OVERCOMING GRACE (1)

TOPIC: OVERCOMING GRACE (1)
TEXT: PSALM 106:1-8
MEMORY VERSE: “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – 1 Peter 5:10

God’s unparalleled, redeeming grace is a vast topic in the Old and New Testament. Psalm 106 is a song that features a scathing rebuke of eight specific sins committed by Israel; yet it is surprising, transcending thought is that God’s grace overcomes sin and overwhelms those who understand it. Nothing in this world compares to grace. The God who was asked to redeem Israel is adept at forgiveness, reclamation, and dealing with guilt. Israel, often steeped in sin, seems to have been a difficult candidate for character recovery. Only the God of all grace could meet the needs exhibited by such a rebellious nation. The writer of Psalm 106 presented one of the brightest and most hopeful pictures of God’s enduring mercy in the fewest number of words. Interlaced in the litany of Israel’s failures in this text are several attributes of God’s saving nature. In the light of what the psalmist was praying here, how should we view God’s grace?

First, we must see His grace as overarching. If permitted, His grace can overcome any sin. The list of sins given in the psalm would be difficult to exceed; distrust, idolatry, immorality, impatience, child sacrifice, and rebellion are included. How sordid, disgusting, and revealing the enumeration is! Can God forgive such sins? Yes – and if He could forgive these, then He can work wonders in the life of any penitent sinner who comes to Him.

Second, it is essential that we see His grace as conditional. It is strong enough for any difficulty; however, for His grace to overcome our failures, it must always be coupled with repentance. God cannot save us without our cooperation. Salvation is “by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8,9). When the nation of Israel saw their need, when they cried to God for mercy, “He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His loving-kindness” (Psalm 106:45). When God’s people went into sin, they fell from His grace and found themselves under His strong hand of judgment. When they returned to Him in penitence and obedience, He extended to them His tender hand of forgiveness and fellowship. We read, “many times He would deliver them; they, however, were rebellious in their counsel, and so sank down in their iniquity.” As we rejoice over the “many times,” we cannot forget the “however.” We must never take for granted the Lord’s grace and fall back into sin.

Word Affirmation: "For thou [art] the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted." - Psalms 89:17 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“God cannot save us without our cooperation.”

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