GRACE CAUSES

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3 NAS).

The cause of your new spiritual birth is God the Father.  It’s not from our initiative.  He even gave us the faith to believe:  For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Phil. 2:13); By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect (1 Cor. 15:10); Now the God of peace … working in us that which is pleasing in His sight … (Heb. 13:20-21 NAS).  Jesus said, “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me …” (John 6:44 NLT).

Certainly God works through people to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ.  And we are to be persuasive and loving and reaching out to others to lead them to Jesus.  Then choices are made by individuals while at the same time God is at work in those choices.  We choose, but God’s grace causes.  It’s both/and. 

God’s grace is not something passive; it is active.  His grace targets us, moves toward us, and works in us.  God’s grace toward us is not something that sits on a shelf, and we walk by and decide if we want to take it off the shelf and take it with us.  Instead God’s grace is pursuing us and overtaking us.  His grace is chasing you.   His love is hounding you.  That’s the idea in what David said in the twenty-third Psalm:  “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life …” (Psa. 23:6 NLT).

God’s grace is never stagnant.  It’s never dormant, never lifeless, never still.  Instead His grace is always in motion, making and saving, resurrecting and transforming.  Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. … we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving (Eph. 2:7-9 Mes).   

God’s grace causes.  His grace causes life, salvation, undying hope, promise, and eternal life.  Center your everyday living on God’s grace and truth.  Revolve your life purpose around God’s grace and truth.  Discover who you are in God’s grace and truth.  Do your part to live according to God’s grace and truth.