Vin Smith Supporter Concert Pianist. Piano Tuner. Talk Show Host. Novelist.

Plain Fact: If you possess human DNA, then Christ died for you! And I'm not being facetious... There are fallen angels who roam the world, ready, willing and able to lead men astray. They are lost and condemned for eternity--along with humans who choose that path. "On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot." 
(Psalm 11:6) NIV

Yet, God knew you before you were born. Note the poetic truth of the King James Version, Jeremiah 1:5... "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

You and I and everyone ever born didn't just happen. No accidents of birth here. God's infinite Grace was ready and waiting, because the price for redemption has been paid in full at Calvary. The Gift of Golgotha... 

All because of unearned Grace. We can't work for it! We can't buy it. "Now if a man works his wages are not counted as a gift but as a fair reward. But if a man, irrespective of his work, has faith as righteousness, then that man’s faith is counted as righteousness, and that is the gift of God. This is the happy state of the man whom God accounts righteous, apart from his achievements, as David expresses it: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin’" (Romans 4:4-8) Phillips.

Grace! The free gift! The alternative to the wages of sin. " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) KJV

And the most famous verse in the Bible; the verse that unleashes the joy of the ages. "For God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) KJV

February 17 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Terry Galloway Supporter Christ follower, Bible lover, mission of sharing the gospel

John 3:16 is the famous verse which universalism, cheap grace and easy believism proponents point to. If you look at the entire chapter, Jesus Christ tells the religious man, Nicodemus, that he must be born again. Born of the Spirit. It is a mystery to humans who cannot control who and when Jesus does this. When it happens, Amazing Grace completely transforms the heart.

February 17 2014 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jim Tumlinson Supporter One beggar leading others to where the bread is

Yes, this verse helps us see it quite clearly

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. NIV

As mentioned above grace came, when Jesus died He died for the sins of the whole world and we were forgiven then, at that point. Grace was made available to us before we were born. Then God who gives every man a measure of faith gave us the faith to receive the grace provided. We either say yes and receive it or deny it. But everyone has been shown grace and experienced it. Another definition in the Greek is "A divine influence upon the heart and its reflection to the life."

The bible also talks about the manifold grace of God, meaning more than one single possibility, usage, form etc.

If you do a word search you will find grace is used more than 120 times in the new testament.

Once you begin a word study on grace your life will change and you will see things in the word that you never saw before and it will teach you things that you do not hear in church, grace will challenge all your religious ideas, behaviors beliefs etc. 

Once you begin to understand grace you will truly be set free and many people will not agree with you, they will stay caught in their religious way of life. The freedom grace brings is like graduating high school and going to college, the first year you are so free and have no boundaries that you go wild, this is what grace will do to you and then it will begin to teach you the things mentioned in Titus.

It is awesome.

February 20 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Dan Rivers Supporter Christian, Husband, Grandfather, Son, AT&T retiree

Jesus' sacrifice was sooo powerful, perfect and encompassing that it DID and was able to atone for every sin that every person in this world had and would ever commit....

1Jo 2:2 NIV - "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

So the way I see it everyone, believers and non-believers, have been forgiven. BUT in order to have everlasting life and not perish one has to do ONLY one thing....BELIEVE in Jesus...John 3:16...Rom 10:9

Jhn 16:9 NLT - "The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me."

Of course believing in Jesus is easier said than done, for the natural man (people without the Holy Spirit dwelling in them) can't understand the Gospel and they think it's foolishness so how would they ever believe it..1 Cor 2:14

To understand and believe one must be born again, John 3:3
John 6:63 The Spirit alone gives life 

The Lord is the one that gives understanding...Psa 119:34, Dan 9:22, Col 1:9

He is the one that gives us sight and unplugs our ears so we can hear and understand the Word of God...Isa 35:5, Isa 29:18, John 9:39

Praise the Lord!

February 17 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Paul Bayne Supporter Business Owner, Husband and Father of Four Kids & Blogger

Hebrews 9.28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

So many people look to John 3.16 to say that Jesus died for the whole world. This is not the case. Jesus did not die for those in hell. Jesus died for those whom God predestined for salvation. 

We read that those who are saved, had their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundations of the world were laid. 

Romans also says that God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. He will save whomever He wants. Jesus also said about the work of the Holy Spirit, that no one knows where He will flow. He's like the wind. 

The grace of God is a gift given to those whom He has decided to save. Those He chose from the foundation of the world, He gives mercy, grace and salvation to. This gift of grace is not for those whom God destined and created to be vessels of destruction.

We cannot take one verse and run with it. Man gets into a lot of trouble this way with misquoting God. We have to compare verses together and understand subject and object. 

Matthew Henry writes this in his commentary:

"It is not confined to one nation; and not particularly to the ancient Israel of God: He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only (not only for the sins of us Jews, us that are Abraham’s seed according to the flesh), but also for those of the whole world (v. 2); not only for the past, or us present believers, but for the sins of all who shall hereafter believe on him or come to God through him. The extent and intent of the Mediator’s death reach to all tribes, nations, and countries. As he is the only, so he is the universal atonement and propitiation for all that are saved and brought home to God, and to his favour and forgiveness."

If Jesus died for those who are in hell, then what a waste that would be. Wouldn't make a lick of sense to send someone to the cross (namely Jesus), unless of course you believe that Jesus went to hell and preached the Gospel to them and brought some out of hell.

February 17 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tom howard Supporter Contender of the Faith

Yes

Titus 2:11, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."

February 18 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Thomas K M Supporter A retired Defence Scientist from Indian Defence R&D Orgn.

What is Grace? Is it a message? Is it a doctrine? Grace is not a teaching or a doctrine. It is a person. John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses but the grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Grace and truth is one and that is Jesus Christ. Truth is on the side of Grace not the law. Law was given. This implies a sense of distance. Grace came. Grace is gentle and warm. You can have relationship with that person. 

Grace is right believing in God. Grace is God’s unmerited and undeserved favour. God is not interested in mere obedience and submission. Our God is a God of love. He longs to have relationship with you. That is why Christianity is unique. Many of the world’s belief system are governed by moral codes, rules and laws. But Christianity is not about these things. It is all about a relationship with Almighty God. There is also glory in woks and work rewards wages. But Grace is a free gift from God.
Grace is not only favor but it is also power. If we are truly in God, He gives us His grace. When we love Him we will truly keep His commandments.

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. (1Cor.15:49). Are we getting the Grace, because of heavenly nature? Our thoughts are more or less based on the earthly nature. But at the same time we try to bear and seek heavenly images. We believe in heavenly things but live in flesh and blood. We cannot go to God with a dual personality. When we manifest God with flesh and blood (earthly), we won’t get 100% blessings. We normally seek God to get His grace from Him. Are we able to submit everything to God? But Satan will confuse you. Faith in God will come to us only, with the grace of God. We will only manifest God always. We are blessed already.

February 18 2014 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report