The Gift of Grace
Life Lesson 22: Because of God’s grace, I have hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity. Without grace, my life has no true and lasting meaning. Grace shows me my desperate need for Jesus Christ.
“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
Most gifts are exchanged during the Christmas season than any other time of the year. We give gifts to family, friends, and coworkers. There is something extraordinarily special that happens to the human spirit when we give. We love to give gifts because of the joy it brings to others and the response we get in return is often priceless. Think about the joy on the faces of your kids, your spouse, and even your friends. No doubt, what you felt when they responded with gratitude is nothing short of amazing!
In the same way that we love to give gifts to our loved ones, the Lord God takes great joy in giving perfect gifts to us, His children. James 1:17 tells us that:
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
Take a moment and pause today to consider all the kindness the Lord has shown you, and the many gifts He has given you. He is always shining His goodness, faithfulness, and love on us, not because we deserve it, but because of His amazing grace.
Grace is God’s free gift to mankind. It cannot be earned, and we cannot do enough good to receive it. Grace is essentially God giving sinful man what we don’t deserve when we come to Christ in faith (Romans 3:22-26). In Titus 3:7 we read:
Because of His grace He made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
The Lord God demonstrated His kindness and faithfulness to us by giving us the gift of grace, not because we are worthy, but because of His great love for the world. When we put our faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), we gain access to that grace which the Lord has so generously poured out upon us. In Ephesians 2:4-5 we are told that:
God is rich in mercy and He loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved.
So, why did God choose to save us, and why did He sacrifice His own Son for us? There is only one reason, and one reason only, and that’s because He loves us with an everlasting love. By His love, God Almighty extends abundant grace to us. In John 1:16-17, we read:
Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
While the law of Moses was justified, and it revealed our sinful hearts, it could not save us. When we receive and believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and was raised from death to life, our sins are forgiven. That forgiveness comes through God’s great grace. Remember, grace is available to everyone who receives the gospel message of Jesus Christ and come to Him with a repentant heart.
The transforming power of God’s grace leads to repentance. When we receive God’s grace and truth through Christ, we can walk in the fullness of His unlimited supply of grace. Ephesians 2:7 tells about the Lord’s immeasurable grace to believers in eternity:
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
Because of the Lord’s goodness and kindness toward us, He bestowed on us abundant grace. Remember, grace is God’s unmerited favor. It is His gift to us when we call on the name of Jesus Christ in truth. My fellow believers, as we have received the gift of grace through Jesus Christ, let us not neglect sharing it. Let us become His witnesses of grace to others.
If you have never unwrapped the gift of grace which God has made available to you, let me encourage you right now to open your heart and receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior so that you can grow in the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). Let the love of God (John 3:16) motivate you to come to a saving knowledge of His truth and grace through Jesus Christ.
“What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.”
–Rick Warren
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