Grace is an extension of God's favour or kindness to the one who doesn't deserve it and could never have earned it. Someone like the Apostle Paul who persecuted the church and even supervised the killing of Stephen yet enjoyed God's special grace in an unprecedented manner! If we could take a moment to just think through where we would have been if special grace didn't locate us just like Paul the apostle...
And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts9:5-6
The case of Paul is a very interesting one, it was not a time he was probably feeling remorseful for persecuting the church that grace located him but the moment he was on another mission to persecute the church. God would have just struck him to death but instead extended his special grace to him. I would like to ask you a question, how would you have ended up if you were not a Christian today?
This is the extent special grace can go as with Paul to convince a person to change of ways and destiny. Special grace in the form of salvation came to the doorstep of Saul who later became Paul the apostle and he seized the opportunity! You are a Christian today, enjoying God's peace and joy because special grace came to your rescue. Probably, you and God know how far you have gone away from Him but special grace brought you back home.
Special grace is one of two different major categories of grace and the second one is common grace. Common grace is extended to Christians and none Christians while special Grace is restricted to only Christians. Also, special grace is by which God redeems, sanctifies, and glorifies His people whereas, common grace is universally given!
I hope to drive in the significance of special grace in our lives and also to help us gain more assurance with a grateful heart of what God has given to us in Christ Jesus. Special grace is given to only those whom God has chosen for eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. "that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7
After the destruction of the earth by floods during the days of Noah, God re-enacted His redemptive plan by instituting the Noahic covenant which is the common grace, to preserve the earth. He made a promise to Noah, never again will He destroy the earth with a flood.
It's the covenant God made with Noah that resulted in the re-enactment of common grace which has preserved the earth until now. "Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11
The common grace was sustained so that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, could come at an appointed time in the redemption plan of God. The coming of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gave birth to God's special grace. And it's especially for some selected people and it will expand through eternity, lasting forever... This is the intervention of God to redeem us from sin and eternal death.
The elected ones for special grace are those who are born again, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, and God's will is for everyone to receive this special grace! "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9
Even now and till the second coming of Christ, God continues to patiently keep to the covenant He made with Noah. So that more people could come to repentance including those who backslided from faith.
Moreover, special grace is God's unconditional love and redemptive plan for everyone who is in Christ and has received new life through God's Spirit. God has secured their adoption status as His children and they will reign with Christ in eternity.
Very importantly, God's Special grace can also be seen in our gifts and talents. However, some gifts and talents can be deceptive but there are still numerous people out there enjoying special grace in the area of gifts and talents.
People can have special grace in their careers and achieve very amazing results! People can also have special grace in ministry, business, marriage and many more. The truth of the matter is that until you put your gift or talent to use, you may never discover how special God has made you in your field of gift or talent.
Finally, there is no grace that is as special as having Jesus Christ in your life and the gift of the Holy Spirit. It's more special because God lives through you and helps you to live the kind of life, that He wants every one of His children to experience.
PRAYER
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace (Amen) Numbers 6:24-26