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Home›Topics›Grace›Historical Examples

Historical Examples — Grace

279 illustrations

All (2,804)⛪ LensLines™ (972)📖 Stories & Illustrations (643)🙏 Devotionals (425)🏛️ Historical Examples (279)⛪ Tradition Perspectives (266)💭 Theological Reflections (68)🔍 Biblical Insights (65)🎯 Application Points (64)🎬 Movie Analogies (10)🌍 Contemporary (6)🕊️ Prayers (4)📖 story (2)

Historical

The Penitent's Love Against Pharisaic Righteousness

The Pharisee observes her tears, her hair loosening, her lips touching Christ's feet—and concludes that Jesus cannot be a prophet, for He would have "known" her sinful nature and thrust her back.

Luke 7:41-43

Universal

transformation through grace

contrasting righteousness

Alexander Maclaren

249 words

Historical

The Birthday of Blessing: When Foundation Meets Promise

Brown termed "the birthday of blessing." The foundation of the temple prefigures the Church, of which each believer is a living stone.

Ezekiel 3:19UniversalGod's faithfulnessspiritual transformation

Joseph S. Exell

228 words

Historical

God's Benediction: The Overflow of His Life into Ours

When a friend visits, we do not merely exchange outward gifts; we desire the overflow of his life into our own.

2 Corinthians 10:14UniversalGod's generous presencespiritual nourishment through worship

Joseph S. Exell

237 words

Historical

Christ's Gospel Turns Always Toward Sin

A superficial glance at our Lord's mission suffices to show that His work was for the sinful.

Mark 2:17UniversalGod's mercy toward the guiltysin and redemption

Joseph S. Exell

233 words

Historical

Grace Versus Gifts: The Hierarchy of Christian Virtue

Both originate from God, yet they operate differently.

1 Corinthians 14:1Universalcharacter versus abilityspiritual maturity

Joseph S. Exell

233 words

Historical

Mercy Preferred to Sacrifice: God's Heart Over Ritual

Christ quoted Hosea 6:6 to challenge the Pharisees' misaligned devotion.

Matthew 9:13UniversalGod's characterheart over ritual

Joseph S. Exell

208 words

Historical

The Beginning: Gospel as God's Good News to Sinners

The gospel of Jesus Christ inaugurates what all Scripture converges toward and radiates from.

Mark 1:1UniversalThe gospel as divine proclamationJohn's prophetic witness

Joseph S. Exell

197 words

Historical

God's Reasoning Leads from Scarlet Sin to Snow-White Pardon

William Perkins observed that God's logic is inescapable: human arguments have exhausted themselves.

Isaiah 1:19Universaldivine mercy triumphing over judgmenttransformation through confession

Joseph S. Exell

236 words

Historical

Purity of Heart: The Vision of God's Glory

This blessedness demands our attention to what purity truly means.

Matthew 5:8Universalspiritual visiontransformation through grace

Joseph S. Exell

217 words

Historical

Exceeding Righteousness: The Christian's Inward Transformation

What distinguishes Christian righteousness from mere external morality?

Matthew 5:20Universalinward transformationcontrast with legalism

Joseph S. Exell

198 words

Historical

Heaven and Earth Unite: The Bridal of Salvation

The seer beholds earth spread open to heaven like a vast cornfield beneath hovering clouds—clouds heavy with *tsedaqah* (righteousness), Jehovah's faithfulness throughout this prophetic book.

Isaiah 45:8Universaldivine initiative and human responseredemption through grace

Joseph S. Exell

213 words

Historical

The Beautiful Gate: Access Without Restriction

According to Josephus, nine temple gates were overlaid with silver and gold, but one gate of Corinthian brass "far excelled those of gold or silver." This magnificent entrance, also known as Nicanor's Gate or the Shushan Gate, featured bas-relief lily...

Acts 3:2Universalaccessibility of God's gracecontrast between law and gospel

Joseph S. Exell

215 words

Historical

Wisdom's Feast: Christ's Universal Invitation to Nourishment

The Son of God, represented throughout Proverbs as *Wisdom* (Chokmah), extends this invitation universally: Elohim shows no partiality of persons.

Proverbs 9:5Universaldivine hospitalityuniversal invitation

Joseph S. Exell

211 words

Historical

Willows by the Waters: Rapid Growth in God's Provision

This tree appears five times in the Bible, always associated with rivers or watercourses—symbols of divine provision and life itself.

Isaiah 44:4Universaldivine provision sustaining growthspiritual flourishing through dependence on God

Joseph S. Exell

201 words

Historical

God's Comfort Exceeds All Earthly Remedies in Tribulation

There is no tribulation—in kind or degree—that Elohim cannot comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:4Universaldivine comfort in afflictionGod's fatherly care

Joseph S. Exell

232 words

Historical

God's Hidden Girding of Nations and Individuals

God's plan encompasses society comprehensively—threading millennia from earth's earliest dust to the emergence of new heavens and earth.

Isaiah 45:6Universaldivine providence hidden from human perceptionGod works through unwitting instruments

Joseph S. Exell

237 words

Historical

Justification by Faith Alone, Not by Works of Law

Justification means being brought into right relation with Elohim and all law-keeping beings.

Galatians 1:11Universaljustification by faith aloneinsufficiency of human works

Joseph S. Exell

241 words

Historical

Despising God's Goodness: The Judge Who Condemns Himself

This man holds his candle at the door to inspect his neighbors while leaving his own room dark.

Romans 1:4Universaldivine patience and human presumptionthe danger of spiritual complacency

Joseph S. Exell

232 words

Historical

Be Not Afraid, Only Believe: Christ's Word to the Trembling Seeker

Christ's command divides into two classes of hearers: those dangerously unconcerned about salvation, whom the deceiver convinces that Elohim is too merciful to judge them; and those awakened by conscience, whom Satan now persuades that grace has expired and sin...

Mark 5:86Universaldivine mercy exceeds human sinfaith as trust rather than feeling

Joseph S. Exell

220 words

Historical

Matthew at the Receipt of Custom: Grace Recognizes the Unworthy

Yet Christ's call came sovereignly, without miracle or earthly inducement—only the attraction of personal authority and divine grace.

Matthew 9:9Universaldivine sovereigntyradical conversion

Joseph S. Exell

214 words

Historical

Suffering Redirected: How Affliction Serves Others' Salvation

This reversal of suffering's apparent meaninglessness constitutes the heart of 2 Corinthians 1:6-11.

2 Corinthians 1:6-11Universalaffliction as redemptive purposeintercessory prayer awakened by witness

Joseph S. Exell

191 words

Historical

Judging in Charity: The Finger of Tender Forebearance

When the Macedonian emperor sat for his portrait, the painter faced a difficulty. A sword-wound had left a terrible scar across the monarch's right temple—a mark of battle and suffering. Yet the master craftsman possessed wisdom. He positioned the emperor...

Hebrews 5:9Universalpastoral carecharitable judgment

Joseph S. Exell

236 words

Historical

The Law of Increase: Grace Multiplied Through Faithful Use

The faithful soul accumulates boundless spiritual riches because it places no limits on its fidelity.

Mark 4:25Universalspiritual growth through faithful usemultiplication of grace

Joseph S. Exell

235 words

Historical

Superstitious Observance Versus Christian Liberty in Galatians

The apostle distinguishes between four categories of observance: natural (the sun and moon's course), civil (harvests and commerce), ecclesiastical (thanksgiving and humiliation), and superstitious (both Jewish legalism and heathen astrology).

Galatians 4:10UniversalChristian libertysuperstition versus faith

Joseph S. Exell

191 words

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