The young preacher dragged his message out for an hour—lengthy even for a seasoned teacher. He read scripture after scripture from Genesis to Revelation with an occasional comment and a quote thrown in by some noted theologian. By his conclusion, I had already arrived at another conclusion, he didn’t have an inkling of understanding about his topic—Grace. Through the years, I’ve realized that many Christians are like the young preacher; neither do they have a grasp of grace beyond the simple basics. They may be able to define it as the unmerited favor of God in relation to salvation and quote scriptures about it; yet have never understood and embraced the fullness of its meaning in daily life.
I read the story of a poor European family sailing to America for a new life. They had saved for years to buy their tickets. With little money left, they packed enough cheese and bread to keep them alive on their journey. Several days after their departure, the son begged his father for a few cents to buy an ice cream cone. Understanding how his son must have felt, he gave him his last nickel. After a long time, the son returned with a big smile. The worried father asked, “Where have you been?” His son replied, “In the galley, eating three ice-cream cones and a steak dinner! They told me when I tried paying for my ice cream with the nickel that the food was free. It was included in the ticket price.” That illustrates how believers may limit God’s grace. They think it is merely the ticket for salvation, but have never realized all the future benefits grace includes.
We can trace the word for grace back to 400 B.C. It indicated something that brought joy and pleasure. Through the years, it evolved to mean a gift or favor for a friend or someone in need. But the giver always did the favor for a friend, never to an enemy. The writers of the New Testament advanced the word a step further in its meaning. They used it for the unmerited or undeserved favor of God even to His enemies. It applies to those who are under condemnation deserving nothing. Grace portrays God’s love in action. Today, the basic definition people know is that grace is the unmerited favor that God gives us for salvation through what Christ has done. Yet, grace is far more than this passive definition. We must be careful to look beyond the theological biases that can block people’s ability to understand the practical implications of God’s grace. Grace exceeds any abstract doctrine or a mere theological concept. We know it is God’s unmerited active operation in the heart of man for forgiveness of sin. Yet, it doesn’t end at that point. Then He gives grace for sanctification, which is the dynamic ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in cleansing our sin and empowering us to live a righteous life.
Salvation is more than just the experience of receiving Christ and forgiveness of our sin. Three aspects of salvation encompass life as a whole and grace is foundation in each process. For believers justification began the life long journey in grace when we received Christ and God declared us righteous in Christ. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8). Then we entered the continuing process of salvation that we call sanctification. Sanctifying grace is God empowering us through the Holy Spirit to say no to the temptations of our flesh and evils of this world. When we say, “I can’t”, God’s grace will give us the ability to serve Him and do what we otherwise could never do.
The final phase of salvation we call glorification. It is the culmination of sanctification. By His grace, justification removed the penalty of your sin. By His continuing grace, sanctification delivers us from the power of sin. By His grace, glorification will remove us from the presence of sin. It is the completion of salvation through the redemption of our body. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality (1Co 15:53). Even then, grace doesn’t end. Through all eternity God will unveil the rich glory of His infinite grace; so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:7).
We never outgrow the need for God’s behavior-changing, life transforming grace. Peter tells us we must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18). If we feel our problems are too great or we are too weak, God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed (2 Cor 9:8). God told Paul when he believed he was too weak “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).
God’s grace gives us more than bread and cheese for the journey. He has an endless buffet for all we need. Don’t get stuck on an abstract doctrine or a mere theological concept. Move beyond an inkling of understanding and embrace the fullness of its meaning in daily life.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Amazing grace! That saved a wretch like me! ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.