Since I have been endeavoring to finish a book about GRACE, I thought I would share a few thoughts on the subject with you today.
It was several years ago, that my understanding of grace and it's work in my life became incredibly enriched. If you have followed my blog for any length of time then you have probably heard the story. I won't bore you with all the details, but you need to understand that this change came about as I looked into the original Greek word. What I discovered is that everything I understood about grace up to this point in my life had been so shallow. I had always heard that grace was God's "unmerited favor" in my life. The only problem with that definition is that it falls WAY SHORT of what grace really is. Grace, according to Thayer, is "the merciful kindness by which God, exercising His holy influence upon souls, turning them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of Christian virtues." Far from being unmerited (since it's not in the original definition), grace is the divine enablement of God in our lives. It's His strength, His love, His goodness, and His power at work in & through us. The more I realized that the Christian life was about Jesus living through me, it made a radical difference.
With all that being said, I have been amazed at the people out there that reject this kind of grace thinking/teaching. The majority of Christians that I know only understand grace as it relates to salvation. There is a lack of understanding about grace being something that we can grow in, grace teaching us about living lives that are separated unto God, and that it is the grace of God that empowers us to live for God in the first place. While there is a part of me that would love to give you a full explanation as to why people would even want to reject this message, I simply want to say a few words: Grace is either sufficient or it is insufficient.
Grace is either sufficient to cover me or it is insufficient.
Grace is either sufficient to enable me or it is insufficient.
Grace is either sufficient to save or it is insufficient.
There is no either/or in this equation. Paul makes it very clear that His grace is sufficient and when we are weak it is EVEN MORE sufficient.
Paul also tells us in his letter to the church of Galatia that his gospel of grace was not a man's gospel. He didn't get it from man, it is not according to man, but it is a message that he received through revelation. Anything that is man based seems to appeal to the flesh. Even religion can appeal to the flesh. We feel good about performing certain acts. It builds up our ego to know that we have accomplished something. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He accomplished it ALL and that His grace is sufficient for ALL.
What does this mean for your life? It means that you have been enabled to live in relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It means that you are the beneficiary of a covenant that was established between the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. It means that everything you have in this relationship with God is because of Jesus. That's what grace is all about & it is sufficient.
May your life be forever changed as well. May you glory in the overwhelming goodness of God. May you be empowered as the overcomer that the Bible declares you are in Christ. Enjoy the journey!!!
