Grabbing hold of Grace

We will never grasp the concept of grace until we realize our need of it.

We try to live in God’s grace without admitting we are lost without Him, take a step back and look at your life, not your whole life just the last 72 hours, have you failed and fallen short of the glory of God?

We lose our temper, say something we didn’t mean, repeat something without knowing if it is true or not, make a promise we don’t keep, tell a little white lie, maybe fall into temptation in an area we struggle in, or covet what someone else has, or compare ourselves to others, maybe struggle with pride or self-righteousness?

We fall under the human condition known as our flesh, and in it we battle Gods Spirit, doing what we do not want to do, and not doing the things we want to do.

We dismiss our sins without repenting, because well there just little stupid things that don’t matter, right? Wrong to God each one matters, and they should matter to us.

This is why I said we will never grasp the concept of grace until we realize our need of it.

Notice I put we, every one of us need to get this, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, all of us still sin, maybe not as much or our sins have changed and become less apparent or less in activity but we still fall so short of Gods glory, let's not lose the glory of God's grace for us, in us and in those around us, let’s get ahold of grace and learn to live in it, with our hearts and minds fixed on Christ, let’s strive to live and love with a repentant heart and mindful grace to ourselves and others.

We think of others as super Christians, when we read about them, but look at how the Holy Spirit had Paul pen these words.

“For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.”Romans 7:15-16 CSB

“This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” — and I am the worst of them.” 1 Timothy 1:15 CSB

They are all present tense, it’s not that Paul didn’t understand, it’s not that Paul didn’t practice what he did, see it says I do not, this means his struggle is as real as yours and mine. Paul doesn’t say I was, he says I am the worst of sinners.

The things he is writing are not past tense! They are ever present!

Don’t miss this, Paul had to learn the same lessons we learn, God’s grace is sufficient! His grace does not need our help, He gives it to us freely, and we deserve none of it.

Never forget the wages of sin are death, notice God’s word doesn’t say a little sin or a big sin, the penalty is death, but thanks to Jesus the penalty has been paid in full, that is grace.

Death and sin have no hold over us because of Gods grace, now the consequences of sin are still there and there are different consequences for different sins, but the penalty no longer has any power over us.

What we need to do is surrender to the grace of God and live in it daily, by following in the footsteps of Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith, who has saved us by His grace and daily pours out His grace upon us, may we see others as Christ does and give grace as freely as we receive it.

I try and see the good in people and give grace upon grace, for Christ chose to be the good in me and has given me grace abundantly.

God’s word says this:

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”John 1:14-17 CSB

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave to sin. For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me. For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.” Romans 7:14-25 CSB

“I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry — even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” — and I am the worst of them. But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have shipwrecked their faith.”1 Timothy 1:12-19 CSB

“Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 CSB