The Truth About Grace
By Charles C. Cook

Chapter 1
—Grace Defined—

Everyone freely accepts the higher definition of Grace, as being “God’s love and favor to the undeserving,” but how many after accepting the definition think straight concerning it? Nearly all paths leading from this simple acknowledgment become tortuous and involved. Law, works, human excellence, and human efforts all tend to deflect reasoning, so that it is not long before all straight, logical lines are obliterated, or bent and twisted to the hopeless confusion of the subject. This confusion is connected with Grace not only in its initial stage of blessing, when it operates in salvation, but also all along the way of its relationship with the believer.

It is not so hard for men to believe that they are saved by Grace, as to believe that they are saved by Grace alone, and yet it is just this that is emphatically stated in the Word. Titus 3:6, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” Romans 11:6, “And if by grace then it is no more of works.” Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.” Now we know that a gift loses its character if anything is given back in payment by the recipient; therefore if the sinner, who has positively nothing that he can give in payment for salvation, receives it at all, it is a gift concerning his possession of which he will never be able to boast. Were it otherwise there would be discord in glory, for there the redeemed sing but one song, and that a song of praise to Him alone who saved them. Rev. 5:9, “And they sung a new song saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation.” From these considerations it is clearly to be seen that the sinner is saved by Grace alone.

“But was not Abraham justified by works when he offered Isaac in sacrifice?” asks one. “And is this not contradictory to the statement just made?” Well, if so, it contradicts the plain passage we have already quoted “not of works,” and that the Bible contradicts itself is unthinkable. For an understanding of James’ argument we need go no further than Jamieson, Fausset & Brown’s Commentary, which has the following conclusive note on James 2: 21, where Abraham is named as having been justified by works, “Evidentially and before men. The offering of Isaac at that time formed no part of the ground of his justification, for he was justified previously on his simply believing in the promise of spiritual heirs. He was then justified, but that justification was showed or manifested by his offering of Isaac forty years after. That work of faith demonstrated but did not contribute to his justification. The tree shows its life by its fruit, but it was alive before either fruit or even leaves appeared.” In corroboration of which there is James’ own statement 2:23, “Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” If it is proper to use James 2:21 against Eph. 2:8 (“for by grace are ye saved,”), it would also be proper to use against it Romans 8:24, where we read, “we are saved by hope,” though here too the context will show that there is no contradiction, but a reference to the final stage of our salvation; even that of the resurrection of the body, which is of necessity still future, and therefore covered by hope.

But taking for granted that our reasoning thus far is all-convincing, we meet a harder problem in seeking to give Grace its rightful place in Christian experience. That the Christian is ever the recipient of grace, ever sustained by grace, will be readily granted, but pressing in on all sides are human claims and conclusions that obscure the symmetry of grace, and mar its beauty.

Repeating again our definition, that Grace is God’s loving favor to the undeserving, we must conclude by the simplest logical deduction that those with whom grace is operative are always undeserving, for if they ever cease to be so and become deserving, then to call anything they receive grace would be a misnomer. Grace would be no more grace. Such persons would earn or purchase all their blessings by a fair exchange of superior goodness. This may harmonize with Romanism, with its teachings on penance, human merit, etc., etc., but surely when found among professed Bible Christians, only marks the distance they have departed from God’s way of Truth.

Does anyone say that our position implies the conclusion that believers being always undeserving, would also always be imperfect, and on that account always in dire need of grace? The answer is, Assuredly Yes, for certainly the perfect man would require no Grace. What could he do with it? What advantage would it be to him? Clearly none at all. But would not this be placing a premium upon imperfection, and encourage sin? By no means, sin and disobedience are always condemned, and the believer forever admonished to shun them, and to strive for perfection, but that he will ever cease sinning in some form while in the body, or that in the body he will ever be perfect, is denied on nearly every page of the Word. In seeking to controvert this position some may quote the admonitions, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,” Matt. 5:48, and “Be ye holy: for I am holy,” I Peter 1:16. In reply we would ask, How could God consistently set before us an imperfect example, or urge us to any effort short of the highest? We set a perfect copper-plate or steel engraved copy before our children in their writing exercises, not that we expect them to equal it, but as an incentive to their emulation. Furthermore, we would rejoin in all kindness to an objector, “Are you perfect, as the Father in heaven is perfect?” or “Are you holy as God is holy?” Surely no human being would dare answer in the affirmative, and no encouragement is given to any such profession in the Word. For while it is blessedly true that in his “standing”, every believer is perfect and holy by reason of the imputed righteousness of Christ, as we read in 2 Cor. 5: 21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,” yet as to his “state” the saintliest Christian may well accept for himself the many admonitions found in the Epistles which bid him to overcome his tendencies toward evil.

This dual truth is written large, for while “by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,” yet on the other hand we are told to leave the principles of the doctrines of Christ and to go on unto perfection.
It is certainly true that we are not to sin that Grace may abound. To such a proposal all will join with the Apostle in ejaculating “God forbid!” Yet it is just as certainly true that when we sin Grace does abound in forgiveness and restoration.

Whether we begin with the types and offerings, or end with the oft-repeated warnings, chidings and admonitions of the Epistles, the evidence is the same. The Trespass Offering tells its own story of ever recurring need, while constant admonitions in the New Testament to those who are even acknowledged saints, together with that all embracing promise, “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” leave no room for dispute. Christ is our High Priest, now offering his atonement in our behalf and interceding for us. When his High Priestly office ceases we will know that we then no longer require his mediation, and not before, but that will not be until we are caught up to meet him in the air, for it is written, “We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” John 3:2.

And it should also be stated in this connection, that the highest standard of Christian attainment is not that which designates transgressions as mere infirmities or weaknesses, as many “professors” are so prone to do, but rather is willing to call all shortcomings and sins by their true names, and is ever ready to judge self as unsparingly as does He in whose sight the heavens are not clean, and who cannot look upon sin with any allowance.

The “perfect” Christian must not look for Grace, for it is God’s love and favor to the undeserving—the needy, and by his own profession he has passed out of that category. And by the same token, he must be reminded that he is not now included in the intercessory work of the great High Priest, for his perfect life makes all such intercession needless. But will he be willing to cut himself off thus? The imperfect Christian is not troubled here; he may be, should be, and is, concerned about his failures, shortcomings and sins (if not, a striking interrogation point should be placed after his profession), but beyond his grief for failure, he consoles himself by reflecting upon the wondrous power of Divine grace, for it is this that supplements all his deficiencies. No matter how far short he falls of the mark, Grace makes it up; for Grace is God’s love and favor to the undeserving.

It is here that the strong contrast is seen between Law and Grace. Law knows nothing about making up deficiencies. This do and live! But the doing! ah, who is equal to that? For the slightest infraction or breach means the loss of all. James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” The Nazarite might keep his vow to the last hour of the time set apart, but should there then be even an unconscious, involuntary infraction, all his past devotion counted as naught—he must begin his observances all over.

How different from all this is the state of him who has been brought by the School-master—the Law—to Christ! He is now in the school of a gracious Teacher, who gives lessons of a higher order, but with a love so compelling and a grace so free, as to win his pupil to a loving effort. He teaches not with the rod but with tender looks and gentle manners that never show a lack of patience, or a spirit of vindictiveness. He never thrusts out a pupil be he ever so dull and stupid. Nor is this spirit at all inconsistent with the exercise of discipline, that proper attendant of the school and the family, as will be shown in another chapter.

But will not the attitude, that we are describing, on the part of the Teacher lead to presumption by the scholar? No, rather to gratitude! Remember it is only the child of God who enters the school of Grace, and, being a child of God, he has within him the Spirit of God as a witness, as it is written, “The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit,” and again, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.” The possession of this Spirit will lead him to love his teacher, while instead of condoning his sins, and making light of his shortcomings, he will deprecate them, grieve over them, and become more and more enamored of his gracious Instructor, whom he will strive more and more to emulate.

It is just here that men dishonor God by limiting the operations of Grace. They fail to remember that this is just what Grace is for, to supplement their failure, that it is ever God’s love and favor to the undeserving. They fail to reflect that if God saves a vile sinner by Grace, he will surely much more by Grace forgive, cherish, instruct, and guide His own child in spite of all shortcomings.

My children have often displeased me by disobedience and wrong doing, but as a father I have had to bear with them, and to seek ever to develop in them the higher principles of love and devotion. They are very imperfect, and have required the exercise of patience and wisdom in large measure, but this exercise has been a good investment, and the joy of reciprocal family love, and affectionate intercourse, and the evidences of progress have infinitely more than repaid for all outlays of paternal care. Whatever the offence they have ever been my children, and I have no choice but to supplement their deficiencies with a father’s grace. No day’s experience ever even suggested ordering them from the house out into the night, and locking the door against their return.

Does this teaching seem like thin ice that may crack and land him who essays to walk upon it into disaster? Nay, beloved, it is the enduring love and favor of a gracious God.

Grace Effective

I am not now what once I was,
Nor am I what I ought to be;
But what I am, I am by grace,
And when I see Him face to face,
I shall be like Him perfectly.
I once was dead and thought I lived:
But now I live, yet dead I am,
I live in Him with whom I died;
I, to the world, am crucified—
My life, my song, is Calvary’s Lamb.
—SELECTED.