Various definitions have been given about God’s grace.
It is described as
‘favour done to humans by God through his own volition’.
Meaning, we did not ask for it.
Grace is also said to be
‘Something we did not merit, but God gave it to us’ nevertheless. By His grace, when we exercise faith in Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, we get saved from sin.
As in
Titus 2:11 – ‘for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men’.
This is confirmed in Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)
Britannica defines God’s Grace as
‘Grace…the spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favour in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification’.
Practical Life account of God’s Grace – John Wesley (1703-1791)
We can know how God’s Grace affects our Christian growth by looking at some real life examples as well as from scripture.
Salvation by grace through faith was clearly experienced, understood and explained in real life by JohnWesley after he came to a saving knowledge of God. He states that Grace is a way by which God reveals himself to us. For example through forgiveness of sin, i.e redeeming, transforming and aligning us to his will. Through this very grace, he influences our lives so we can become new in Him and also become sanctified i.e made more and more like him in righteousness.
This type of God’s grace can be known as saving grace.
This fact was also confirmed by Apostle Paul in Rom 1:1-5:
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake”.
Is God’s Grace Given to Anyone?
This brings us to some types of God’s grace. Common grace – is given to all human beings.
All humans are justified by God’s grace as the ff verse shows:
2. “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
Also in Matthew 5:45 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (NKJV)
God’s grace is always with us whether we accept it or not, are aware of it or not. This can be seen in the way the Pharisees treated Jesus himself and those who wanted to come to him. And also Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.
(Luke 6:6-11; Luke 7:36-39;)
God occasionally acts in the spirit of everything in order to bring humanity closer to himself. The Holy Spirit is involved in this as well. Isn’t this the reason why individuals tend to recognise there’s a need in life that has to be filled?
This, John Wesley describes as a desire to go on a journey or enter a house. Until the step is taken it remains unfulfilled. To receive God’s saving grace we have to accept by faith the finished work on the cross for us, by the Lord Jesus Christ.
This also explains why people can wander for a long time and only become saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ when they are much older.
It also clarifies why many testified to the fact that God was always there after turning to Christ in spite of horrible crimes. All of this demonstrates how different God’s standards are from our own. Truth is, God doesn’t leave us alone.
Can we fall from God’s Grace after accepting Jesus Christ by Faith?
Even after coming to him, we might not always fully walk in his grace. This is so because humans play a part in the process of sanctifying grace.
God’s grace impacts our sinful nature in a way known as sanctifying grace, which helps us resist the urge to sin once we embrace Christ. Once we come to Christ, we no longer have the desire to sin. God’s grace supports us in our fight or struggle to maintain our righteousness. As may be seen in Rom 6:14
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
And also in Titus 2:11-12 we note that
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
How does God’s Grace affect our daily walk with Him?
God’s grace enables us to do things we cannot do by ourselves as Apostle Paul ascertained.
Rom 1:1- “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
He gives power to do his will: Acts 4:33
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
He gives boldness to minister the gospel
Paul in Rom 15:15-16 says that –
15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Graciousness is God’s Nature
As in Exodus 34:6.
6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; and in
Ps 145:8
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy.
What attracts God’s Grace?
Penitence
Humility
A willingness to approach God’s throne boldly
Continued response to God
Sacrificial giving
Forgiving others
Faith
How does our Expression of God’s Grace onour lives Impact Others?
God’s grace permeates all aspect of our life, and when we receive him as our Lord and Saviour, we get both justifying and sanctifying grace as we conduct our lives in a way that is observable to all. It is impossible to deny that you are a Christian. We are
Able to forgive the unforgivable. That grace flows from us to others;
Love the unlovable;
Long suffering in the face of difficulties;
Wait on the Lord;
Tell others about God’s love for them;
Live out God’s love;
Serve God well. Heb 12:28
Renounce ungodliness Titus 2:11-12
God’s Grace therefore plays an important part in our christian growth to make us more into the likeness of Christ.
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