What's Preceding Grace?

Because of our sinful nature, God opens our hearts to respond to the gospel of Christ. God's preceding grace enables us to respond freely to the gospel. In conversion, we respond to the gospel through repentance, turning to God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14). These words speak of Lydia, a woman who worshiped God but had not yet heard the gospel to believe in Christ. God's preceding grace opened her heart to hear and respond to the gospel. The word "heart" describes your mind, will, and emotions. It is a term for your inward person.

God's grace initiates our conversion. God opens our hearts to hear the gospel and to receive Christ (John 1:12-13). It may be identified with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11). It is the gospel call for us to trust the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:13). God's preceding grace opens our hearts to convince us about the truth of the gospel.

Our hearts are opened to hear and understand the gospel. God's preceding grace enables us to respond freely to the call of Christ. God works concurrently with our choice. Our hearts are open to believe the gospel and receive Christ (John 1:12). Therefore, we give God all the glory!

Be Free in Christ

Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Believers are free in Christ from the condemnation of sin, the curse of the law, and eternal judgment. He purchased freedom for every believer at the cross by his own blood. Believing the truth of Jesus Christ makes you free indeed.

Be free from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). That's freedom from the bondage of sin, guilt, shame, and fear. All of us have been prisoners to the bondage of sin, until we are free in Christ. All who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ are free indeed. "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Be free from the old life of your past. We are free from the past with a new beginning. We are forgiven of everything that we have ever done wrong. We are reconciled to God and renewed in Christ. God is working all things together for our good, according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). 

Be free from the guilt of sin. Believers are cleansed from all sin (1 John 1:7). God has justified you by faith in Christ. Our sin debt is paid in full at the cross. Believers have a new life, even everlasting life in Christ (Romans 6:23). Thank God Almighty! You are free in Christ, free indeed.

True Faith In Christ

Charles Spurgeon said, "It is not great faith, but true faith that saves you; and salvation does not lie in the faith, but in Christ whom faith trusts. Faith as a grain of mustard seed will bring salvation to you." Spurgeon made it clear. True faith in Christ saves you.

True faith is trusting in Jesus Christ our Lord. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He is the only true way to God the Father. Our faith in Christ is faith in the truth. The power is in the truth of Christ, not our faith. It is faith that receives the truth of Christ.

True faith in Christ is a gift of the Holy Spirit. He is sent to bear witness of the truth in Christ. He confirms the truth in your heart and life. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you through the Holy Scripture. Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 14:6). The gift of faith comes from the word of truth, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:17). Our faith in Christ is based upon the word of truth.

True faith abides in Jesus our risen Lord. Saving faith comes from the one who is the truth, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Saving faith is always looking unto Jesus. Look not to yourself, nor any other but Jesus. He who is the author of our faith is also the finisher of our faith.

Believers Are Sanctified

Martin Luther wrote, "There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow."

In Scripture, all true believers are sanctified in Christ. Sanctification is not the second blessing, coming as a distinctly separate stage in the Christian life. One who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is immediately justified and sanctified by the Spirit of God. 

We are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). The blood of Jesus sanctifies every true believer in Christ. Believers are sanctified, set apart, as God's chosen people in Christ.

God sanctifies or sets us apart as the purchased possession of Christ. You are bought with the price of His blood shed at the cross. The cross work of Christ is applied to your life in justification as well as sanctification.

God sanctifies us by faith in the gospel, upon trusting Christ as your Lord and Savior. However, our sanctification is a continuing process of growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Sanctification leads to our glorification at the return of Christ. Until then, believers are sanctified in Christ.

Is God Your Joy?

Fellowship with God gives us joy. His joy is our strength for living. "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you do rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). Believers experience joy in the presence of God. Words are not able to express it. Fellowship with God gives us joy as believers in Christ.

"Truly our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3). Fellowship with God is through Bible reading, prayer and worship. When we are out of fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins (1 John 1:9). Then, your fellowship with God can be restored. Sin separates us from the joy of fellowship with God. 

Restored fellowship with God gives you joy. The barrier of sin is removed, as we confess it to God. The joy of your salvation is restored. You may pray, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation" (Psalm 51:12). Make fellowship with God a daily part of your life. Praise God through prayer and singing unto Him. Give thanks to God for His love, mercy and goodness in Christ for you. 

Let us ask God to bring to our attention any sins that we need to confess. Recognize that our fellowship with God gives us joy through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Then, we can truly sing, "what a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms." God is your joy.

Forgiven and Cleansed

God gave us a conscience. It tells us when we have done wrong. God made us that way not to make us feel guilty all the time. Conscience calls us to confession. That's how God forgives us and gives us a clean conscience. Confession of sin is simply agreeing with God that we have done wrong. God wants us to have a clean conscience. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Christ died for all of our sins. When you confess sin to God, all of your sins are forgiven. The Bible teaches that God cleanses us upon confession of our sins.  We are made clean before God through Jesus Christ. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's how God forgives us.

Why do some people refuse to confess their sin to God and receive cleansing through Christ? There are at least two reasons. First, they don't know the good news in Christ. Secondly, they don't really believe the good news. The believer's confession of sin brings immediate cleansing through Christ. You can have a clean conscience today.

Do you have a sin from the past that makes you feel guilty? Confess it to God. Believe the promise of His word. God will forgive you. That's how God forgives us. That's the reason Jesus died for all our sins. Thank God for cleansing you through Jesus Christ. God will forgive your sins and cleanse your conscience.

God Changes Hearts

In the Bible, the word heart is often a figure of speech for the mind, will, and emotions. God's work of grace is performed in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Through the gospel of Christ, God changes your heart. That is to say, God changes your mind, will, and emotions.

God changes your mind by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). Then we understand the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16). We repent and receive Jesus as our Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). Repentance means a change of mind. That change is enabled by the Holy Spirit changing our hearts (Romans 2:28-29).

God changes your will with new desires. Once we had no desire for Christ. We were unwilling to receive Christ. Now, God has worked in our hearts with a desire for Christ (Philippians 2:13). That's the work of God in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Philippians 1:6).

God changes your emotions. Once we had no tender emotions toward Christ nor remorse for our sins. Now, we have godly sorrow for our sins, and emotions of love and gratitude toward Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 16:22; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10).