… the more I learn about God’s grace and its purpose, the less I’m living in the ups-and-downs of trying to earn God’s favor and more in the steadfast love of Jesus.
Grace is a beautiful word. It is given as a name for baby girls, it is printed on t-shirts with catchy sayings, and it is mentioned in the Bible well over one hundred times. But it’s also been a misunderstood word - especially within the Body of Christ.
Some are hesitant to even mention the word “grace,” for fear it will give people more license to sin. Others talk about it flippantly, not stopping to realize the incomparable gift it is. Truly, we may never comprehend the richness of God’s grace through His Son, Jesus, but we can seek to understand it better in order to live better.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to grasp the meaning of God’s grace in which we are called to live? No more earthly pursuits of shallow happiness. No more trying to earn God’s favor just to fail again. But instead, we can believe what the Scriptures say about grace and receive what God intended for it to be.
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)
If you’ve misunderstood grace and need a fresh reminder of its God-given power, I pray this post will be a great encouragement to you today. Perhaps, it will lead all of us to be less concerned about debating it and start living in the freedom it provides.
Grace Is a Gift
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Most Christians have memorized the line that they are saved by grace through faith - and rightfully so! But many of those same brothers and sisters in Christ feel the need to revert back to the old way of doing things, trying to obey all of God’s commandments in order to be justified and accepted by Him.
Personally, I’ve struggled with the false belief that God is only accepting of me as long as I do everything right. Imagine the roller-coaster ride that has been! However, the more I learn about God’s grace and its purpose, the less I’m living in the ups-and-downs of trying to earn God’s favor and more in the steadfast love of Jesus.
Ephesians 2 gives us a clear and beautiful picture of the mighty work of God’s grace.
It says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
What a relief it is for us to understand that it isn’t our love for God that provides grace, but it’s His love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! And it is only by His lavish gift of grace that we are saved from sin and death.
Receiving the gift of grace, like a beautifully wrapped package just waiting to be opened, reminds us of our good, good Father who is generous though we are undeserving. What a joy to accept this precious gift, open it, and share it with those around us.
God’s grace, in the form of Jesus Christ, is the greatest gift we’ll ever receive, and it’s a gift that never grows old and never wears out. His mercies are new every morning, and we are invited to meet with Him to receive a fresh dose of grace each and every day.
It Is Sufficient
There’s much debate on what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” really was, either a physical ailment or mental torment (or both), but what isn’t debatable is the sufficiency of God’s grace to provide exactly what is needed in our weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” What assurance for Paul and for us as we navigate this life despite our many weaknesses.
-Addictions begin to lose their grip when the power of God’s grace fills the empty void.
-Grief is covered with the blanket of God’s comfort as He leads us with grace and peace.
-Anxiety and depression aren’t able to pull us under when God’s grace upholds us like a life raft amidst the roaring waves.
In her song, “The Word,” Sara Groves offers these comforting lyrics: “We are pressed but not crushed, perplexed but don't despair. We are persecuted but not abandoned. We are no longer slaves, we are daughters and sons, and when we are weak we are very strong.”
Every weakness we experience in this life is strengthened by the sufficiency of God’s grace. And the word sufficiency means “enough.” The sooner we understand that Jesus’ finished work on the cross is enough for every single issue we face, the sooner we’ll step into the light of His grace and live in the strength He provides.
It Can Be Found
Anytime I get confused about God’s grace, or start to have a legalistic view of it, I’m reminded of Hebrews 4:15-16, which says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
The empathy of Jesus towards our temptations is an extraordinary picture of His love and grace. Instead of pointing a finger or speaking words of condemnation, Jesus empathizes with our weaknesses and invites us to the throne of God’s grace. With confidence in His sinless life and His deep compassion for us, we approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. I don’t know about you, but this fills me with great joy and hope!
Grace is found every time we seek the Lord and His righteousness. And Jesus is the righteousness we seek. There are no heavy-handed rules to follow - there is only a Good Shepherd who leads us to the quiet pastures of His grace and mercy, teaching us His ways and leading us to follow Him.
It Shines through Us
When I have passed from this life to the next, I want to be remembered as someone full of the Savior’s love and a shining example of God’s grace. My deepest desire is for my loved ones to see the miraculous grace that saved me and know it is powerful to save them as well.
I’ve come to learn that many Christians downplay the grace of God in favor of returning to the letter of the law. Often, with a desire to be holy, they mistakenly believe that they can obey enough to be accepted and approved of by God. However, the Bible is clear when it says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:20-21)
Paul’s statement, “I do not set aside the grace of God,” is a strong reminder for us to hold fast to the limitless grace of God that propels us forward in life, displaying the light of Jesus. Because of His grace, we are so humbly grateful and want to return to seeking righteousness through the law.
The beautiful truth about grace is that it draws us back to Jesus every single time. “For from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16). In our emptiness, Jesus came to fill us with His righteousness and peace. We are filled to the full by His grace and glory, and no amount of self-effort can add to His finished work.
Misunderstanding grace is a common problem in the church today, but the good news is we can ask God for the wisdom to understand. And as we commune with Him, turning our eyes to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we can receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
Photo Credit: GettyImages/Mimai Mig
