#grace given

James 4:6 (ESV)

But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

  Nehemiah 9:17 (ESV)

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

  Ephesians 3:8–9 (ESV)

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

  Ephesians 4:7 (ESV)

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

  Ephesians 3:11 (ESV)

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

 If we look in our Bibles, we will discover repeatedly the character and nature of our great God. He is a god of grace. He is the God of all Grace. He is a giver of Grace. We will also discover on a consistent basis that mankind does have his kind of character. Noah was one of many in his day. But most did not care for the pursuit of the things of God and they perished in the flood. But grace elevated and saved Noah and his family. Here grace was given. Grace was discovered. And grace was able to make a difference in their lives. So, a pattern is established and then repeated throughout time. Again, and again, with Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and Nehemiah, they all found God to be a God who is “ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.”

 When we come to the New Testament, we find this same “eternal purpose” was realized in Christ Jesus. This means that it was brought into a “concrete existence, fully accomplished and became vividly real.” So much so that Paul said this about the savior:

  Colossians 2:9 (ESV)

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

 And John would later follow this up with his declaration:

  John 1:16–18 (ESV)

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; (but) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

  Grace and truth were made vividly real by Jesus Christ and so it is that we brought to our part in the eternal purpose of God. Grace is given to each of us in Christ for a specific purpose here in time:

  Ephesians 4:7 (ESV)

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

 Christ in his humanity was given grace to its ultimate fullness. And in the mystery of God’s plan he gives us a portion of his fullness to help others to come into its blessing. Paul was given grace to preach. You and I may be given grace for this or other tasks, but we all should receive a portion from Christ himself to participate in this grace giving function to others. Some are placed in one arena and others in another but we all function in the grace given by God.

  1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (ESV)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

  1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

  1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

 God gave grace to plant to Paul and then grace was given to water to Apollos, and God given grace was the source of it all. God gave the necessary things to bring divine growth. Oh that we might have this grace giving active in our lives, today.