Subject One Hundred Fifty-four

GRACE REIGNS THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS

Scripture: Rom. 5:17, 21

1. The meaning of grace
   1. Grace is not only the way God treats man or something God gives man, but grace is a living person with a personality.
   2. Apparently, grace is God’s doing and something given by God; in reality, grace is just God Himself and God’s life.
2. The power of grace
   1. Grace not only causes man to receive God’s forgiveness, justification, and acceptance, but grace is also a source of power in man.
   2. Because grace is God and the life of God, the power of grace is the power of God.
3. Grace reigns through righteousness
   1. Although God wants to give grace to man, because there is sin in man, the righteousness of God has to come and judge man’s sins. Consequently, the grace of God cannot be bestowed upon him. God—on the other hand—according to His righteousness, sent the Lord Jesus to accomplish redemption for man, and so fulfilled the requirements of His righteousness. Hence, God is able to bestow His grace upon man because of His righteousness, according to His righteousness, and through His righteousness.
   2. Today God gives grace to men. In doing so, not only is God not involved in unrighteousness, but even the more, in this is His righteousness manifested. So today, through this righteousness of God, His grace can exert its power upon man. This is grace reigning through righteousness.
4. The result of the reigning of grace
   1. Grace not only enables man to be forgiven and delivered from sin, but also gives man eternal life.
   2. Grace not only gives life to man, but also causes man to reign in life. Here there are two reignings. On the one hand, grace reigns that we might receive life; on the other hand, having received life, we can reign in this life.
5. How to get grace
   Develop this point.