Think Wink.

In Acts 20:24, while he was giving his farewell address to the Ephesian elders, Paul says, “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” This last phrase is a very important phrase in understanding the gospel. The gospel is the good news of God’s grace.

There many ways to understand the gospel within the scope of the Bible. The noun euaggelion (good news/glad tidings) is used seventy-seven times and the verb euaggelizo (I preach/bring good news/glad tidings) is also used seventy-seven times in the New Testament. I recommend seeing chapter 2 of Piper’s book, God is the Gospel, for a good summary of the manifold ways to understand the gospel; i.e. Christ’s death, it is for all people, eternal life, peace with God and fellow believers, healing and liberty, salvation for believers, the Holy Spirit. But the ground of it all, what lies behind it all is God’s grace.

God’s grace is his overflow of love to us undeserving sinners the gifts mentioned above. It is something that is unmerited by human beings in any way, shape, or form. We do not merit grace. Paul says in Romans 11:6, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” God graciously gives to us, we do not earn the gifts of God. Paul says in the verse prior, literally, “a remnant according to the election of grace.” God chose for himself a people by grace. Paul says it was before we had done anything good or bad because in Ephesians 1:4 we read, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.”

The death and resurrection of Christ was the act of God’s grace. We read in 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Hebrews 2:9 says, “by the grace of God [Christ] might taste death for everyone.” Thus when we come to Romans 3:25-26 when Paul explains that it was the death of Christ that declares God just when he justifies sinners, it was God’s grace that shows him to be just and righteous.

It was the grace of God that called us out of sin and into eternal life, “[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9). It was this grace of God that enabled us to believe. Paul says in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” In 1 Timothy 1:14 we read, “the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” In Acts 18:27 we read when Apollos was working in Achaia, “And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed.” It is through this faith, which was bought by Christ’s death and given to us by grace, that all of the benefits promised to us by God in the New Testament are ours; i.e. justification (Romans 3:24; Titus 3:7), forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7), salvation (Acts 15:11), our obedience of works (2 Corinthians 9:8; 1 Corinthians 15:10), enduring affliction (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), help (Hebrews 4:16), hope and comfort (2 Thessalonians 2:16), our glorification in the glory of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:12).

Grace grounds them all! Oh to the only gracious God who gives us all things according to the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus ( Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:7) and who spares us nothing, not even his Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:32). To him be glory and honor for ever. Amen!

Related posts:

Another look into euaggelion

When I think of “euaggelion” or “gospel”…

The “euaggelion” of Peace