Do you understand and know what God's grace is today?
Grace: charis
a divine influence on the heart and its reflection upon our life, favor gift of grace
Our blog would be missing much if we did not cover the amazing gift of .... God's grace.
While no words can truly and fully explain all the depths of His gift of grace; it is important you know what it is and how it is applied to your life so you can live it out full for His glory and transfer that truth to others as well. Basically His grace means this: the favor of God on a persons life and even more so Gods grace has a influence upon how we live making it able for us to follow and obey Him.
It is that which we cannot earn or buy and it is God alone who can offer it to us via the gospel.
A good example is being born into a wealthy family. No son or daughter can EVER brag about such a thing as they had nothing to do with it at all. God's grace is like that for those who have repented, been born again and have new life in Christ today. We cannot ever boast about us as it is what God has done for us as a gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:9
Because we know that man fell into sin ( Adam and Eve in the garden / Genesis 3 ) God had to place His wrath and judgment on all of mankind. It was only through the Coming Messiah; Jesus Christ that man is then saved or redeemed through the blood sacrifice of Christ on the cross. He has paid that death penalty for ONLY those who will seek after Him and find His truth through the new spiritual birth ( being born again / John 3:3 )
When you think God's Grace, think of Christ and His death on the cross for the sins of mankind. That is Gods grace... period!
Sadly many today are walking around loving and claiming the grace of God but by their own fruits; they don't have a biblical understanding or perhaps even true new birth in their hearts/ways before God as they live un-regenerated still in their fallen flesh. This cannot ever please God. Let us remember this; His wonderful grace is not a license to now be lazy or sloppy about our personal sin killing and we cannot live in a disobedient carnal manner if we claim His name.
No, the Apostle Paul clearly tells us this in Romans 6:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
If you are truly His by this grace and new birth; you will hate sin and work to avoid ALL sin.
We are called to be His holy bride and so all sin and error must be removed from our lives to honor the One who Redeemed us. Not living according to what His Word teaches us fully and in ALL things is to be living in our flesh and the bible tells us in Romans 8:8
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Let us praise God for the gift of His grace placed upon those who are His own. Let us live in a fully obedient biblical manner that gives Him glory and honor because of that free gift He alone has bestowed upon His holy people.
I will place some verses on the grace of God so you can see how it is used in the Holy Word and then you can meditate on them fully:
Titus 3:7
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God
2 Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
2 Timothy 2:1
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men
Titus 3:7
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 1:13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God
Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are His faithful servant today; you thankfully walk in that grace and remember this: while we cannot earn any part of that gift God has freely given; we are called to obey His Word and follow Christ to the end as fruit we know him.
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Hebrews 5:9
If you are not His, repent and believe in Him for new life and see His grace work in your life today.
Luke 13:3 Jesus said "repent lest you all perish"