John 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ."
We probably never think about grace being granted to the entire world, but only to the believer. Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) though, says, "For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ's salvation through (your) faith. And this (salvation) is not of yourselves (of your own doing, it came not through your own striving) but it is the gift of God."
Grace has been granted and poured out on the entire world through the coming of Jesus. Why then, hasn't the whole world come to salvation? Because they haven't believed, by faith, in this grace. We've placed faith in what we heard about Jesus and salvation was the result of our faith. Even after being saved, faith is a very important part of our Christian walk. Romans 10:17 (Amplified) says, "So faith comes by hearing (what is told) and what is heard comes by the preaching (of the message that came from the lips) of Christ (the Messiah Himself)."
Even after we've received salvation by faith in God's grace, we have only believed (put faith in) certain portions of God's grace. 2Peter 1:2 (Amplified) says, "May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you (in the full personal and precise and correct) knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."
Grace has granted so much more to us than the simple assurance of heaven when we die. It has granted things to us while we live here on earth. We haven't put our faith into what grace has provided here for us and therefore, we don't partake of what is has provided. It's like the lost man not putting faith in what he's heard about salvation. Everything God has provided is produced from our ability to believe in what He has done.
There are so many questions plaguing today's Church that could be answered if we'd only put faith in God's grace for our lives. We still live in a fallen world and there are things occurring here that aren't God's will. I do not believe it's God's will for the world's children to die from starvation and disease. Nor do I believe it's God will that men should butcher one another and murder one another. I believe that it all comes back to us putting our faith in what God's grace has made available to us.
God's grace in John 3:16 (Amplified) says that, "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His Only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him, shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life." 1Timothy 2:3-4 (Amplified) says, "For such (praying) is good and right, and (it is) pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior Who wishes all men to be saved and (increasingly) to perceive and discern and know precisely and correctly the (divine) truth." God has provided salvation and grace to all mankind, without exception. There will still be those who will not believe or put faith in what God's done.
We, the Church, have done the same thing when it comes to His grace. We've been afraid to trust God concerning parts of His grace. And, because we've failed to put faith into these portions of God's grace, we haven't appropriated them into our lives, even though they are ours by His unmerited favor.
We know that we cannot be saved by our own good works and that salvation is given totally by God's grace. We continue feeling as though everything else that grace provides must be granted by our good works. We continue trying to be deserving of God's healing until we put faith in our actions rather than God's Word.
We're like the people referred to in Hebrews 4:1-2 (Amplified) which says, "Therefore, While the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered (today) let us be afraid (to distrust it) lest any of you should think that he has come too late and has come short of (reaching it)." Verse 2 says, "For indeed we have had the glad tidings (Gospel of God) proclaimed to us, just as truly as they 9the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them) but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it. Neither were they united in faith with the ones (Joshua and Caleb) who heard (and did believe)."
I don't know why we find it so difficult to believe that God is good. God is God. He can do what He wants and He want to be good to us. Our way of thinking has become that God can't really be so good because, after all, we don't really deserve His goodness. That's what grace is really about. We don't deserve and cannot do anything to be able to deserve it.
Like the people from long ago, we've been afraid to trust God's grace and goodness. Romans 2:4 (Amplified) says, "Or are you (so blind as to) trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant (of the fact) that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God's will)?" The King James Version says, "It is the goodness of God, that brings man to repentance (to change his mind about God)."
We've focused so intently on our own failures that we feel undeserving of God's goodness. We forget that it was His goodness that saved us when we were at our worst. Now that we have believed and placed our faith in His goodness to save us, is there anything His goodness won't overcome and do?
The Israelites in the wilderness had the same promise of His grace, but refused to accept it by faith. God brought them out of bondage with great wealth, healing and health. He dwelt with them in their camp. He led them with His presence. He warmed them with fire, shaded them with smoke and delivered them from their enemies, but they wouldn't enter into and rest in His goodness.
When Joshua and Caleb dared trust God for His goodness, they were shouted down and out voted by unbelievers in the camp. Do you recognize the greatest part of this story? Even though none would dare to believe, God didn't cease performing His will for those who did believe Him.
Although no other ones would believe God for His grace to heal, deliver of perform His goodness in their lives, God wasn't stopped from giving His grace. Nothing can stop Him from doing it for you, too, if you will only believe what He's said and done by His grace and His goodness. We can find testimonies throughout the world telling about God's healing power and His goodness. We choose to believe that grace is "special" for a few. It is something special God has done for those who aren't afraid to trust His goodness and grace.
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