FROM GRACE TO GRACE IN DESTINY

“But GROW IN GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” – 2 Peter 3:18

Another vital proof of progress on the Pilgrim’s Pathway is to grow FROM GRACE to GRACE IN DESTINY: “But GROW IN GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2Pet. 3:18). The God of all Grace desires that we Grow in Grace, and in the fullness of “manifold grace” (1Pet.4:10). Grace is God’s divine enablement freely made available to humanity. Grace compensates for our weaknesses, bridges our limitations and helps our insufficiency. Grace is like a Palace with hierachies of rooms that the believer is privileged to access and explore on this side pf eternity. Faith is the Access into this Palace: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have ACCESS BY FAITH into the GRACE in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2).

Hebrews 4:16 refers to “the throne of Grace”. A throne does not exist, except in a palace. He who sits upon this throne of grace is “the God of all grace” (1 Pet. 5:10). It is a privilege and favour to be invited, and admitted to experience a profitable, prophetic, spiritual sojourn in His Palace of Grace. “We have ACCESS BY FAITH into this GRACE”: Faith is the access, doorway, and gateway into the Palace of Grace (Rom. 5:2). Without Faith, it is impossible to enter into the palace of Grace and relate with the God of all Grace (Heb. 11: 6). As vital as Faith is to the Christian life however, to remain at the gateway of Faith all of one’s lifetime, would be tantamount to stagnation. God’s mandate is that we go beyond the gateway of Faith, and GROW in GRACE!

Growth in Grace is a MUST. Forward and Upward Movement are mandatory in the Palace of Grace. Grace multiplies in our lives through the knowledge of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must graduate from the gateway of Faith into higher gradations of Grace. We must Add to Faith “virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2Pet.1:5b-7). These are the “pillars” in the Palace of Grace, the reality of which every Christian must experience. Whoever chooses to remain stagnant at the doorway of faith rather than add to faith may wallow in a sorry state of spiritual barrenness and blindness: “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2Pet.1:9). It’s vital that we grow from Grace to Grace.

God has released Grace in grades – in manifold dimensions – to meet every possible need of humanity. There is a graced of grace to answer to any and every need (Heb.4:16). Here are Five Grades of Grace among others:

Saving Grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). This is the grace for salvation and all that pertains to it.

Sanctifying or Transforming Grace: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…” (1 Cor.15:10). This is grace for sanctification and maturity: from unrighteousness to righteousness and worldliness to godliness.

Serving Grace: “…let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28).

Shining or Great Grace: “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).

Strengthening Grace: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor.12:9). This is the grace that exchanges divine Strength for human weakness – grace for reigning in life and ruling in dominion irrespective of the situation.

Beloved, God would have you encounter all grades of His Manifold Grace – from Grace to Grace! Get set to Grow in Grace!