I've
been away and I've been sick, I believe this particular portion
of God's Word meant as much or more to me than any of the Scripture
I read during this time. And here it is in 1 Peter 5.
You'll take your Bible and follow while I read it. I'll read two
verses, verses 10 and 11. 1 Peter 5. And the Apostle Peter says this,
but the God of all grace, the God of all grace, who hath called
us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have
suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle
you. To Him be the glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Now in this fifth chapter
of the book of 1 Peter, I can't cover every verse, we don't have
the time, but I can tell you this. In this, in the earlier
verses of this chapter, Peter has been telling the people of
God to expect trouble and trials and difficulties in this world.
He calls them afflictions. He says, I believe it's in the
7th or 8th verse, he said, these afflictions are common afflictions. They're common to all your brethren
which are in this world. In other words, our walk through
this world with the Lord is a good life. It's a happy life. But it's not necessarily an easy
life. You see what I'm saying? This
is what Peter's saying. It's like our Lord told His disciples
in John 16. He said, now in this world, you're
going to have tribulation. You're going to have trouble
and heavy trials, but be of good cheer. I've overcome this world. And that's what Peter's saying
here in chapter 5. He said, expect it. It's common.
It's common. It's common afflictions. It's
the afflictions which are suffered by all of your brethren, which
are in this world, trouble and trials and difficulties and sorrow. In our walk through this world,
we're going to have afflictions. And that's when he says, but,
verse 10 in my text, but the God of all grace, who has called
you to his eternal glory through Jesus Christ, after you've suffered
a while, make you perfect and establish you. and strengthen
you and settle you to God be the glory and dominion. Now,
to help you to follow this message and to remember it, I'm going
to ask five questions. I think this will be helpful.
I'm going to ask five questions, and here are the questions. First
of all, who is he? Peter said he's the God of all
grace. That's who he is. Then what has he done? He has
called you. He's called you according to
a purpose. He's called you to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus. Now, what can we expect? Trouble
and suffering after you've suffered for a while. And what will He
do for you? He'll make you perfect. And He'll
establish you and strengthen you and settle you. And why will
He do all this for you and for me? To Him be glory. and dominion forever and ever.
Now here's the first question. Isn't that simple? That's the
way we ought to preach. Simply. Our Lord did in simple
words that people could understand. Now here's the first question. Who is He? Who is our God? Well,
this scripture says He's the God of all grace. He's the God
of all grace. You know, our Lord is called
in Romans 15, the God of hope. Hope. The God of hope fill you
with joy. and peace in believing on his
name. And then in 1 Corinthians chapter
1, he's called the God of comfort. Paul writes, the God of comfort,
who comforts us in our troubles and trials and suffering, in
order that we may comfort others. He's the God of all comfort.
And then he's called in Ephesians 1, the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. And in Hebrews 13, He's the God
of peace, the God of hope, the God of comfort, the giver of
Christ Jesus, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus Christ. But here, who is He? The God of all grace. Not some
grace, all grace. He's the God of, He's the source
of, He's the giver of all grace. All grace. Now, all of the grace
which we have experienced, all of the grace that we will experience
all the way home to glory is from God. He's the giver of every
good and perfect gift. He's the God of all grace. Now,
what does this do? Well, it sweeps away all thoughts
of human merit, all thoughts of human deeds and human work,
making any contribution in the matter of our salvation, it gives
God all the credit and all the glory, because He is the God
of all grace. Do you see that? Who is He? He's
the God of all grace. Not some grace. All grace. And that does away with any works
or deeds or merit on our part. Everything we have, God has given
us in Christ our Lord. Who made you to differ? What
have you received? What have you that you have not
received? Now, if you received it, why would you boast? He's
the God of all grace. Well, what is grace? What is
grace? Now, think about this a moment. I know the standard definition. People say grace is unmerited
favor, and it is. Someone else says, well, grace
is unsought mercy. Well, it is. Grace is undeserved
love and it is now. There's the definition It's the
unmerited favor unsought mercy and undeserved love. But now
you listen, let me define grace down here where we live That's
part of the the theological or intellectual definition of grace.
I'll tell you what grace is Grace is the faithful forgiving the
unfaithful It's like a faithful husband forgiving an unfaithful
wife, or vice versa. It's alright, I forgive you.
What is grace? Grace is receiving the runaway
son, and giving him a kiss, and welcoming him home, and never
bringing up the problem. What is grace? It's forgetting
the offense. I mean forgetting it. Someone
says, well, I did you wrong. I don't remember that. You don't
remember it, and I don't even remember it. That's grace. Grace
is counseling the unpaid debt. We keep bringing it up. You know,
he beat me out of so much money, or he beat me out of this, or
beat me out. Grace is counseling it, as if it never occurred. Grace is unending pardon. Peter
said, well, how many times shall I forgive him? Seven times? That's ridiculous. No, no, you
don't have to forgive him seven times. 70 times 7. That's grace. You see, that's only God. That's not our nature. That's
not in us. That's not of us. That's not
true of us. That's not the nature of human
beings. That's only the nature of God.
He's the God of all grace. That's not found in you. That's
not found in me. He's the God of all grace. See,
grace is not for the good. Grace is for the guilty. Mercy
is not for the good. Mercy is for the miserable. Salvation
is not for righteous people. It's for sinners. He's the God
of all grace. You have be quickened who were
dead. and trespasses, and sin, who walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the Spirit, and now worketh in the children of disobedience,
among whom we all had our conversation in times past, fulfilling the
lust of our flesh, and the pride of our lives, and the lust of
our eyes, but God, but God, who is rich in grace, rich in love."
You see? rich in grace, for His great
love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses
and sin. We don't love like that. We don't
forgive like that. We don't think like that. We're
not like that. He's the God of all grace. It's
not found anywhere but in God. That's right. Come now, He said,
let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, I'll
make them white as snow, though they be red like crimson. I'll
make them like wool. He's the God of all grace. That's
the God I'm preaching. That's the God Peter is preaching
here. The God of all grace. No grace
outside of God. Unheard of. Well, what has He
done? This God of all grace. He has called us. Us? Who are so unlike Him? That's
right. He's called us unto His eternal
glory. Eternal glory, not a little play-like
party here on this earth, socially religious. He's called us to
eternal glory by Jesus Christ. What does it say? He called us.
We didn't choose Him, He chose us. We didn't love Him, He loved
us. We love Him because He first
loved us. We didn't call on Him. He called
on us. He called us by His Spirit, by
His power, by His Word, by His Gospel, to faith in Him whom
He foreknew. He predestinated to be conformed
to the image of His Son. And whom He predestinated, He
called. And whom He called, He justified.
And whom He justified, He glorified. What shall we say to these things?
Well, I say, if God be for us, who can be against us? He called
us the God of all grace. He says to Moses, I'll be gracious
to whom I will be gracious. I'll be gracious. God is gracious.
All grace is of God, from God, to guilty sinners. But it's conferred
upon whom He will. I'll be gracious to whom I will
be gracious. The Son quickeneth whom He will.
I'll be merciful to whom I will be merciful." He said, I've called
you by name. You're mine. Paul said in II Timothy, He saved
us. He called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose
and grace which was given us in Jesus Christ before the world
began. He called us to what? to some little empty profession
here on the earth, to some little reformation, to some little party,
to some little denomination, to some little show. No, to eternal
glory! When all my labors and trials
are over, when I'm safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near
the dear Lord I adore, that'll be glory, eternal glory. How can I speak of eternal glory?
I've never seen it. And the only human being that
ever saw it and came back was the Apostle Paul, and he wouldn't
say anything about it. He said, I can't. Why, he said,
I heard things up there, it's not lawful to utter. But I'll
tell you something about that glory, that eternal glory. I'll let you in on a little preview.
My Lord Jesus Christ, when He prayed and guest Him in His garden,
He said, He said, The glory that thou hast given Me, I have given
them. Now you think about that. Glorify Me with the glory which
I had with thee before the world was, and the glory which thou
hast given Me, I have given them. And He's called us. You know,
salvation is not just a reformation, a change of direction, a change
of habits, change of companions. I tell you, this thing of salvation
is unto eternal glory. And it's by Jesus Christ. All
that we are, all that we have, all that we ever shall be is
in, by, because of, and through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
our Lord. It's in Christ. It's by Christ. He, the God of all grace, had
conferred that grace upon you. and called you to His eternal
glory. He said it's reserved in heaven
for you, it's undefiled, it's incorruptible, it can't fade
away because it's God's own glory. And He's called you to that glory
by Jesus Christ. Now watch this. What must we
do? Well, it says, after you've suffered
a while, the toil, the trouble, you'll not be spared, The suffering,
it's the lot of all Adam's race, because of the fall, because
of sin, and the Lord's people are not exempt. Why would you
think for a moment that you should be? David said this, it's good for
me that I've been afflicted. The God of all comfort, comfort
you in your tribulation and trouble that you might comfort others.
The God of all grace, after you've suffered, Have you suffered?
All of God's people suffer. God had only one Son without
sin. That's Christ. But He was a man
of sorrows and acquainted with grief. They who would live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer. You're going to suffer in heart,
broken heart, loneliness, trouble. You're going to suffer in body.
You won't be spared. Pain, sickness. Your children
are going to bring heartache to you. Your grandchildren. You ever suffered because of
your children? Your heart been broken? We suffer in soul, grieving
over our sin. Don't you grieve over your sin?
Don't you look back over your life and wish you'd done things
a little differently? And you grieve over it? Yeah,
after you've suffered. But thank God for this little
word, a while. I'm glad that's in there. Not
forever. The unbeliever suffers forever.
But he said, after you've suffered a while, just a while, just a
while. Psalm 30 says this, weeping endures
for the night, but joy is coming in the morning. Weeping endures
for the night, but we watch, watch for the morning. Joy is
coming in the morning. Isaiah 54 says this, verse 7,
For a small moment have I forsaken thee. For a small moment, God
said, have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies I'll gather
thee some day, after a while. And I'll tell you this, our light
affliction, and I know it doesn't seem light now, we know that,
don't we? But it's only for a moment. And
it works for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory Because
the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us. After you've suffered
a while. I'm so glad I can say that, a
while after you've suffered. And then fourth question, what's
he doing? What's he doing through these sufferings and troubles
and toils and trials and tribulations that God of all grace, He's still
the God of grace, no matter whether I'm down or up. He's still the
God of grace. It's still grace. Whatever God
sends into my life is for my good. All things work together
for good to them who love God, to those who are called according
to His purpose. And after you've suffered a while,
He says He's going to make you perfect. Now we are, let me tell
you something, we are perfect in Christ. We have a perfect
righteousness. of a perfect salvation. He has
perfected forever them that are sanctified. And we will one day
be perfect. We'll be like our Lord. But the
word here is maturity. You see, all that God brings
to pass in the lives of His people is in order that they might grow,
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
whether abounding or whether abased, It's for our good and
for our growth. So God's going to make you a
mature believer. You're going to grow. And then
He said, not only make you perfect or mature, but He's going to
establish you. This signifies stability. Now,
the Apostle Peter was unstable at one time. You know that. He
denied the Lord. But while he was at that time
unstable, God was sending things into his life to make him stable. And so here you have that man
who was unfaithful at one time, yet later on, faithful unto death. You have that man who wavered.
He said, though these other fellows deny you, I never will. He was
the one that did. And while he wavered at this
time, he was the one who stood face to face with all of the
Pharisees and Sanhedrin, and he said, shall I obey God or
me? I can't help but preach those
things which I've seen and which I've heard." And they crucified
Him upside down. Yeah, it takes some time to be
established. It takes a lifetime sometimes. It takes a long time. And it
takes some hills and some valleys and some mountains and some floods
and some trials and some troubles and some difficulties. But that's
what He's doing, see, the God of all grace, and let Him Let
Him run your life, don't... My times are in thy hands, my
God, I want them there. You see, the God of all grace,
and whatever He sends is gracious, is good. Who called you to His
eternal glory, He's got good things for you, good things in
store. By Jesus Christ, after you've suffered a while, He's
gonna make you perfect. He's gonna establish you, and
He's gonna strengthen you. We're weaklings. I'm a weakling.
You are too. Down here we're all weaklings.
But I tell you this, when we're weak, that's when we're strong. If you ever find out you are
weak in yourself, that's when you'll draw from Him His strength
and His grace and His glory. You see, He's my strength. Less
dependence on ourselves and more upon our God. He'll strengthen
you, and He'll do it in a way that you don't expect. I asked
the Lord for this, and He gave me that. You see, we might want
success, and He sends us failure, but in that He strengthens us.
He shows us what we are and who He is. And then He said, I'll
settle you. Everything in this world is unsettled. Unsettled,
swift to its close, ebbs out life's little days. Earth's joys
grow dim, its glories fade away. Change and decay in all around
me I see. O thou that changest not, abide
with me." He's going to settle me. Settle me on the foundation. Have you ever seen a new building,
a concrete block building? It's bad about this, but they'll
build a concrete block building and after a while there'll be
a big crack down the side. What's it doing? It's settling.
Settling. But I'll tell you after a while,
after a few years have come and gone, no more cracks. You can
patch that one up because it's not going to move. It's down
on the foundation as far as it's going. And that happens to us
all through our lives. We shift and we waver and we
fail and we falter and we fumble. But God said in us, He said,
I lay in Zion a stone, a tribestone, a true, sure foundation. And
he that believeth shall not make haste. That's Christ our Lord.
I shall not be moved on the rock of ages." So why does the Lord
do all this? The God of all grace called you
and me after we suffered a while to go make us perfect, establish
us and strengthen us. Why is He doing all that? To
Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. This is a true
test of all that we preach and believe. Who gets the glory?
Who gets the credit? Who gets the honor? Who gets
the praise? I tell you this, everything God
does is for His glory. If God's in it, He gets the glory. He said in Ephesians 2 that in
the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness toward you through Christ Jesus.

The God of All Grace

What does the Bible say about grace?

How do we know that God called us to eternal glory?

Why is suffering important for Christians?

What does it mean that God is the God of all grace?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The God of All Grace

What does the Bible say about grace?

How do we know that God called us to eternal glory?

Why is suffering important for Christians?

What does it mean that God is the God of all grace?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book