The Purpose of Grace

Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:4b-5... "...Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

In Paul's introduction to the book of Romans, he gives a long systematic argument to lay a basis for the purpose of grace. He first starts with himself as the author and explains how he is 1) a servant of Christ, 2) called to apostleship, and 3) set apart to the Gospel. He then explains how the Gospel is 1) promised beforehand, 2) all about Christ. He then explains how Christ is 1) the son of man, 2) the Son of God, 3) our Lord, and 4) the giver of Grace. And lastly, he explains what the purpose of grace is.

But what is the purpose of grace? Why has God given us grace? Why has God saved us? After giving rich doctrine about the Gospel and Christ, Pauls explains that the purpose of grace is "to bring about the obedience of faith" for "all the nations, including you [the Church in Rome]." The purpose of God's grace is to bring obedience. He did not bring grace so that we could go on sinning (Romans 6), but rather so that we could stop sinning in order to be obedient to him. This obedience is both for "all the nations" as we proclaim the Gospel of Grace to the world in order to fulfill the Great Commission, but also for us! For the proclamation of the Gospel in calling people to obedience will only be hypocritical and uneffective if we are not obedient to the Gospel ourselves.

The purpose that God has saved us is so that we may obedient to him, as well as call others to obedience to him. The purpose of grace is obedience.