- 2009 European Bible Conference, October 20, 2009 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16     “Grace” and “Salvation”Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  1 Peter 1:10-11 Those of you who read the Korean Bible might find these verses a bit confusing because of the syntax used here. If you read the first verse without the phrase, “Who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,” it would read, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ was indicating.” In the Korean Bible, because the phrases, “of this salvation” and “who prophesied of the grace” are placed side by side, it is easy to think of salvation and grace as one. The prophets “who prophesied of the grace that would come to you” are the people who inquired and searched carefully concerning this salvation. These prophets had been around from the time of Abel, who lived a long time before Jesus was born into this world. Jesus also said, “From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation” (see Luke 11:51). The prophets not only prophesied, it was also their fundamental duty to convey God’s word to the people just as Moses received God’s word and conveyed it to the Israelites. The Bible refers to Abel?who offered up the first righteous offering in the history of mankind?as a prophet (see Matthew 23:34-35). It also refers to Abraham and Moses as prophets (see Genesis 20:7, Deuteronomy 34:10). Yet, the people whom we would normally think of as prophets appear in the Bible from First Samuel. If you ask a person who knows the Bible, who he thinks of as a prophet, he will probably say, Isaiah, while a person with deeper thoughts, may answer, Samuel or Elijah. These are people who were active hundred of years before Jesus was born. Samuel lived about a thousand years before the time of Jesus, and yet the Bible says that prophets such as these “prophesied of the grace that would come to you.” “The grace that would come to you” is first and foremost Jesus Christ. Then, the Bible talks about the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is what is referred to here when it says, “Of this salvation.” What is this salvation? Let’s read the verse before this, verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith ? the salvation of your souls. This salvation is a privilege given to the Church which has been growing in this world since the day of Pentecost on which the Holy Spirit came down and the apostles spoke in tongues. Here in verse 22, it says, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth.” During New Testament times, many apostles, including of course the apostle Paul, spread the message of obedience to the truth, and salvation through faith. Then, what is the connection between “grace” and “salvation”? Of course, it would not be wrong to say that they are the same. Yet, here it says, “The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.” These prophets prophesied of a certain Person?Jesus?who would be born into this world of sin and would be able to bring to this world the blessings of heaven. It is these prophets who inquired and searched diligently about this salvation. “The grace that is to come” was completely contained within the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross. In Colossians chapter 1 it says, “Since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth” (verse 6). It talks about you knowing the grace of God. This verse is talking about us realizing what Jesus did for us through His blood. Clearly, the grace that the Bible talks about is not all the same. In Second Corinthians chapter 1, it says, “I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit” (verse 15). (In the Korean Bible it says, “second grace.”) The use of the word, “grace” in this verse is different from the general use of the word in the Bible. There are some people who insist that in order to receive this second benefit, they must realize something once more or be baptized a second time. When Paul spoke of this “second benefit,” however, he was hoping that they would benefit a second time from his going to them again.Also Second Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 refer to the grace bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia. It says that even in the midst of their extreme poverty, they prepared a great gift for the ministering of the saints. This is talking about a donation. The Korean Bible refers to this as “grace,” but the English Bible refers to it as a “gift” (see 8:4). So we need to be sure to read the Bible very precisely.If we read John chapter 1 verse 16 from this point of view, it seems quite strange: “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace (NASB) (verse 16).” We have received grace once, but it says here “grace upon grace”. The Bible says that every good gift comes down from the Father of lights (see James 1:17). God wants to give to all mankind every good gift through Christ. The Bible also says that God’s grace overflows to all mankind, through the blood that Christ shed on the cross. “Receiving the end of your faith?the salvation of your souls.” Each of us individually is connected to the tremendous grace contained within the blood of Jesus, just as being connected by an umbilical cord.In Colossians chapter 1, it says, “By Him to reconcile all things to Himself … whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (verse 20). The blood that Jesus shed on the cross must be tremendously powerful to be able to reconcile all things, whether on earth or in heaven. Such is the grace of which the Bible speaks, the grace that Jesus bestows upon us. In certain respects, “The grace that would come to you” is much greater than the salvation that we are aware of and have realized. The Bible says, “Grace upon grace.” As we treasure our salvation, which we have realized through obedience to the words of the Bible, little by little as we live our lives in this world, we come to know what kind of Person Jesus Christ is, what kind of gift God has given us, and how great that gift is. The letter to the Ephesians talks about being able to comprehend the width, length, depth, and height of His love (see 3:18-19).If, however, every reference to grace held the same significance as that spoken of in the verse that says, “Of this salvation the prophets … prophesied of the grace that would come to you,” it would mean that after a person has received salvation, he would be unable to grow any further or know any more. Later, he would come to doubt his salvation, thinking, “If I am saved, life shouldn’t be like this,” and he would search everywhere for something more. Some such people might hear that if they were to get baptized a second time, their burdens would be relieved and so they receive a second baptism at some strange gathering. There are many people who live out their lives wandering from place to place in this way.The Bible clearly says to those who have “received the end of your faith?the salvation of your souls,” that “of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.” The substance of this grace is first and foremost Jesus Christ, who appeared in the midst of the nation of Israel. It is a fact that the words of the Bible have been planted into our hearts, and we have been born again. Yet, these words have not all been accomplished in us. Even though the salvation of our spirits has been completely accomplished, it is our duty to bring our bodies to obedience in the course of our lives. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ  1 Peter 1:13 This verse does not mean that the salvation we have received is to be confirmed when the Lord Jesus comes again. Many people in the world say, “We’ll know after we die whether we are saved or not,” or “We’ll see when the Lord comes,” but the “grace” referred to here is the tremendous blessing that Jesus will bring and bestow upon the born-again saints when He comes again, having died and risen from the dead in accordance with what is written in the Old Testament. It refers to the time when the blessing we have come to believe, and still believe, in our hearts through the Bible is accomplished in our flesh.The first transformation that will be accomplished in us is our resurrection. Our mortal bodies will be raised from the dead as immortal. After Jesus rose from the dead, He, too, appeared before His disciples in His transformed body and ate a piece of broiled fish (see Luke 24:41-43). In His transformed body, He did not have to concern Himself with matters of digestion or excretion of food. The Bible says that “mortality may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). His body had the power to completely digest and metabolize food. His resurrected body was perfect and unaffected by laws of universal gravitation, and He was able to digest what He ate. Even when His disciples were gathered in a room behind locked doors, Jesus was able to appeared in the midst of them. (see John 20:19, 26) Such is the “resurrection” that will be experienced by those who have “received the end of your faith?the salvation of your souls.”Let’s take a look at Colossians chapter 1 verse 6. Which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. The grace of which the prophets had spoken is the grace that has been granted to us through Jesus. When we listen to the words of the Bible and come to realize the truth of the gospel?in other words, the significance of Jesus coming to the world, suffering, and dying?we are able to know this grace. Coming to know this grace is a matter of realizing that all our sins?past, present and future?have been forgiven through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross as He died; it does not mean that we come to know the full extent contained within this. This has been entrusted to fellowship. What lies within the words of the prophets and the apostles is vast and is yet to be opened up to us.  Nevertheless, many people think that once they are saved, they have become like angels; having come to know one thing, they think they know everything. As a result, people misunderstand the words, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13) and are under the illusion that they need to receive something more, apart from the salvation they already have. These words simply mean that the lives of those who endure will be spared. This is talking about the many Jews and Gentiles who manage to survive the seven years of tribulation and endure until the Second Coming of Jesus.In the course of their lives, there was a day for each of the Christians who are living now in the age of the Church when their hearts surrendered completely to God; not according to their own will, but through the Bible and according to the will of God. On that day, they came to kneel before God, not of their own volition, and they came to believe not because they wanted to believe; that was the day on which they realized this grace. Also, through fellowship, we have come to know that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are different and what is meant by each of these terms. This is the process of coming to know the tremendous grace of which the Bible is speaking. We grow in knowledge of this salvation from the day we heard and knew this grace. The life that we refer to as grace is Jesus. Just as a fetus is connected to its mother by an umbilical cord, we also grow as we remain connected to life through the words of the Bible. This is the narrow gate of which the Bible speaks. The Bible says, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24), but realizing the grace all at once in its entirety is the broad gate. We realize what Jesus did for us, and by that grace we become connected to the lifeline and little by little we come to know more about this grace. This is why in First Peter it says, “Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:13). This is no small matter. This verse is telling us that a great blessing is waiting for us as a result of the small fact that has been accomplished within our hearts.In Genesis it says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is a matter on a vast scale. On the first day, God said, “Let there be light”; on the second day, God said, “Let it [the firmament] divide the waters from the waters”; on the third day, God said, “Let the dry land appear,” and, “Let the earth bring forth … the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself”; on the fourth day, God let the sun, the moon, and the stars be seen shining brightly; on the fifth day, God made all kinds of animals; and on the sixth day, God made man. All of this is a shadow of the grace that would be spread out before us. In order for all these things to come about, on the first day there had to be the words, “Let there be light.” Such is the power and movement of God’s word that the Bible is talking about. It is because these words were given that the first and second days were divided as were the night and the day. “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” (see Genesis 1:3-4) When the message of these words is planted in my heart through the Bible, it is the voice that saves my spirit. We grow within God’s words. This is why we need to look carefully when we read the Bible. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.  2 Timothy 1:9 These words are addressed to the Church. When it says here, “not according to our works,” it means that this has nothing to do with any human action. During the seven-year tribulation there will be salvation through works, but, the salvation that we receive during the age of the Church, cannot be achieved through anything we may do. Also, it says here, “according to His own purpose.” Not our purpose but His purpose. And then it says, “according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” This is talking about the Church that God had in mind before the world was created. Through God the Son, the grace that would lead God’s children in the world had already been determined. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16 We are people who have come to know and realize that Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross for our sins and came also as our High Priest, and so “the end of your faith?the salvation of your souls” has been accomplished in our hearts. This verse is telling us how to overcome when we come up against difficulties in our lives, when we are tormented mentally and physically, and when we face many other trials. It says that we are to come to the throne in order to find grace in time of need, and not to go looking somewhere else. The Bible promises that when the heart of an individual draws near to the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, the strength arises in that person to overcome the things he must face in his life. Also, near the end of the letter to the Hebrews, there is a passage that says, “For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods” (13:9). It is so great that our hearts have been established by grace. Yet, there are many Christians who follow after things that are fun in order to shake off the thoughts and torments that arise in their hearts. They go shopping, meet their friends, buy tasty food, and go traveling and so on. In this respect, people who are saved are just the same as those who are not. The Bible, however, provides the answer that “it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods.” It is saying that in order to establish our hearts, we must go boldly before the throne of grace.This is not saying superficially that since this “grace” has been accomplished in our hearts, we have realized everything. First, it is talking about how we grow individually, being connected by an umbilical cord to the life of Jesus. If this were not the case, how would the people of this world be able to receive this same salvation? The Bible says, “One Lord, one baptism” (see Ephesians 4:5). We all received the same salvation. Salvation was accomplished it is just that the day on which we are saved is different for each individual. Being saved today does not mean that your sins were forgiven today. It is now that you have come to realize that God forgave all your sins through the blood of Jesus two thousand years ago. You may have been saved today, but this was not accomplished today; it was accomplished on the cross two thousand years ago. The difference lies in whether that umbilical cord was connected today or whether it will be connected tomorrow. The date on which we each receive salvation may be different for each one of us, but it is the same salvation.

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