GRACE

As with all of my blogs when I am defining or explaining a word I like to start with the educational reference from Merriam Webster, which states that GRACE: 1 a: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.

 

I would also like to state what the life manual, I mean the Bible says about grace. 

John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:32 

 ³² “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

So with just these few examples can you understand what grace is?  I can only best explain it as the gift that we don’t deserve.  Let me put it into a picture for you.  Have you ever done something that seemed normal to you?  Some task that didn’t seem any different than your regular tasks, but some one else thought it was outstanding and rewarded you for it.  The reward may have just been a thank you or a gift card or some candy.  You would think to yourself, wow I didn’t really do anything to deserve this, but it is nice to receive it. 

That is a small idea of what grace is.  It is a gift to you from God.  One of the greatest gifts you could ever receive.  It is grace that brings sinners out of sin into a place where they can communicate with God. 

So how do we receive this grace?  In the Old Testament people had to give offerings to receive forgiveness and did not communicate directly with God but had to speak to a priest and give offerings through them.  However when God sent his only son to become a man and die for our sins he changed everything.  Now because of Jesus Christ grace is given to us.  It is not earned through works or bought with money.  It is GIVEN freely to us. 

What does this mean?  It means that no matter if we are never holy and never perfect we can be sanctified through God’s grace. 

The best example of this is the video on GodTube.com when people are getting on a scale that tells them if they have been ‘GOOD’ enough to get into heaven.  They hand the men at a scale their folders and they talk to them about how well they have lived their life.  Most of the people where as perfect as a human could be. Some were not, but every one who got on the scale failed to be ‘GOOD ENOUGH’.  Then the last one-steps up and his folder is packed with bad stuff.  The men at the scale laugh about how there is no way that he will be ‘GOOD ENOUGH’.  Then another man walks up and says he is mine and hands him a folder that says “Under Gods Grace.”  They say ok then you stand on the scale.  Of course this man is Jesus and the scale reads ‘GOOD ENOUGH’.  So they sit alone on the other side of the scale.

How much better can you put it?  On the Day of Judgment when all people of the world are called to answer for there lives.  How will you answer?  Will it be that you have led a ‘GOOD’ life?  Or will it be that your are covered by the grace of God and are ‘GOOD ENOUGH’?