What is Grace?

What is grace? What a simple yet powerful question! The answer you give to that question will tell you a lot concerning what you really believe about God. How the answer is witnessed in your own life will also tell you a lot about how deeply you really believe what you think you believe. Don't mean to confuse you, but I do think sometimes we get confused when it comes to grace.

Let's begin to think about what grace is by considering what it is not.

Grace is not:

• condoning sin
• ignoring sin
• minimizing sin
• changing God's standard for holiness
• a cavalier attitude toward sin
• bragging about our sin
• excusing our sin for whatever reason...
• Any behavior, attitude, or response contrary to how Jesus lived
• An unrepentant heart toward sin

Also, grace is not:

• condemning the sinner
• ignoring the sinner
• minimizing the pain the sinner experiences
• acting unholy when we have to deal with unholiness
• a cavalier attitude about our self-righteousness
• bragging about how we have not sinned
• excusing our sinful responses to those who have sinned for whatever reason...
• Any behavior, attitude, or response toward sinners contrary to how Jesus lived
• Refusing to respond to repentance

Grace is:

• A gift that you choose to give, just like God did and does
• Freely given, it does not have to be earned or bought by us
• Seeing the destruction in sin while seeing the value in the sinner
• Providing correction to deal with the sin while providing mercy for the sinner
• Tons of acceptance of the person and pardon for the sin
• The willingness to suffer loss and pain so that others can find restoration and peace
• The gift of forgiveness expressed
• The gift of mercy extended
• The offer of hope for the future
• The presence of love in the present
• Refusing to accuse
• An eagerness to intercede
• Choosing life over death
• An humble heart truly grateful for what it has received
• Choosing to live like Jesus even if it costs us what it cost him
• Looking for people hiding in their shame
• Going to war against the enemy who seeks to destroy us all
• What we get from God that we do not find in ourselves
• Living with truth and mercy as our friends
• Acknowledging that religious shallowness is more concerned about what people think than what God thinks and is the same stuff Paul counted as manure (That's the clean version of what we rednecks call CRAP! Pardon me if this is offensive but no use trying to whitewash it).
• Grace loves and extends mercy to people covered with religious manure because it too is a sin for which Jesus died in order to extend us GRACE!
• Invited by our repentance and humility.

Remember:

• Where sin abounds there is an opportunity for much grace to abound.
• We do not choose to live in sin in order to get more grace.
• We realize that it is the power of God working through grace that brings freedom to our hearts which have been enslaved to sin.
• We all need grace because we all stink without it!

The Grace Question:

In order to keep the compass of our hearts pointing toward God, we must always ask the question, "How did Jesus respond to people who experienced a need for grace in their lives?"  Afer all, he was full of grace and truth,

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Comments

[Song]

I struggle so much with the truth part. Where do we draw the line? How do we show people the love of Christ without calling them out? Someone recently described an encounter they had with someone who lived a lifestyle of "blatant sin" and pretty much called them on the carpet. Spoke truth into this person's life. Now, I can see fruit coming from that, but it really depends on the soil, right? If the soil isn't already prepared, it won't do much good to plant the seed of truth. Doesn't the Bible tell us that some water and some plant but only He makes it grow? So, how do we know to plant grace or truth or both? Isn't it ok to just plant one and build a relationship with someone so that we can later plant the other seed, or are we supposed to plant both seeds at once? I've read some books lately where it seems people are ministering to others without ever mentioning church or God. They go and reach out to people, build relationships with them, meet their needs, and it doesn't seem like a hidden agenda. Then, as time goes on, they are able to tell people about His love. Can't this sometimes be just the fruit we need? We're always told that our walk with Jesus should draw the lost to us. So, if that is the case, shouldn't we shoot for that goal? Honestly, I have no idea how to plant grace and truth together. I want people to know the love of Jesus through me, and then perhaps as they get to know me more, they could be drawn to Him??? Man I really rambled, huh? But this has been on my heart for sometime!

[Eddie]

Hey Song,

I suggest that you read the comment of the person I am now replying to. It seems that she did a good job of answering the question. Oh! You answered your own question. Neat!

I would add to your observation this simple consideration. Jesus was truth. How did He do it? He was the one who was constantly both grace and truth. At times, he certainly allowed relationships to develop and then he drew the net (Zaccheus).

At other times, he did not commit himself to people because he sensed their hearts were not truly seeking (Some people who were trying to trick him).

And at other times, he righteously blasted folks--usually religious leaders whose self made definitions of holiness kept people away from God. He was called the friend of sinners. Would that we all be accused of such a thing?

It is the Holy Spirit Who will prompt us when we need to speak spiritual truth into someone's life. If we do it on our own, we will get our on results. If we do it following Him, we will reap the fruit of obedience regardless of what the person does. No formulas, just be led. Not by the mechanics of me, but by the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for posting,
Eddie

Eddie