Mission Venture Ministries

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:1-4) 

The briefest definition of grace is “favor.” In the Bible, grace is defined as the free and unmerited favor of God. This means that we cannot earn God’s grace through our actions or deeds. It is a gift that is freely given to us by God, and we receive it through faith in Jesus Christ, as we read in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” 

Grace is the supernatural strength that God gives us to overcome sin and to live a life that is holy and righteous. Therefore, the role of grace in salvation is central to Christianity. We believe that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This means that we cannot earn our salvation through our own efforts, but it is a gift that is freely given to us by God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24). 

The theme of grace runs throughout the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see examples of God’s grace towards His people. In the Old Testament, we see God’s grace towards Noah, Abraham, and Moses. In the New Testament, we see God’s grace through Jesus Christ, who came to save us from our sins. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). 

Divine grace is the grace that is given to us by God. It is the supernatural power that enables us to do what we cannot do on our own. It is the grace that saves us from our sins and gives us new life in Christ. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12). 

Grace has the power to transform our lives. It is grace that saves us from our sins, gives us new life in Christ, and enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God. It is the grace that empowers us to overcome sin and to live a life that is holy and righteous. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

As Christians, we are called to live a life of grace. This means that we are to extend grace to others, just as God has extended grace to us. It means forgiving others, even when they don’t deserve it. It means showing kindness and love to those who are hurting. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:6). 

Grace is the unmerited favor of God that we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the power that enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God and to fulfill the calling that He has placed on our lives. As Christians, we are called to extend grace to others, just as God has extended grace to us. In Ephesians 4:7, we read, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Therefore, let us embrace God’s grace and live a life that reflects His love and kindness to others. 

There are some Christians, however, that have a hard time with the doctrine of grace. If you think you must perform in order to please God, guilt is your constant companion. Every time you fail to live up to your own expectations, you may question whether God loves you, or maybe even whether you’re really saved. The Lord doesn’t want us to live like this. We’ve already received His acceptance, and there is nothing more we can add to it. Grace not only sets us free from guilt but also motivates us to obey and serve God out of love and gratitude for everything He has done for us. Instead of feeling burnt out in our service, we will have a burning passion for Him. 

To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become with Christ. We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and we were guilty of breaking God’s holy laws (Romans 3:9–20, 23; 1 John 1:8–10). We were enemies of God (Romans 5:6, 10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment. 

But then grace came and God extended His favor to us. Grace is what saves us (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is the essence of the gospel (Acts 20:24). Grace gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). Grace gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Paul repeatedly identified grace as the basis of his calling as an apostle (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:2, 7). Jesus Christ is the embodiment of grace, coupled with truth (John 1:14). 

The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (Ephesians 4:7). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace: 

• Anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that grace is a gift means that nothing is owed in return. 

• There is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient, although it is not free to the giver, because they pay for the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for our Lord Jesus, who died in our place. 

• Once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now ours to keep. God’s grace is ours forever. Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing (John 15:5). Grace is too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians 9:15). 

Please remember that as the recipients of God’s grace, Christians are to be gracious to others. Grace is given to us to serve others and to exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:7; 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10). 

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