Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
The current popular definition of grace in Christianity is "unmerited favor," while this definition is true, it barely scratches the surface of the implications of grace. It is very easy to slip into legalism in our Christian walk, the result of this is the feeling that we somehow deserve grace because of our statute keeping. It is only by God's grace that we are able to consider obedience. Abram enjoyed a grace relationship with God well before the Ten Commandments were given. Abram's relationship with God was based on faith, not performance. This is not to say that we can live any way that we please and rely on grace to cover our intentional sin. This is about relationship. If you love and cherish a relationship with another person, you will be faithful to them because of your love, not due to a fear of retribution. God wants that relationship with you. The pull of sin on our lives is like a driving current, but we can swim against it. God knows this, and He has given us His grace in order that we might be able to overcome our sin nature. Just as Ephesians 2:8 tells us, this grace is not of ourselves; therefore, we have no reason to boast or be proud. God's grace extended to the sinner, which we all are, is unmerited favor. It covers the entire spectrum of all of our lives Christian and non-Christian alike. His grace created us and sustains us and it is calling us to Him. So much of Christianity is as Colossians 2:21 describes, "Touch not; taste not; handle not." Grace allows us to, ". . .taste and see that the LORD is good. . ." (Psalm 34:8). By faith, Abram come Abraham received this promise from God, "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" (Genesis 22:17). By God's grace and faith we have or can become part of that promise.
Patti
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
The current popular definition of grace in Christianity is "unmerited favor," while this definition is true, it barely scratches the surface of the implications of grace. It is very easy to slip into legalism in our Christian walk, the result of this is the feeling that we somehow deserve grace because of our statute keeping. It is only by God's grace that we are able to consider obedience. Abram enjoyed a grace relationship with God well before the Ten Commandments were given. Abram's relationship with God was based on faith, not performance. This is not to say that we can live any way that we please and rely on grace to cover our intentional sin. This is about relationship. If you love and cherish a relationship with another person, you will be faithful to them because of your love, not due to a fear of retribution. God wants that relationship with you. The pull of sin on our lives is like a driving current, but we can swim against it. God knows this, and He has given us His grace in order that we might be able to overcome our sin nature. Just as Ephesians 2:8 tells us, this grace is not of ourselves; therefore, we have no reason to boast or be proud. God's grace extended to the sinner, which we all are, is unmerited favor. It covers the entire spectrum of all of our lives Christian and non-Christian alike. His grace created us and sustains us and it is calling us to Him. So much of Christianity is as Colossians 2:21 describes, "Touch not; taste not; handle not." Grace allows us to, ". . .taste and see that the LORD is good. . ." (Psalm 34:8). By faith, Abram come Abraham received this promise from God, "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" (Genesis 22:17). By God's grace and faith we have or can become part of that promise.
Patti
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