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by Samuel E. Ward
Part 3
Introduction
In our present series of "Christ as the Wonderful Counselor", we have been listing all the invitations that Jesus has given expressly in Scripture or implicitly contained in other scripture in regard to His desire to be our Wonderful Counselor. So far these have been considered:
I. Come Unto Me, Mat 11:28-30
II. I Am Here for You, Mat 28:20
III. I Will Always Tell You the Truth, Mat 22:16
IV. I Really Want the Best for You, John 15:9-11
V. I Know What Is Best for You, John 10:9-10
VI. Listen to Me!, Luke 11:27-28
The next invitation the Lord might extend to us as a means to have us come to Him for counsel is . . .
VII. I Will Be Gracious Toward You, John 1:14-16
A. The Central Theme of the Wonderful Counselor's Gospel Is Grace
1. It is a message of grace.
God has dealt kindly with man by offering salvation through Christ and proven His message and messengers through miracles, signs, and wonders.
(Acts 14:3 NIV) So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Paul considered the task of testifying to the gospel message a goal worthy of investing his whole life.
(Acts 20:24 NIV) However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
2. It apportions to each of us gifts of grace to minister to and with others.
The ministry of exercising grace to others in whatever form/s we have been gifted is granted to every believer without exception.
(Eph 4:7 NIV) But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
3. It is a source of eternal encouragement and good hope.
(2 Th 2:16-17 NIV) May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, {17} encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
4. It is not to be abused or profaned by being made into an excuse to live immorally.
(Jude 1:4 NIV) For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
In fact, to do so is to place one's self under the law of "sowing and reaping" which yields fruit according to the nature of its sinful or righteous acts.
(Gal 6:7-8 NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. {8} The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
B. A Fundamental Trait of the Wonderful Counselor Is Graciousness
1. He enjoyed the grace of His Heavenly Father
(Luke 2:40 NIV) And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
2. He demonstrated His own graciousness at an early age.
(Luke 4:22 NIV) All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
3. He manifested and ministered grace toward all who would receive it.
(John 1:14-16 NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. {15} John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" {16} From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
C. The Objectives of His Gracious Counsel
Remember that God is not obligated to do any of these things, but does so out of His love for us in spite of our natural resistance to His will.
(Rom 5:8-10 NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! {10} For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
The Wonderful Counselor offers His gracious counsel:
1. To save us from the consequences of our sinfulness
(Acts 15:11 NIV) No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
2. To equip us to do good
(2 Cor 9:8 NIV) And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
3. To perfect His power in us through our weaknesses
(2 Cor 12:9 NIV) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
As someone has said, "God doesn't waste anything."
(Rom 8:28 NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
4. To glorify Himself and us in Him
(2 Th 1:12 NIV) We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. To give us all grace can provide
(Rom 8:32 NIV) He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
6. To give us hope in His coming rather than fear of alienation.
(Gal 5:4-5 NIV) You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. {5} But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.
Obeying the counsel of God according to the Law is motivated by the negative consequences of disobedience ,i.e., "Have I done enough to merit His favor?" Obedience according to grace is the response of a thankful heart for the love that motivated the offer of grace. "What is the best way to respond to this favor to show my love?"
7. To live and speak graciously in our witness to others.
(Col 4:6 NIV) Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
D. The Gracious Commands of the Wonderful Counselor
1. To say "No" to ungodliness and live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives
(Titus 2:11-13 NIV) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. {12} It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, {13} while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
2. To use our gifts to serve and minister grace to others on God's behalf
(1 Pet 4:10 NIV) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
3. To grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
(2 Pet 3:18 NIV) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
4. To confidently approach the throne of grace for mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
(Heb 4:16 NIV) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
E. The Ultimate Purpose of God's Grace
The ultimate purpose of God in extending grace to us is so that He can display it in all its incalculable and matchless expressions of Christ's kindnesses to us in eternity.
(Eph 2:6-7 NIV) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
F. The Last Benediction in God's Word Is a Gracious One
(Rev 22:21 NIV) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
The last desire of Scripture for God's people is that they might continue to experience the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
We should not be surprised that the our Wonderful Counselor is a gracious Counselor. It corresponds to God's invitation to seek Him out for wisdom concerning things we are unsure about without fear of reprimand or rebuke.
(James 1:5 NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
As with so many things we need but do not have, it is because we do not ask God. This is true as well with good counsel. Remember this gracious truth from God through Paul in the book of Romans.
