Dale Ralph Davis has said, “It is not only by grace alone that we become God’s people but by grace alone we remain His people.” I don’t care if one is Calvinist or Arminean, we can both agree on this statement. We are saved by grace alone, Ephesians is very clear on that. We are also kept by the power of that same grace, given to us as a gift from God. We do nothing before salvation to merit it and we do nothing after salvation to merit keeping it. Has anyone lived perfectly, even after being born again? No? Then it is only by God’s grace we remain in fellowship with Him. The more one studies grace in Scripture, the more amazing it becomes.
As the Canons of Dort expresses it, “God does not owe this grace to anyone. For what could God owe to one who has nothing to give that can be paid back? Indeed, what could God owe to one who has nothing of his own to give but sin and falsehood?” I leave you this morning with one other quote to ponder, this one from Alistair Begg: “As a result of grace, we have been saved from sin’s penalty. One day we will be saved from sin’s presence. In the meantime we are being saved from sin’s power.” Amen and praise God for His grace.