As we prepare ourselves for Sunday morning and our
observance of the Lord’s Table, I was reminded that the grace that allows us to
come to the Lord’s Table is a “purchased
grace.” Apart from Christ
purchasing grace for us, we could not commune with our great God and
Savior. But, because Christ did
purchase grace for us, and we are in
Him, we have freedom to live in communion with Him as His people this Sunday
morning.
What is “purchased
grace?” Purchased grace is: all the righteousness and grace which Christ
has obtained for us, or produced for us, or by any means makes us partakers of
with Him, or imparts to us for our benefit . . . by anything that He has done,
or He has suffered, or by anything He continues to do as Mediator on our behalf”
(paraphrase of John Owen in Communion
with the Triune God, pg. 271).
As God’s people, we are now in communion with God. And because we are in Christ, there is almost nothing that Christ has done, but we are
said to do with Him. We are crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20); we
are dead with Him (2 Timothy 2:11;
Colossians 3:3); we have been made alive
with Him (Colossians 2:13); we have risen
with Him (Colossians 3:1); and we are made to sit with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5 – 6). Therefore, because of Christ and His
works on our behalf (His purchased grace for us), there is such a sure
foundation laid for us that we are said to have done the same things with
Christ.
What great life, and confidence, and power, and assurance
does our union and communion with Christ give us? Can any of us help but be amazed by the grace of God to us?
I would like the Puritan’s to lead us in a prayer that
exalts the grace of God, and asks God for more of His grace.
The prayer is entitled, Amazing Grace (The Valley of Vision, pg. 110).
“O Thou Giving God,
My heart is drawn out
in thankfulness to thee, for thy amazing grace and condescension to me in
influences and assistances of thy Spirit, for special help in prayer, for the
sweetness of Christian service, for the thoughts of arriving in heaven, for
always sending me needful supplies, for raising me to new life when I am like
one dead.
I want not the favour
of man to lean upon for thy favour is infinitely better. Thou art eternal wisdom in
dispensations toward me; and it matters not when, nor where, nor how I serve
thee, nor what trials I am exercised with, if I might be prepared for thy work
and will.
No poor creature
stands in need of divine grace more than I do, and yet none abuses it more than
I have done and still do. How
heartless and dull I am!
Humble me in the dust
for not loving thee more. Every
time I exercise any grace renewedly I am renewedly indebted to thee, the God of
all grace, for special assistance.
I cannot boast when I think how dependent I am upon thee for the being
and every act of grace; I never do anything else but depart from thee, and if
ever I get to heaven it will be because thou willest it, and for no reason
beside.
I love, as a feeble,
afflicted, despised creature, to cast myself on thy infinite grace and
goodness, hoping for no happiness but from thee; give me special grace to fit
me for special services, and keep me calm and resigned at all times, humble,
solemn, mortified, and conformed to thy will.”
Grace Greater than All Our Sin by Julia Johnston in 1911.
“Marvelous grace of our
loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt.
Yonder on Calvary’s
mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God’s
grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within.
Grace, grace, God’s
grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.”