Signed, Sealed and Delivered by the Grace of God

Sola Gratia ... by Grace ALONE

By Rev’d Lou Tiscione

The four pillars of the l6th century Reformation were sola gratia (grace alone), sofa fide (faith alone), soli Christo (Christ alone) and Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone glory). The heart of Christian Doctrine consists of these four statements. They are interconnected. The Reformers recovered these Scripture truths and clearly proclaimed how men are made right with God. They taught and wrote that the right understanding, the hope of man and knowing the blessings of God are revealed in the pages of Scripture. Christians are "…born again. not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" l Peter l :23. The Reformers called all men to submit to the sole authority of the Bible (Sola Scriptura). In other words, it matters not what men say or think, but what God has said matters eternally. What saith the Scriptures?

The doctrinal motivation of the Reformers was, "...justification is by grace alone, by faith alone, and through Christ alone."¹ The cap stone of this biblical truth was the Latin phrase soli Deo Gloria, to God alone glory. The Reformers knew that a right understanding of the great doctrines of the Christian faith required a right, that is, biblical understanding of the very character of God. All things, l Corinthians 10:31 are to be done to the Glory of God. They were simply recapturing the "...faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" Jude 3.

The first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible brings an honest reader to the inescapable conclusion that the God of the Bible is absolutely sovereign. He made all things out of nothing (ex nihilo). Jesus Who is the very God-Man is the one through whom and for whom all things were made. Colossians 1:16.

It is with this biblical view of the character of God that our discussion of grace rightly begins. As we all remember, grace is by definition: UNMERITED FAVOR. Therefore, the grace of God is God's unmerited favor. God alone is the initiator of grace and we are the blessed recipients of it.

Paul revealed the truth of the blessing of God's grace when he said, ''For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,'' Ephesians 2:8. Verse 9 continues by affirming that grace is l80 degrees apart from ''works'', human effort.

It is not surprising, therefore, that in each of his letters, Paul greeted Christians by declaring the source of this holy grace. For example, in Galatians Paul began his letter with these words, ''Grace be to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,'' Galatians l :3. These and similar words mark the significance of the great doctrine of the sovereignty of God's grace. The Church throughout the ages has held up the centrality of the Grace of God extended to sinners through its teaching and preaching. We in the Episcopal Church are inheritors of the Church's teaching and expression of the sovereignty of God's grace. Our Prayer Book, 1928, focuses our prayers and worship on our absolute dependence upon God's grace. It causes us to look at the reality of our sinfulness and the blessing of being touched by the grace of God. But, why are we dependent upon God's grace? In honesty, each of us wants to think that there is something in us that is deserving of God's favor. For a long time, I thought that God would extend grace if I obeyed Him. It was as if I had a view of God that was something like a ''cosmic bell hop''. I thought, "If I would just do some good, God would surely look down with favor upon me."

It wasn't until I looked to Scripture with regenerate eyes that I understood: God demands perfection, He is absolutely holy, and He is perfectly just. In honesty, I had to admit that there was no way that I could possibly live up to what God requires. My only hope was to throw myself upon the mercy of God. All I could do was to plead not for justice but for mercy. In other words, I knew my total dependence upon God's grace. With this realization, I caught a glimpse of His grace. I believe that we only ever catch a glimpse of the grace of God because even we ourselves don't know the desperate states that we are all in. But just a glimpse was all I needed to settle the question of ''why I needed God's grace''. Still, my only hope is to depend upon the grace of God because l am desperately wicked, Jer. l7:9

David declared that he, like all men was born with a sin nature, Psalm 5l :5. Isaiah fell before the holy God and declared that he was undone, Isaiah 6:5. He knew that in the light of a holy God, all his ''good works'' were like filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. Indeed, I, as all Christians do, came to the realization of my sinfulness and thereby my need for the grace of God, Romans 3:9, 23.

Finally, I must not leave this brief discussion of grace before declaring that my destiny depends upon grace and is assured by grace. God has extended grace through the blood of Jesus Christ, Who came full of grace and truth, John 1:17.

The gospel is: Jesus came and died for our sins; He was buried; and He rose again, all in accordance with the Scriptures, l Corinthians l5:3-5. God's grace covers us when the truth of the gospel is received, John l:l2-13. My destiny was sealed by God's grace when I professed Jesus is Lord and that He is God, Romans 10:9.

If that wasn't enough, the Bible reveals what awaits me and every one who calls upon the name of the Lord. I will see the full revelation of God's grace in the face of Jesus Christ when He comes again. I will live with Jesus in heaven forever, where there will be no more pain or weeping. He will be with me in perfection, Revelation 2l, 22.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...'' John Newton.

Yours in Christ's love and service,
The Rev'd Lou Tiscione

¹ Sproul, R.C.. Grace Unknown, the Heart of Reformed Theology, p.66,1977, Baker Books.

Taken with permission from Saint Andrew’s Messenger, March 1, 2002, Volume 22, Number 9

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, Texas