Overview:
No study on grace is complete without addressing grace’s importance in the home, especially between marriage partners. We have spent considerable time examining God’s grace in His offering salvation to those who are lost, spiritually dead, and unable to do anything to earn divine acceptance. We’ve called that “vertical grace.” We have also searched Scripture for insight in the realm of “horizontal grace,” our attitude toward and treatment of one another.
But we have not specifically considered the essential value of grace in the husband-wife relationship. As we shall see in this lesson, grace is the oil that decreases domestic friction, the one ingredient that prompts us to release our partners to be all God would have them be, all the while affirming one another in an atmosphere of unconditional love.
Message Summary:
There is no way to separate the idea of giving from the concept of grace. In this inspiring message from The Grace Awakening series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll turns to 2 Corinthians to reveal the “essence of grace” in action. While we have already established “vertical grace”—God giving to us what we could never earn—this teaching focuses on “horizontal grace,” where that divine generosity flows from our hands to the hearts of others.
This overview explores the contagious and “charming” nature of a generous spirit. Pastor Chuck emphasizes that grace-based giving is not motivated by reciprocation or duty, but by a heart that has been truly awakened to the lavish love of God. When we give as we have received, our generosity becomes a powerful witness to the world of the transformational power of Christ.
Message Key Facts:
- Series Title: The Grace Awakening
- Message Number: 14
- Speaker: Pastor Chuck Swindoll
- Central Theme: Discovering the freedom and delight of generosity when it is fueled by grace rather than obligation.
- Core Principles:
- Giving as the Essence of Grace: Just as God does not “charge” for His grace, our giving should be a free-will expression of love.
- Vertical to Horizontal: Our horizontal generosity toward others is the natural result of receiving vertical grace from God.
- The Motivation of Love: We love and give because He first loved and gave to us, even when we were unlovely.
- The Charm of Generosity: How a grace-filled giver becomes a refreshing model of servanthood in a selfish world.
Message References:
- Primary Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:1–9; 9:3–8, 13–15
- Supporting Contexts:
- Matthew 10:8: The foundational mandate of grace: “Freely you received, freely give.”
- Proverbs 11:25: The principle that a generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
- 1 John 3:17: The practical challenge to let the love of God abide in us by responding to the needs of our brothers and sisters.
