Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: Just about everyone is familiar with the song “Amazing Grace,” but what do pastors mean when they talk about “the grace of God,” and where is it found? – G.G.

Dear G.G.: Grace means “undeserved favor or goodness.” It refers to much more than His kindness and mercy, although those traits are certainly evidence of His grace. God’s grace – His goodness and love toward us in spite of our sin – is the wellspring of our salvation.

God doesn’t owe us anything – yet in His grace, He still gives us good things. We don’t even deserve the next breath we take, but God, in His grace, grants it. Most of all, we don’t deserve to go to Heaven, but in His grace, God has provided the way: He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

Only as we bow in contrition, confession, and repentance at the foot of the cross can we find forgiveness. There is the grace of God.

By nature, we have no right to expect anything from God – except His judgment. That’s because we are sinners, and sin is rebellion against God. We don’t like to admit this. We like to think we aren’t so bad after all, and God ought to overlook our sins. But that’s just not true. When we begin to see every good thing as a gift from God, we realize just how generous God is with His amazing grace. He has lavishly bestowed His grace to the sinner. Receiving this incalculable gift should spur us on to live in the light of His grace, filling our minds with things that honor Him.

“The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all … teaching us that, denying ungodliness … we should live … godly in this present age” (Titus 2:11–12, NKJV).

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)