God's grace in salvation

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works
lest any man should boast"(Eph. 2:8,9).
"A sinner saved by grace through faith"
At this particular time I would like to share how I was saved by grace through faith.I happened to be stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. I had joined the Marine Corps three months after I graduated from high school.

Before this time perhaps I should tell a little something about my earlier life. I had some wonderful parents. My mother who was religious at the time but not saved (later on she got saved). Any way I had great parents who took us to S.S. and church every Sunday.My mother would teach me to say the Lord's prayer and make sure I said my prayers at night. She also read from the best Bible story book in the world (anyway I thought so). It had a lot of good pictures along with the Bible story. (I recommend parents to read the Bible stories to their children with the pictures). Anyway this was a great help in understanding the plan of salvation in my future.

Then another big help in coming to know the Lord was my wonderful wife. When we started dating I was not saved which was not a good idea (she being saved and me not). But I could tell their was something different about her. She would be reading her New Testament at school in her spare time. This did have a big influence on me. Anyway these were some of the people leading up to my conversion.

Then going back to the Marines I happened to meet two Christian Marines, one from Penn. and one from Peoria,Ill. who asked me to go to church with them. I started to go to about every service they had. On one Saturday night they were holding a special service and a Bob Jones University student was preaching there that night and I felt the need to go forward at the invitation, but was a little afraid. There were several Marines that did. Any way I talked to the speaker afterwards and he went through the Romans road with me, realizing I was a sinner by showing me Rm. 3:23 and realizing Christ died for my sin Rm. 5:8. I was shown Rm. 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved." This verse really opened my eyes of understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit. I then received Christ into my heart. This was the greatest decision I ever made. I cannot Praise Him enough for saving my soul.

The Doctrine of Grace

This is one of the greatest doctrines in the Bible to study! None could be wider,none could reach higher, none could go deeper than the infinite Grace of God.

Some great preachers have given various definitions to this subject which are quite interesting to read: For instance C.I. Scofield says, "Grace means unmerited, unrecompensed favor of God." John Calvin said, "Grace is the pure liberality of God." Dr. R.E. Neighbor said, "Grace is the immeasurable and the unmerited favor of God."

Truly it is immeasurable, one cannot even begin to comprehend it. Only when we get to heaven will we really begin to understand it. Charles Spurgeon said, "Grace is something in God which is at the heart of all His redeeming activities, it is God reaching down to touch and grasp our insignificance and poverty."

This is just a few comments I read on the subject and later on maybe I can go into it a little farther. Some of my comments are from other commentaries I have read along with some of the sermons I have been blessed with.

Verse of the month

Joshua 1:8,9 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."