3 MAJOR WORKS OF GRACE IN THE BELIEVER’S LIFE
Intro:
In continuation of our Grace Series, we want to look at the three major works of grace in the believer’s life. We have had two titles in this series. The first explained the meaning of grace, in part, and stressed how it should be reflected in our relations with others. The second was a testimony of grace derived from my interactions with some believers online. You can click’on their titles to read.
Grace and the Golden Rule
A Testimony of Grace
3 MAJOR WORKS OF GRACE IN THE BELIEVER’S LIFE
1. We are saved by grace and not by our efforts:
Without the grace of God, we would still be separated from Him, condemned to die for our sins. That is the first major work of grace in our lives as children of God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” – Ephesians 2:8.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” – Titus 2:11.
A ransom was needed (one we couldn’t pay) to buy us out from suffering God’s judgment for sin, which is death, and Jesus, the Son of God took our place.
[bctt tweet=”We are saved by grace because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins.” username=”edithsmusings”]
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” – 1 Peter 3:18.
2. We overcome sin and stand firm in trials by grace.
So Christ died in our place and we have life, then what? Do we have the liberty to do as we please because His grace covers us and God’s mercy endures forever? Certainly not! The very reason God sent His Son to die for us is that He hates sin and we cannot have fellowship with Him if we persist in sin. Look at the Bible’s descriptions of God through the prophet Habakkuk and King David.
“You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” – Habakkuk 1:13a.
“For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.” – Psalm 5:4 & 5
Being saved does not immediately translate us to heaven physically. We are still in a world that hates God and is full of temptation to do wrong. Grace comes in again and we see its second major work in the Christian’s life.
Here is the continuation of the scripture we read earlier from Titus. In fact, we take verse 11 again and go further.
Titus 2:11-14
“11. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
“12. training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
“13. waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and
“14. to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
[bctt tweet=”God’s grace teaches us to overcome sin and temptation.” username=”edithsmusings”]
We are not helpless in the face of sin. The word of God assures us that His grace can bring change to our lives so that we can testify as the words of a popular song says: “The things I did before, I do them no more …, There’s a great change since I’m born again.”
We may make mistakes along the way and our God understands our frailties and the stiff contest between our flesh and reborn spirit in its quest to live a life that glorifies Him. Jesus intercedes for us and His indwelling Spirit keeps helping us.
Hebrews 4:15 & 16
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
From the foregoing, we see that there is no biblical basis for living in unrepentant sin in the name of grace. This is not a new attraction. Paul adddressed it in the early church.
Romans 6:1 & 2
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
“By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
Besides battling with temptations, believers also face trials and persecution. God’s grace helps us to endure and hold on to our faith in the face of these.
[bctt tweet=”Grace helps us to endure and stand firm in the face of trials.” username=”edithsmusings”]
The Lord Jesus is our greatest example in this. His Passion was a complete work of grace. His flesh shrank from the humiliation and the agony of the Cross as we see in the prayers He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane but He persevered and drank the bitter cup by grace (Matthew 26:36-44).
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” – Hebrews 2:9 (KJV)
3. Grace enables us to do the work of God’s kingdom.
As God grants us victory over sin and temptations, and makes us patient in trials by His grace, we see ourselves growing in our faith (James 1:2-4). He then begins to give us responsibilities. We don’t remain babies forever. He sends us to share the gospel, heal the sick, teach and strengthen the saved, etc. But many of the tasks God assigns us cannot be accomplished in our own power or wisdom. In comes the grace again.
“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” – Hebrews 12:28 (KJV).
[bctt tweet=”Grace enables us to carry out the work of preaching the gospel and building up the saved.” username=”edithsmusings”]
In Ephesians 4:7, this is what the apostle Paul said before discussing maturity, spiritual offices and the work of the ministry.
“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” – Ephesians 4:7 (KJV).
The apostle Peter, on his part, described the work of ministry as stewardship of God’s grace.
[bctt tweet=”Peter, the apostle, described the work of ministry as stewardship of God’s grace.” username=”edithsmusings”]
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” – 1 Peter 4:10.
It is the grace that enables someone to perform miracles and see souls converted, to speak timely words on hidden matters in the lives of strangers and to teach and fortify the faith of the saints. None of it can be accounted for by human skill or knowledge.
CONCLUSION:
It goes without saying that if we aspire to see victory over sin, steadfastness in the face of trials and fruit that abides unto eternal life in our ministry, we need to allow God do the first major work of grace in our life. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. If you haven’t done that, pray now surrendering to Him so that you can properly begin the journey of faith and enjoy the grace God has abundantly poured forth for us in Christ.
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The Grace Series will continue with a look at grace in the life of the Apostle Paul.
The scriptures used in this study are from the English Standard Version except where otherwise stated.
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I would just like to encourage anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior to do so at this time while there is still time…
Amen
Thank you so much, my brother. While there is time …. You’re awesomely blessed in Jesus’ name.
The bible asked, “what will it profit a man to gain the whole world but loses his soul to the devil?” This serves as a medium to advice those self-righteous people out there who take themselves too holy, or too pure to adhere to the teachings and warnings of the bible and those who always have a reason to violate God’s laws
Our God is merciful but He hates sin. His grace can help us live in a way that is pleasing to Him.
it’s good to always remember God in everyday of our lives: in the bad and in the good times. People tend to forget the teachings of our Lord in their pursuit of earthly things. Take a look at our world today, how many people have time to share the gospel? How many have time to entertain gospel preachers? what everybody is interested in nowadays is the latest development in online business. They forget the popular saying that life without Christ is crisis. Make whatever wealth you want, but when you’ve not sought the face of God, you are as wretched as…
Hmmmm! These things you’re saying need a megaphone, Collins, don’t you think? Keep going and make it louder in Jesus’ name. But remember the farmer eats the harvest before others. You are richly blessed in Jesus’ name.
I thank God for His grace that brought salvation to me. Where will I be today without grace!!
I found your blog today and I thank God for what He is doing through you. I have been blessed by your posts.
Thank you so much for being the light.
Chizobam
Thank you for visiting, Chizobam, and for your kind words. May we overflow with grace as we go about our Father’s business in Jesus’ name.
We have to accept Jesus as our Lord and personal saviour to be able to attain these graces
Very true. Thank you, Nneoma!
his grace is forever sufficient…where will i be without his grace
Amen. Where, indeed, shall we be without God’s grace? Bless you, Rita!
Indeed, it not a story but a practical truth applicable to all Christians. Nice work big Mama
Bless you, Stanley!
Yes, thank God for His grace. Thanks for sharing!
Bless you, Bisi!
Grace: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. Thank you for a great post!
Thank you, Kathleen, for dropping by and for reminding me of that wonderful expression. You are blessed!
Oh that we would all embrace grace entirely! Thanks Edith!
Amen! Bless you, April!
The word ‘Grace’ is often teamed with mercy in the Scriptures – and that’s such a great teaming! Grace itself is a major part of Who God truly is, and has been defined as: God’s undeserved love and favour towards US! That’s what Grace is!
Praise God! To think that we have that at our disposal always! It’s simply awesome!
Everything we are is by his grace and not by our effort or by our strength or by our good work
Very true.
Aunty, how can someone with grace tend to run away from sins of the body, How can we protect the grace of God in us, how can we make one believe that we are living with Gods anointing grace. this issues has been a burden to me… examine and give me a solution to overcome earthly sin, so that i may dwell with heavenly grace of God
J.C, you need to be born again first of all. You can live above sin in your own power. But when you are saved, the Holy Ghost living in you will help remind you of God’s word when temptation comes and give you the strength to resist it. That is how the grace works, my dear!
Aunty, you have given me a clear view on what GRACE can do in the life of a person. Now I can boldly say, I am a product of grace because the eye of my understanding has been enlightened..thank you ma…
You are indeed and so am I, praise God!
God’s grace is more than sufficient for us. His grace has really helped me overcome numerous trials and temptations
Me too! Without His grace, our lives would be: one day, many troubles.
Thanks Aunty Edith for this wonderful piece. It brings clarity to the subject of Grace. God’s holy nature is still the same yesterday, today and forever. There is never a time He condones sin. His grace is sufficient for us. God bless.
Yes, Richard, the availability of God’s grace is not a licence for us to relax in sin. You are blessed as well.
Thank you for reminding me that I can do all things and overcome trials by the grace of God.
Yes, you can! Bless you, Miriam!
I am a preacher of grace but people around me don’t understand why I always talk about His grace. I am happy to say that God’s grace brought me this far. Remain blessed, Aunty
Amen, my dear! May that grace keep all of us who have put our faith in the Lord Jesus till we appear before the the great white throne in Jesus’ name.
If salvation was by works and not grace, what filthy Christians we would be! Grace does it all.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me ….
Clearly understood ma. Is not all about me and my abilities or inabilities. Rather, is all about God who has made His grace available unto us. Glory be to God .
Amen! His grace gives us leverage in life. Hallelujah!
Thank you Lord for the unmerited grace you are showering on us. Am very sure I will be no where without God’s grace. It’s not by power, it’s not by might…
God’s grace will always be sufficient for us Amen..bless you ma.
Tnk God for Gods grace becos his grace has rily given us life
Infact, I would say that the life we are living today, our whole being, is all by the grace of God. He is our all and all. Nice one Ma, keep it up.
Grace is pertinent in every one’s life. Grace overcomes sin, trials and tribulations and helps us preach the good news of the Lord.
Ma, ride on and bombard us with more of the grace teachings. It is important for people like us, the younger generation.
lovely article. it really enriches those that read it.
Praise God!
The earlier we devote ourselves to him the better. tnk God for his mercy on us.
No man can stand right with God or move mountains except being exempted by His grace… Grace is a mysterious force used as a tool by God that no mortal can comprehend completely… God bless you ma
God’s grace is ever sufficient. It’s a privilege to be living in the time of grace, although most of us abuse it.
God’s grace is all we truly need in this perilous world.
i am a product of Gods grace… God bless you ma.
This piece is a food for thought.. Nice one ma
God’s grace is a privilege many seek. By His grace, we achieve completeness. Nice write-up Ma.
We all are living by grace,without Gods grace on our lives ,we would HV been doomed. i pray the grace of God remain ever sufficient In our lives
The grace of God is always with us for ever, as long as you believe the working power of the death of our lord Jesus Christ.
From my experience as a believer, I have realised that without grace, it is impossible to please God, just like without faith it is impossible to please God.
Thank you Jesus for your grace which have kept me this far, if not for your grace where would I have been today, even in all my sinful nature your grace still keeps me. Lord I love you
It not a story but a practical truth .it brings clarity to the subject of grace.there is never a time he condones sin.
As a believer, without the Grace of God in my life I am nothing. The grace of God is always sufficient.
God’s grace is what holds any believer.it is our tenet….we are proof of his grace!hallelujah!!
Grace to me is God’s love towards us. It’s God’s gift to us. It’s God’s full work not ours. Just like the Bible says that it’s not by our might lest any man should boast. But it’s not a liberty to continue in sin but to draw us to his loving nature.
Grace is God’s endowed love on us that keeps us strong even in times of darkness .
The grace of is an end to all sorrows in ones life because it is an enablement
Grace is God’s unmerited favour upon us as Christians which gives us access to Gods inheritance and removes law from acusing us but let us not abuse it
Thanks for the wonderful article, I feel spiritually rejuvenated
God’s grace aid us in the course of the work of sanctification. We recognize that many times and in many ways God’s special love is such that he offers us help to live in a way that leads to sharing his life.
God’s grace aids us in our lives. It gives us the power to overcome temptations, trials and obstacles. I appreciate God for the gift of his grace.
The grace of God makes it possible for us to overcome trials and we should endeavor not to take the grace for granted by living in sin but with the help of the world of God we will live right and we will enjoy more of God grace.
His Grace or nothing.
However, I bemoan the generation of Churches who preach Once saved is saved, covered by grace. Giving members go ahead to continue in sin.
God’s grace is an enabler to do His work, I pray he shows us grace to do His will abiding.
Gods grace is everlasting. Hallelujah!!! Wouldn’t know how i would stand without his Grace. With his grace am protected, i lack nothing and things work out for my good. All because of his Grace. Thank u Jesus
We are nothing without Gods grace in our lives, also we are aimless if we aim without his grace on us.
Very important we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and savior, so we can be referred to as sons and daughters of grace.
His grace is sufficient for those who accept him as their personal Lord and savior.
God’s grace has brought us out of darkness into his marvelous light but for us to access it we must be bornagain.
I will also like to see grace as a gift from God. Having God’s grace is still by the mercy of God. Grace can be seen as our heritage in Christ also. And with grace we wax strong in the gospel.
God’s grace, indeed unending. Many a time I wonder who I would be and the kind of life I would be living without His grace,We are indeed nothing without His grace.
It is only by the grace of God that we are saved, it is not by power or by our might but by his grace. Pray for grace
I can’t thank the Lord enough for his grace upon my life. His grace has been ever sufficient for me? even in my weakness