Grace …
Summary: Grace is one of those words that get lost in the background. The Bible uses the word to describe God’s willingness to give and at the same time, what he is willing to give.
Today’s passage is from the last part of Paul’s opening sentence in his letter to Titus. The complete phrase reads, “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” Even in something as simple as this phrase, there is a wealth of information. So I thought it best that we should pause on our stroll through Titus and look at each part of this phrase.
Grace is one of those words that Christians tend to use a lot, but that is difficult to define. Like our English word, “love,” the word “grace” has multiple meanings. Grace can be a way of walking or talking. We can say grace before dinner and walk gracefully to dinner. Grace can be a person’s name or the title given to nobility. Grace is also a word that describes an attitude of giving. It is this last meaning that is used least often in secular usage and most often in Biblical usage.
This is what makes the word “grace” so challenging to understand in a Christian setting. God’s grace is a wonderful favor. People who receive God’s grace live in a bubble, but a good kind of bubble. Like a chick under its mother’s wing, or a child in a happy home, being in God’s grace is a gift of infinite worth.
Now here is the tricky part:
When God extends his love and favor to you or anyone else, he does something for you that is of limitless value. It is also something that he doesn’t have to do. The fact that he is willing to offer this gift to people is in itself an act of grace.
When we refer to God’s grace, we refer to two different things. Both things are part of a larger whole. The first is the incredible blessing of being in God’s family and under his care. The second is the fact that God is willing to offer that grace to an undeserving and unrighteous people.
Application: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3: 5-6)
Food for Thought: In your own words share how you would explain ”grace” to a new believer.
I like to describe grace as a gift, because people understand what a gift is. When I have said it is unmerited favor, I have had people look at me strange as if to say “what is that?” They understand a gift given in kindness that is not deserved and has no strings attached. When it comes to His grace in the context of salvation, I like to use Ephesians 2: 8 – 9. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Nice, Rich!
Very seasonally appropriate, too!! 🙂
The most common explanation I have heard is unmerited or undeserved favor.
Like the dog my father brought home from the pound one day. The dog was to be put to sleep for biting children if someone did not take it. I wanted a dog, dad brought this one home, and chained it to the clothes line for me.
When I came home from school, went out to see my new dog, it attacked me, I kept my distance as he barked and snapped at the maximum limit of the chain which restrained him.
I went into the house and got him a bowel of food and a bowel of water, pusher these to him with a stick and sat on the grass while he ate. Between bites he made sure I knew he was not my friend, and I softly told him he was a good boy. I am not sure how long I kept doing this but eventually he stopped barking and appeared happy to see me when I came. Soon I was petting him, took him off his chain, we would enjoy each others company each day and he slept in my bed with me.
All I did was show this dog grace, “undeserved favor” and he became a totally different animal.
This is what God does with us. His love and care for us while we are His enemy, draws us to Him, changes us, and our strongest desire becomes our wanting to be closer to Him, have a relationship with Him through obedience to His will.
Ron,
Thank you! You have told this story before, but I especially appreciate the take on it you are sharing today. The grace you showed your pet changed him. The Grace God shows us does something similar only in more powerful and profound ways.
Jeff,
I recalled sharing this before, but thought it fit here well. It was a wonderful experience living with the change caring love made in a living creature. It does so much more with Gods power and people.
What I haven’t shared is the change in this dog drove my dad crazy and he took “Butch” out and killed him because he had become my buddy. I never took another pet from this man.
Blessings,
Ron
Ron,
You have shared a lot of yourself on these pages. Your testimony has touched me deeply. I hope others have been touched as well. Sharing your world with me and others helps put our own troubles in perspective. Your testimony is also a wonderful example of the boundless love of our Lord, Jesus. Thank you!
Explaining grace to a new believer,..it’s like a never before felt love that has been and is lavished upon us all because of what Jesus did at the cross,..think about it,..God had all this planned out long before we ever came up with the word grace,..and for Him to lavish it upon us so freely,..how cool is that! I know you may be new at all this but once you have put the pieces together in the from the bible we read,..you will see that God’s grace has pointed uo to Jesus,..You may not understand all of this now,..but trust me,..the Bible is transforming,..it’s transformed me,..you may not see the transfomation on the outside of me but what you don’t see is hidden in Christ on the inside,..so don’t stop reading His word for your life because His word is filled full of principles and promises to apply to our life and that is all through His love we call grace.
Well that just kinda came out,..maybe God is prepping me for the real thing one day,..because this is the first time I have ever explained grace to anyone,..
Thanks for the opportunity here
John,
I’m convinced! 🙂 Well said!!