The Precious Gift of God's Grace

 “He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

Titus 3:5-7, NLT

Have you ever been given an unexpected gift from someone? Perhaps you didn’t even know what to do with it? I had some moments like that when I was pregnant with my first child. Even people I didn’t know and extended relatives sent me gifts. The fact that they went through the trouble of giving it to me made me feel appreciative, but I still felt bad not knowing what I should do with it. I think sometimes we can feel that way about God’s gift of grace. We’ve heard about “God-given grace” but we don’t really know what it is or what we should do with it.

Grace is an unmerited favor or blessings given to us even though we did not deserve it. Romans chapter 3 tells us that, because of sin, we all “fall short of God’s glorious standard”. Thankfully, God did not leave it that way. He made a way for us through his son Jesus. Romans 5:21 NLT says “So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The gift of grace is the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Once we do that and start having a relationship with him it becomes the “gift that keeps on giving” throughout our spiritual walk. It is a gift offered to ALL people (Titus 2:11). So once we accept the gift, then what?

Thank Him

“So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave us our sins.”

Ephesians 1:6-7, NLT

Do you remember when you were a kid and you got a birthday or Christmas gift? You would rip into the gift and be so excited about it that you immediately started playing with it, but then your parents would stop you and make you say “Thank you” because it is always a good thing to remember the person who, in their kindness, gave you that gift. The gift of grace we have received from God is the same way. We need to continuously remind ourselves who gave that gift to us and that it was not something we got on our own. This gift of grace has wiped away our sins. It gives us a clean slate every day providing us forgiveness because God sees us as more than the mistakes we have made. So we should always remember to give God the praise and glory for His gracious gift given to us.

Walk in Grace

“For God saved us and called us to a holy life. He did this, not because we deserve it, but because this was his plan from before the beginning of time---to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 1:9, NLT

I remember the day that I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I was a pre-teen who had a new intrigue with everything I had seen since I was a child growing up in church. As I watched my Mom walk through a study on how to share Christianity with others, I began to truly understand the heart of our faith and the significance of Christ’s sacrifice. However, after I had accepted this gift it took years for me to truly understand the gift that I was given and how it could impact my everyday life. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are called to live a life in response to our salvation. We accept the gift of God’s grace allowing it to change us and help us live more like Christ. Our new relationship with Jesus helps provide freedom from our sinful nature. Romans 6:14 NLT says “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead you live under the freedom of God’s grace”. This freedom from our sin gives us a chance instead to lean into the peace, wisdom and hope that God has to offer us. As we pursue a relationship with Him and follow His will for our life He provides us all that we need and so much more than we could imagine.

Share Grace with Others

“By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.”

Ephesians 3:7, NLT

In His grace, God provides us with blessings as we walk in His will for our lives. Those who walk in God’s grace are called to share that grace with others. And there are two ways we are called to do that. First, we are to give grace and love to those around us. We have been forgiven, despite our faults, and we are to extend that same forgiveness and grace to others around us. Second, we are to share the gift of grace that God has to offer through Jesus Christ. We are to share how God sent his Son to die for us and save us from our sins. By sharing our testimonies of how our relationship with Christ has given us strength and hope, others can come to know him as well. God has a plan for all of our lives that includes sharing our stories for His glory.

God’s gift of grace is meant to be shared. It was a gift that we did not earn or deserve, but He gave it to us anyway. It is good and right that we give God glory and praise for the gift of grace He provided through Christ Jesus. As we walk in faith with God’s grace and forgiveness, we should always be willing to share that with others because God’s grace is for all people.

Casey Wayne

Monthly Contributor