Without question, the title “grace” is a very popular one around our ministry. From the name of our church (Grace Community Church) to the Sunday morning Bulletin (Grace Today) to John MacArthur’s radio broadcast (Grace to You), “grace” definitely abounds.
Grace is a very normal word within the Christian life and it should be! It should be normal in the sense that grace is something every Christian has experienced and will continue to experience as he progresses in his walk with God. But it should not be normal in the sense that grace becomes something we take for granted.
Grace must not end up on the same level as many modern conveniences we frequently use. Because of the familiarity of time and use, their employment seldom receives the same jaw-dropping reaction as when they were first showcased. As a silly example, when was the last time you were truly amazed over the fact that you have the ability to flip a switch and receive instant light? Honestly, it is stunning, and to an infinitely greater extent grace should be stunning as well.
We have all heard the definition given for grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. This is certainly true. Grace is God’s favor given to those who have not done anything to merit His kindness. We understand that grace by definition cannot be merited; it would destroy the very meaning of the word. Grace must be given to someone who has not earned it. The act of earning transforms the gift into something else entirely — from a gift to wages, from unmerited favor to merited payment for work done.
Although this definition of unmerited favor can rightly be said to define grace, it certainly does not exhaust a full understanding of the grace that God has bestowed upon us.
God’s grace goes beyond giving favor to those who are without merit; God’s grace is seen in that He gives favor to those who have done everything they can to demerit favor. It is not as if we were neutral, starting with an empty bank account into which God deposited the riches of His grace. No, we were much worse off than neutral. We started with an infinite amount of indebtedness, an amount so great we could never ever repay. Grace is God’s unmerited favor to those who have spit in His face and cursed His name. It is God’s kindness to those who crucified His Son.
One of the things that can be most helpful in our understanding of God’s grace is to look at our own level of graciousness to those who are undeserving (cf. Matt. 18:21-35). How do you treat those who do not merit your favor? What is your response to those who are not adding anything to your life or bringing you any particular happiness or joy?
Compare this level of grace to the grace that God showers on us. Even more than showing grace to someone who has not earned your favor, can you imagine showing grace to those who have harmed you in some way? It is hard for many of us to give food or money to those who are homeless. Imagine giving food and money to a homeless man who has broken into your house, stolen your most prized possessions and killed a family member. Hard to fathom, yet God’s grace goes well beyond this simple example.
Grace is multifaceted and there is much more to it than could ever be explained in a blog post, but I do think it will be helpful to consider two dimensions of God’s grace to us.
1. Grace is an attitude of God toward us. Ephesians 2:7 tells us that in the ages to come God will show us the “exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” God has a kind and generous disposition toward us. I love the phrase in Ephesians 2:7 that tells us that God will show the exceeding riches of His grace. I can only imagine a Father who looks lovingly on His child and longs to lavish good gifts upon Him.
2. Grace is an action of God toward us. God’s grace does not stop with a kind disposition toward sinners. God acts on His gracious attitude and this grace is preeminently expressed in the person of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death. God sent His Son to die in our place and take the wrath that was meant for us upon Him. This is the ultimate act showing divine favor on those who have not merited it but have demerited it (Rom 3:24; 5:8; 5:15).
There is much more to grace, but this is the heartbeat of this important Christian word. God has an attitude of favor toward us who are sinners. He has acted on this attitude by sending His Son to die in our place on the cross. Remember, this divine favor rests on you and has been demonstrated to you if you have responded in faith. Live today in the reality of God’s great grace!
“The forgiven person should not only possess a theoretical understanding of God’s grace in the mind; he or she must also experience the reality of God’s kindness and mercy in the heart. Intellectual assent to the doctrine of grace must be balanced by deep personal resonance with the reality of grace in the life.” (Demarest, The Cross and Salvation)
Grace is a very normal word within the Christian life and it should be! It should be normal in the sense that grace is something every Christian has experienced and will continue to experience as he progresses in his walk with God. But it should not be normal in the sense that grace becomes something we take for granted.
Grace must not end up on the same level as many modern conveniences we frequently use. Because of the familiarity of time and use, their employment seldom receives the same jaw-dropping reaction as when they were first showcased. As a silly example, when was the last time you were truly amazed over the fact that you have the ability to flip a switch and receive instant light? Honestly, it is stunning, and to an infinitely greater extent grace should be stunning as well.
We have all heard the definition given for grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. This is certainly true. Grace is God’s favor given to those who have not done anything to merit His kindness. We understand that grace by definition cannot be merited; it would destroy the very meaning of the word. Grace must be given to someone who has not earned it. The act of earning transforms the gift into something else entirely — from a gift to wages, from unmerited favor to merited payment for work done.
Although this definition of unmerited favor can rightly be said to define grace, it certainly does not exhaust a full understanding of the grace that God has bestowed upon us.
God’s grace goes beyond giving favor to those who are without merit; God’s grace is seen in that He gives favor to those who have done everything they can to demerit favor. It is not as if we were neutral, starting with an empty bank account into which God deposited the riches of His grace. No, we were much worse off than neutral. We started with an infinite amount of indebtedness, an amount so great we could never ever repay. Grace is God’s unmerited favor to those who have spit in His face and cursed His name. It is God’s kindness to those who crucified His Son.
One of the things that can be most helpful in our understanding of God’s grace is to look at our own level of graciousness to those who are undeserving (cf. Matt. 18:21-35). How do you treat those who do not merit your favor? What is your response to those who are not adding anything to your life or bringing you any particular happiness or joy?
Compare this level of grace to the grace that God showers on us. Even more than showing grace to someone who has not earned your favor, can you imagine showing grace to those who have harmed you in some way? It is hard for many of us to give food or money to those who are homeless. Imagine giving food and money to a homeless man who has broken into your house, stolen your most prized possessions and killed a family member. Hard to fathom, yet God’s grace goes well beyond this simple example.
Grace is multifaceted and there is much more to it than could ever be explained in a blog post, but I do think it will be helpful to consider two dimensions of God’s grace to us.
1. Grace is an attitude of God toward us. Ephesians 2:7 tells us that in the ages to come God will show us the “exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” God has a kind and generous disposition toward us. I love the phrase in Ephesians 2:7 that tells us that God will show the exceeding riches of His grace. I can only imagine a Father who looks lovingly on His child and longs to lavish good gifts upon Him.
2. Grace is an action of God toward us. God’s grace does not stop with a kind disposition toward sinners. God acts on His gracious attitude and this grace is preeminently expressed in the person of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death. God sent His Son to die in our place and take the wrath that was meant for us upon Him. This is the ultimate act showing divine favor on those who have not merited it but have demerited it (Rom 3:24; 5:8; 5:15).
There is much more to grace, but this is the heartbeat of this important Christian word. God has an attitude of favor toward us who are sinners. He has acted on this attitude by sending His Son to die in our place on the cross. Remember, this divine favor rests on you and has been demonstrated to you if you have responded in faith. Live today in the reality of God’s great grace!
“The forgiven person should not only possess a theoretical understanding of God’s grace in the mind; he or she must also experience the reality of God’s kindness and mercy in the heart. Intellectual assent to the doctrine of grace must be balanced by deep personal resonance with the reality of grace in the life.” (Demarest, The Cross and Salvation)
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