GRACE
P. W. Hickmott
I wondered whether the Lord would deepen our appreciation of divine grace; of mercy too, of course, but grace. They are very close no doubt. Grace is not easy to define but I believe that what it is is known by us as we experience it and appreciate it. It has reached us in Jesus. What I was thinking about was the extent to which God has gone in grace. So this passage says,
“grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ”, but it also says, “for of his fulness we all have received, and grace upon grace”. I think we could testify to that, that in our own experience it has been grace upon grace. It is expressed in Jesus. So as we look back over our history, whether our own personal history or the history of things as we have known them, what grows with me is the sense of the extent to which God has been prepared to go in grace to preserve His people, to preserve His testimony. I have thought about it a little lately. Think of the history of the times we have lived in, how it shows the extent of God’s grace. You could never say it was stretched to the limit because it is boundless. Scripture speaks of it as over-abounding and what a wonderful matter that is. Paul speaks of it as to himself—“But the grace of our Lord surpassingly over-abounded” (1 Timothy 1: 14), and he speaks of it in Romans, “but where sin abounded grace has over-abounded” (Romans 5: 20). You love to think of the extent to which grace has gone in order that the divine end might be reached. If we think of the history and of the subtle introduction of diversion, we may think that a certain crisis brought it to a head, but I believe that the crisis in itself was a marvel of divine grace in that God allowed matters to go to that extent in order to awaken us to what was working, and had been for a long time, in the allowance of what was false.
So we should think of that, that as diversion from the practice of the truth began to come in.
God’s grace would be, as it were, waiting, not moving in suddenness, but, if you could reverently say, the Lord waiting and saying, Perhaps someone will take a stand. Then something else more subtly introduced—will someone responsible rise up and make a stand this time? Time went on and more things came in (but the Lord in grace still feeding the saints). Finally, how far things were allowed to go in grace before there was a final intervention and the consciences of brethren were at last aroused to take a stand. Some of us feel the more ashamed because it had to be extended to us still further on than that till finally divine grace reached us.
So that just appeals to me as an application; it is “grace upon grace” and it is intended to soften us. I think grace would do that; it would soften us in our attitude towards others, towards all men. It would not soften or weaken our judgment of sin. Indeed the more we appreciated divine grace, the more our horror of sin would grow. Grace and truth are linked here and another scripture tells us that grace reigns through righteousness (Romans 5: 21). So we are in the presence of the continuation to us of grace upon grace. I think we are learning to know and love the Lord the more so as to realize that we can count on it. We can depend on it right to the end; divine grace will be sufficient. That is what was said to Paul, “My grace suffices thee”, 2 Corinthians 12: 9. So we learn to trust Him and know for ourselves that, whatever happens, whatever may be the difficulties, divine grace will never fail, it will be sufficient for us.
I also thought about this other reference, “For the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared”. It could be said that it appeared in Jesus. Someone once said it has never disappeared and that is right. Because the Spirit is here you can say it has never disappeared and, in so far as it is appreciated and valued by us, it would be in some measure in evidence in us, but it has appeared and it carries with it salvation for all men. How wide that is! I have wondered about that too. We are not very aware perhaps of what goes on in the wide circle where there are Christians. As one hears about certain things that take place, I believe that divine grace is extending in that wide area. In so far as our own path is concerned, I think that path is more and mor e clear to us. As the hymn says, ‘Our path is on with earnest haste’ (No. 47). I do not think we would have any doubts about the path we are on. Thank God we have the conviction of it. But it may be that the Lord would remind us that His grace is extending, it is extending out. You think of it! You may say about certain persons, Why do they not get the light of the assembly? You can reason with a certain kind of logic and say, If somebody is getting help in the preaching of the gospel it would normally lead to more light. I wonder sometimes if we need to realize that, in the vast area of men where Christians are, the grace of God is carrying with it salvation for all men. Now I think grace in that sense is extending.
If you hear or see a report that someone is speaking the truth in a certain area where he might have a large audience, thank God for that. It is like the extension of divine grace, grace upon grace towards all men. We need to have an outlook like that of the faithful servant who often said, Our feet in the narrow path but our hearts as large as God’s. That is what we need to think about, grace. How extensive it is! It cannot be exhausted, indeed the surpassing riches of it will soon be displayed. But to us it is a very humbling matter, yet a very wonderful matter, the way it is extended to us and the way divine grace—we speak so easily of the dispensation of grace—is extending out, extending out in Christendom, in spite of so much unfaithfulness, and extending out in the spread of the glad tidings towards men. May our hearts be broadened on the one hand, and yet humbled on the other, but also strengthened and confirmed to continue faithful to Christ, with a deepening understanding and valuation of the light, the heavenly light, that is our portion, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Christchurch, N.Z.
23 February 1987