Articles
Every Spiritual Blessing - GRACE
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places...” (Ephesians 1:3)
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the gracethat is in Christ Jesus.” Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:1 are meant to encourage and strengthen Timothy and by example us today. We can have confidence Paul’s words are for this cause. The letter begins with acknowledging Timothy’s awareness of the struggles in Asia and the apostle’s imprisonment. Therefore, Paul tells Timothy to be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ! Immediately he instructs the young preacher to teach all faithful men, so that they also will teach. These same things are now thought to us today. Therefore, we find strength in the grace that is in Christ.
The blessing of grace is found in salvation provided by Christ. To have His grace, we must draw near to Jesus the Son of God. In Hebrews 4:16 we are told, “let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This confidence is in remembering that Christ as a man suffered like we do and knowing He is the Son of God who saves us from the just retribution for our sins. “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard” (Hebrews 2:3). Grace is the receiving of goodness which is undeserved, and it is in the grace of Christ we are saved from our sins.
We who are faithful find the strength in Christ by remembering Him. Paul continues to encourage in 2 Timothy 2:8-13: "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him;
if we endure, we will also reign with Him.
If we deny Him, He will deny us;
if we are faithless, He remains faithful –
For He cannot deny Himself.
The same sacrifice which gives us salvation gives us grace. We are strengthened by this grace through remembering Christ and His sacrifice. We remember by hearing these words, reading the scripture, and not quarriling over words, “which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14).
You have heard these words (1): in Jesus Christ you will have forgiveness. If you believe (2), then repent (3) and confess (4) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Be baptized (5) and live a life of faithfulness (6).
1: Romans 10:17. 2: John 8:24. 3: Acts 17:30. 4: Matthew 10:32. 5: Mark 16:16. 6: Revelation 2:10
