Frapping in the Storm

This past week we discussed the sovereign, sustaining grace of God. We defined grace as an undeserved gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 showed us that grace saves.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

However, if grace's purpose is to save (through faith), do we, as born again believers, need grace today? Why or why not?

We clarified the issue with Romans 6:14 which informs us that we are indeed under grace today.

"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law, but [are] under grace."

Paul assures believers that sin has no mastery over us. Why? Because we are not under the burden of being perfect under the law, but are under the free gift of grace. Instead of having to be perfect according to the law, we are justified as a result of God's free, sovereign grace toward us through faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross. Note Paul did not say "you were not under law," but used the present "you are not under law, but under grace." This statement was true when it was first penned, and it is true today. Believers are under grace this very moment.

So if we are always under grace, what's its purpose?

One of the verses we looked at to answer this question was 1 Corinthians 15:10.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain [or empty]. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them [the other Apostles], though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10

Grace does not connotate passivity! Paul is making that clear with this passage. He states that God's grace did not come to him in vain, it was not empty, it did not come without effect. Rather, it caused and empowered him to work hard in his ministry. God's grace actively changes us and empowers us. The Gospel never grows old; we never out-grow our need for it.

Finally, we looked at Hebrews 4:16.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Why are we told to confidently draw near? The answer: Jesus Christ, our high priest and sufficient sacrifice. The book of Hebrews was written primarily to a Jewish audience. With this context in mind, this passage will perhaps become clearer. In the Jewish culture, the people worshipped and sacrificed at the tabernacle. The following is a basic layout of the tabernacle:

Upon entering through the gates, a worshipper would bring his offering to the bronze alter and slaughter it. The priests would wash themselves and the animal sacrifices clean with water from the laver. Blood from the animal sacrifice would be taken into the Holy Place to be sprinkled. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would offer a sin offering for himself and on behalf of Israel. This was a significant day because it called for the high priest to enter beyond the Holy Place, through the veil, and into the Holy of Holies (or Most Holy Place). It was in the Holy of Holies that the Ark of the Covenant was placed. Above the Mercy Seat and between the Cherubim, the Shekinah glory of God was present. Yahweh made His presence manifest in the this place for His people.

But how does this tie into Hebrews 4:16? We are told to confidently draw near to the throne of grace. The throne of grace is symbolized by the Mercy Seat atop the Ark of the Covenant. Drawing near to the throne of grace would sound absurd to someone from a Jewish background; no man aside from the high priest could do that! The veil was a symbol of separation between man and God. However, when Christ yielded His spirit on the cross, this veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:50-51). The sacrifice of bulls and goats was never sufficient to atone for sins forever, but the sacrifice of the Son of God is sufficient. The barrier separating man and God was removed by the fully sufficient atoning death of Jesus Christ. Not only does Christ serve as the sin sacrifice for those who believe in Him, but He also acts as the High Priest, making way to the Holy of Holies. It is because of this, Christians can confidently draw near to the throne of grace.

One last interesting point to make is the word help. We are told to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. At first, this seemed rather straight-forward. Mercy and grace sustain us and allow us to endure trials, temptations, and hardships. However, looking deeper at this word help brought something else to light. The original greek word for help is boētheia. This word means to "help; succour," but additional insight can be gained from looking at other passages including this word. Boētheia is also used in Acts 27:17. Paul was sailing while a great storm arose. The sailors were trying to boētheia to undergird the ship. That is, they were trying to secure the ship. Literally, it means "to frap [secure by lashing]."

So imagine yourself in a boat by the coast. Suddenly, the winds pick up, and waves begin to crash over your boat. As the storm becomes increasingly harsh, the waves crash harder and harder against you. Your boat nearly capsizes, the waves have turned your boat around several times so you've become disoriented, and you've been pushed so far into the deep waters you can no longer see land. Isn't that how life sometimes feels? We feel like we've been victimized by life's cruel circumstances. We feel helpless. Hardships have rocked us and nearly sunk us in despair. We've become so unsure of things we don't know what to do or where to go; it seems as if we're all alone. Yet God is there. For those who have trusted Christ for salvation, mercy and grace are available in these tempests. Instead of being beaten by the waves and taken away to isolation in the deep, the grace of God secures us in place. A rope has been tied to our boat to secure us so we do not drift away in the storm. We are helpless on our own, but the grace of God keeps us from sinking or wandering away. His grace does not promise that the storms will not come, only that He sovereignly keeps us through them.