One of the most mis-understood Doctrines of the Bible is "Salvation by Grace". So warped is the modern day teaching of "Grace" that it produces nothing less than dis-graceful specimens of Christianity. What Grace reveals in God's Bible as sin, worldliness, abominations and iniquity, the modern day pulpits [afraid to speak out against sin] hide under the "cloak" of Grace, making a disgrace out of Christianity. Isaiah said, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." This is what God by His "Grace" does - He reveals our lost condition and shows us the way to Salvation. Grace DOES NOT sweep sin under the carpet of compromising complacency. Even in the face of weakness in our flesh, by Grace we will acknowledge the rightness of God's Word.
If we have a realtionship with God, from the beginning to the end it's ALL based on GRACE {the unmerited favor of a Loving God). The great plan of Salvation finds it's roots in the GRACE of God. When man, because of his sin in the Garden of Eden, fell from favor with God, Divine Love projected Divine Grace and Grace provided the Promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15. It was Grace before the Law; Grace during the Law [because man [without the indwelling Holy Spirit] could not keep the Law]; and Grace after the Law. Grace gave the promise, Grace sent prophets and Messengers to keep us in line with the Word; and Grace sent our Messiah - Redeemer to pay the price for our sin and restore fellowship with the Father again. When expounding the "Way of Salvation" most people refer to Ephesians 2:8. They use this Scripture like they use many others - OUT OF CONTEXT. - leaving men and women with the impression that being "saved by Grace" consists of 'accepting Jesus as their Saviour, giving him "lip-service" once in a while, and continue living the same kind of lives they always lived. When in reality "Grace leads to a Salvation wherein Christ is LORD" of the individual's life (Luke 6:46); and the individual becomes a "new creation in Christ, with a new spiritual nature which seeks daily to please the Lord Jesus Christ, asking for a daily measure of Grace to stay in line with the Word." (2nd Corinthians 5:17). Let's consider ALL of what Ephesians 2:8 says: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Many quote only the first part of the verse: "By grace are ye save..."; but the full text says, "By Grace are ye save THROUGH faith". Therefore, Salvation is "BY Grace THROUGH faith" The channel through which Grace operates is "faith". Grace does nothing for us and can do nothing for us unless there is "faith" there to receive AND believe what Grace offers. Therefore God gives us the "faith" to receive the free gift of Salvation which Grace offers. We don't deserve it but God, through His unmerited favor offers it to us. Paul, in Hebrews 11:6 shows how important faith is in our relationship with God: "But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". On the Day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter 2, verses 37-38, we see "By GRACE through Faith" in action. God by His Grace had drawn all these people together to hear the preaching of the Word that would give them the Faith (revelation) of Salvation. Peter preached onto the people the Revelation of Jesus Christ, expounding unto them the things that God was doing in their day and what God had accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. And as always the preaching of the Word convicted the heart and conscience of the predestinated sons and daughters of God. The Bible says....., "Now when they heard [this], they were pricked [convicted] in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? That's the question we all need to find the answer to: "What shall we DO [to be saved]?" Let take note of Peter's answer: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you [Jews], and to your children [Jews], and to all that are afar off [Gentiles], [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call [Jews and Gentiles]." Peter was VERY SPECIFIC in his answer. He left no room for doubt or any more questions. Now, we see "FAITH" coming into play. By Grace [through faith] God reveals what He required of them and what He requires of us that we may enter into His Salvation - it is a "test" of the sincerity of our desire for Salvation - how far are we willing to go in our obedience to the Lord? Peter said: 1. Repent [acknowledge and be sorry) for their sin and unbelief. 2. Be Baptized (by immersion in water), in the NAME of Jesus Christ. 3. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost which makes us new creatures in Christ. Grace provides the instructions, but it is left to us to obey. By faith we repent, believing in our hearts that God hears and forgives. By faith we are baptized in water in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, testifying before witnesses that we believe in and identify with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. If God recognizes our faith to be genuine, from the heart, He takes the third step and gives us the Holy Ghost, sealing us into His Kingdom. Praise the Lord for His Grace toward us! Grace drew up the plan of Salvation; Grace provided a Saviour in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ; Grace produced the preaching of the Word to draw us unto Christ, convicting us of our need of that Saviour, and by Grace [through faith] it's revealed to us in the Word what we must do to "enter into" and become a partaker of the Salvation which Jesus Christ purchased for us with His own blood. In plain and simple language, GRACE is "unmerited favor or treatment". Being born in sin and shaped in iniquity (Psalms 51), walking and living contrary to the Word and nature of God, we didn't deserve Salvation. But God, by Grace provided a plan to save those who wanted and wants to be saved. Then Grace THROUGH Faith 'reveals' the plan to our hearts and believing it, we walk in obedience to what's revealed to us. Hebrews 10:29 tells us that some [taking God's Word lightly] are guilty of insulting the spirit of Grace. It's important that we respect ALL of God's Word for it is "the goodness (grace) of God leadeth thee to repentance". (Romans 2:4).