Hear
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth … For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16, 17 ESV).
Believe
Grace is a bigger word than I ever dreamed imaginable. It’s big because it’s attached to Jesus Christ. There is no grace apart from him. Grace is not a thing. Grace is Jesus Christ himself.
Grace is inextricably tied to Jesus Christ. When Christ showed up on the scene, his grace took center stage. If we are going to know anything about the grace of God, we need to look to Jesus.
So what is grace? This is an important question. After all, grace is the heart and soul of the gospel message. It is the good news. The short definition that most of us know is “unmerited favor as given to us in Christ.” It is this but so much more. The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines “grace” this way:
That which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance for a kindness granted or desired. It is a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver.
Grace is where we stand, live, and breathe. It is the realm of our existence. It is Christ in us and us in him. I’ve defined it as God’s work in Jesus Christ to make us spiritually alive and to empower us to live in this world as his children.
Grace is not only the means of salvation; it is the way of the Christian life. It’s not only the door that grants us entry into God’s house; it’s also the way we live once we are in. Once grace starts in a person’s life, it never quits. The simple gospel is simply grace.
Live
Let the truth of these two verses become real in your heart. Ask the Lord to reveal his amazing grace to you in a new way.
“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4, 5).
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7, 8).
