The Gospel and Grace

Acts 11:23

When Barnabas arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad. There are two important points here, arising out of the preaching of the Good News at Antioch. The first is that he did not see evidence of "conversions" or "revivals" or "gifts of the Spirit" or any of the other things the modern evangelist or the modern church may look for. What he did see evidence of was the Grace of God .

Too often we are looking for the work of a man or of a team and we are concerned with organisation and method and media, all of which have their place, but we ignore the basic fact that "salvation is by grace, through faith, and not of works lest any man should boast". If salvation is a work of grace then the preaching which leads to salvation must also be a work of grace.

The second point is that he saw the evidence . There are works of grace in which the evidence is so inward that they will not readily be seen by those who are not close to the recipient of grace but the grace of God in salvation should be evident in changed attitudes and changed lives. When a powerful ministry of evangelism is brought into a local community the evidence should not consist of packed churches so much as a changed society . In the greatest "revivals" this has been seen in empty pubs, lower crime rates, better family life etc. It needs to be seen that the Kingdom of God is not full churches but " alternative society ". The evidence of the grace of God must be in the standard of life in Kingdom Living.

Acts 20:32

"The word of God's grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." The Good News of God's grace is not simply a Gospel of Salvation to those who are lost but also a word to build up the saints . It is too easy to assume that the work of the evangelist is simply to bring salvation to the lost. His calling is greater! It is to bring the Whole Gospel to the Whole World and that includes making disciples of those who are being saved.

Moreover, this Word of Grace also gives an inheritance to the saints. What is this inheritance? It is certainly the Promise of the Holy Spirit but more, it is the Promised Sabbath Rest which is entered into when we finally enter the Promised Land - the Kingdom of God.