Grace, Part 2

We have defined God’s grace as unmerited favor at Christ’s expense. Each of us has received grace, God’s grace.

John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:16-17 (NIV) From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Look at these three points:
1) Grace became evident when Christ came from the Father, (John 1:14)
2) From the fullness of His grace we have all received blessing after blessing, (John 1:16)
3) Then, the difference in law and grace is evidenced by comparing what we received from Moses and Jesus Christ, (John 1:17)

God’s aggressive grace is realized in the mercy God gives rather than the judgment and condemnation deserved. Considering the fact that we have all sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, we live by grace. Every blessing that comes down to us is a result of God’s grace. In consideration of that grace, Paul told the Galatians: “I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:21 (GNT)”

Have you ever felt that you have not been good enough to be blessed?
Maybe, you have been sick or suffering. Your life is full of problems. You have not been as successful as you desire. Have you thought: “God is holding back His blessing until I do better?”

Grace and personal performance often collide. Paul addressed this to the Roman Christians. He found himself in a difficult situation.

Romans 7:15-19 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”

Any thoughtful individual has come to this conclusion. “I don’t know how to do what is good all the time.” This is our dilemma. How can I please God, when I don’t please myself? “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (Romans 7:21)

God’s grace throws us over onto Jesus Christ.

Romans 7:24-25 (NIV) “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, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
Romans 8:1 (NIV) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”