But to Him that Worketh Not!

Grace is a theological term that means an unearned gift from God. God's grace is not based upon our performance, but upon His love for us.

This point was driven home to the preacher this week as he thought about two of his young friends. Being in school, they get report cards every nine weeks. When the preacher heard that they weren't getting any "report card money," he began sending them small checks whenever they got their grades from school.

When one young friend's grades slumped, a formula was devised to pro-rate the checks based upon the quality of the grades. This resulted in one friend receiving much smaller gifts all last year due to lower grades.

In thinking it over, the preacher noticed that the reduction of the gifts, based upon the performance of his young friend, resulted in far less joy for the giver!

After all, the real reason for the gifts was the preacher's delight to give presents to his friends! Why should their lower performance spoil his joy in giving them the presents?

And so it is with God's gifts to His people! God does not give grace to us because we are obedient, or on account of our performance. God's grace is not dependent upon our works at all!

Paul put it this way: "to him who works, the recompense is not counted as grace, but payment of a just debt."

God's grace of salvation and rescue from judgment isn't based upon any work that we do, for we are incapable of obeying the law or performing up to God's perfect standard of righteousness.

Instead, God promises the free gift of salvation through Christ's offering at the cross to everyone who believes the promise.

God gives good gifts because He delights to do so!