Listen to this articleLet’s explore the concept of grace, how it is received and experienced, and how we can extend it to others.
Let us begin by defining grace. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Simply put, grace is the unmerited favor of God, which we do not earn through our own works but receive by faith in Jesus Christ.
But what does it mean to receive grace? In Romans 3:23-24, Paul tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Here we see that we have all fallen short of God’s standard because of our sin, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can be justified freely by God’s grace. It is not something we earn or deserve, but is a result of God’s unmerited favor towards us. It is a demonstration of His love and mercy towards us, despite our sinfulness and unworthiness.
The experience of grace is transformative. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul declares, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When we receive grace through faith in Christ, we are made new and given new life in Him.
But we must also extend grace to others, as we have received it from God. In Colossians 3:12-13, Paul urges us to “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” We are called to bear with one another, forgive one another, and show kindness and mercy, just as Christ has shown us.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God, which we receive when we put our faith in Him. Through grace, we are justified, made new, and given new life in Him. As recipients of grace, we are also called to extend it to others, showing kindness, mercy, and forgiveness just as Christ has shown us. We should remember the transformative power of grace in our lives and extend it to all those around us.