“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“This verse sets forth the wondrous and mighty grace of God dispensed to His elect in effectually calling them, in preserving them from temptation and sin, in strengthening and enabling them to perseverance unto the end, and – not withstanding all the opposition of the flesh, the world, and the devil – bring them at last securely unto eternal glory; for as Romans 8:30 declares, “Whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
“When Paul was under temptation a messenger (or angel) from Satan being sent to buffet him, what was it that God did immediately set before him for relief? This: “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9) – the grace of God’s heart toward him and the grace working in his own heart, both to assist him effectually.”
“But there is something yet more precious here in 1 Peter 5:10 “the God of all grace,” which has reference first to the exceeding riches of grace that are in His nature, then to the benevolent designs which He has toward His own, and then to His gracious dealings with them. The grace in His nature is the fountain, the grace of His purpose or counsels is the wellhead, and the grace of His dispensations or dealings with us are the streams.”
“God is an all-gracious God in Himself, even as He is the Almighty, which is an essential attribute. There is a limitless ocean of grace in Himself to feed all streams in which His purposes and designs of grace are to issue forth. Our consolation from hence is, that all the grace which is in the nature of God is in the promise of His being “the God of all grace” to His church declared to be so engaged as to afford supplies to them, yea, to the utmost expenditure of these riches as their needs require.”
“For God to be the God of all grace unto His people is for Him to resolve to love them, and that forever; to be unchanging in His love and never to have his heart taken off them.”
“Now since there is a fullness, an ocean, all dispensatory grace to be given forth by God, what necessity follows? This, first, that there is no temptation that doth or can befall a saint that is under dominion of free grace, but God hath a grace prepared to be applied when His hour arrives. It clearly implies that God hath a grace fitted and suited as every need and occasion should arise. There is no sore in the heart but he hath a plaster ready for it, to be laid thereon in due season.”
“As God hath grace for all the manifold needs of His people, so He is the God of all grace in giving forth help as their occasions require, for such is the season for grace to be displayed. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).”
“God has in Himself sufficient grace to meet all the varied needs of His people, and actually does so. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The greatest and acutest need of the Christian springs out of his indwelling sin, yet ample provision is made here, too, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).”
“The superabounding of divine grace is gloriously displayed when God effectually calls His people. First, God then shows Himself to be the God of all grace in the pardon He bestows. Consider what an incalculable debt of sinning we have incurred! From the earliest infancy the carnal mind is enmity against God: “the wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking likes” (Psalms 58:3). Every thought from the first dawning of reason has been only evil continually. Our sins were more in number than the hairs of our head. Suppose, Christian reader, thou hadst lived for twenty or thirty years before God effectually called thee: during all that time thou hadst done no good – not a single act acceptable to the thrice holy God; instead, all thy ways were abominable to Him. Nor hadst thou any concern about God’s being so grievously dishonored, nor the fearfulness of thy estate. And then lo! – wonder of wonders- by one act, in a single moment, God blotted out all thy sins: “having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).”
“Second, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in bestowing on thee a righteousness which met every requirement of His holy Law: a perfect righteousness, even the righteousness of Christ, which contained in it all obedience. That infinitely meritorious righteousness was imputed to thy account wholly and at once: not piecemeal a bit at a time, but in one entire gift. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).
“Third, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in sanctifying thee. This includes first and foremost the bestowment of the Holy Spirit, who takes up His residence in the heart, so that thy body is the temple of God, whereby, thou art set apart and consecrated to Him. In consequence of this, mortifying grace was bestowed, so that every lust then received is death-wound: “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). Quickening grace was also imparted, whereby, the spirit is enabled to resist the flesh: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).”
“These inestimable blessings were the pledges and earnests of the preservation, for “He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). It is in no wise a question of thy worthiness, but solely a matter of divine grace: “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).”~ A.W. Pink
