IDENTIFYING THE MEANS OF GRACE

By Gary Ray Branscome

Speaking of Christ, the Apostle Paul said, “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Those words tell us that we have been redeemed through Christ’s “blood” [the blood He shed on the cross], a redemption consisting of forgiveness given to us freely “according to the riches of His grace” – “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). As it is written, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The doctrine of the means of grace looks at how the forgiveness won for us by Christ’s death on the cross is applied to our life and becomes ours.

In the past, one of Satan’s tricks has been to make “works” [something we do] into a means of grace. However, the words, “If by grace, then is it no longer by works: if it were grace would no longer be grace. For if it is by works, then it is no longer by grace: otherwise work is no longer work,” plainly tell us that grace excludes works (Romans 11:6). We “are saved by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Furthermore the Bible tells us that, “The gospel… is the power of God to salvation to every one who believes” (Romans 1:16). Therefore, the gospel is the means of grace! Of that truth Dr. Edward Koehler said, “There is but one means by which the knowledge of grace and salvation, and grace and salvation itself, are imparted to us; it is the Gospel, the glad tidings of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.” (“A Summary of Christian Doctrine,” pages 189-190.)

In his epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul identifies the means of grace as God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ. He begins by telling us that the Word, “Proclaimed the gospel to Abraham in advance” (Galatians 3:8). Those words tell us that Abraham knew the gospel, the glorious news that, “Christ died for our sins… And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1Corinthians 15:3-4). In fact, the words, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac… Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead,” tell us that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son because of his belief that his descendant would die as a sacrifice for sin and that God would raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). That fact tells us that God did not ask Abraham to sacrifice his son as some morbid test of subservience, but as a witness to us of Abraham’s faith in God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ – as well as a way of telling Abraham that Isaac was not the one who would die for the sins of the world. Then, many years later, Zacharias described the good news of forgiveness in Christ as, “the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God” (Luke 1:77-78). God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ is the means of grace. And, the words, “Those who have faith in Christ are blessed with Abraham, who also believed,” tell us that faith is the hand that receives the forgiveness God offers (Galatians 3:9). As it is written, “We have access by faith into this grace” (Romans 5:2).