What is Grace?

Grace. One little word that has so much power but has also been abused by so many.; both by those who think it’s a free ticket and by those who want to be completely legalistic and act like it doesn’t exist. So what is grace and how, exactly, does it fit into the Christian walk? Those are the questions that were posed to me and my fellow baby ministers in class about a year ago. Here’s my take on it in the form of the actual assignment that I turned in. I’d love to hear how you would answer these questions in the comments.

Much Love,

Crystal

• Define grace
  I think the simplest definition of grace is the unmerited favor and unconditional love of God toward us.
  Favor – an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual; a special privilege or right granted or conceded
  Unmerited – we didn’t do anything to deserve or earn
  
  Therefore grace is an act of kindness, a special privilege or right granted by God that we didn’t do anything to deserve or earn.
  
• Is grace an opportunity for sin or not?
  No, grace is not an opportunity for sin. Grace doesn’t erase the rules or widen the road we’re supposed to walk on; it’s simply a safety net. I think of it like walking on an elevated beam with a net below it. The beam doesn’t get wider because of the presence of the net. The safety net is just there in case you fall while you’re TRYING to walk on the beam.
  

• In the same way, grace is there to protect us from eternal death when we fall short because, as imperfect beings, we WILL fall short. “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24) Grace doesn’t excuse us from following the Word of God; grace is simply God’s way of saying “Look, I know you’re going to mess up but I won’t stop loving you when you do.”
  
• How does grace pertain to me and my life?
   Grace gives me right standing with God and allows me to get right back up and keep moving when I fall and not get stuck in a place of self-condemnation.
   Grace moves me forward and equips me for everything in my life and walk as a Christian (Titus 2:11-12).
   It’s through grace that I am saved from God’s wrath and am able to have a relationship with Him through Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:8-9).
   It’s God’s grace that gives me the will and ability to keep God’s commands (I Kings 8:58, Philippians 2:13, Colossians 1:29).
   It’s by grace that I am able to be free from the power of sin (Romans 6:14). Grace doesn’t mean that I, as a Christian, am free from all moral authority. But it does mean that I am free from the very letter of the law as was required before the ultimate atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

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