For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 WEY
Grace is God's unearned and undeserved favor. In essence, it is God's free gift, something that cannot be earned. Grace is God stooping down to our level because of His Goodness, not our goodness or merit.
The cross of Christ demonstrated the majestic mercy and grand goodness of the Father. It revealed a love that is matchless and unparalleled. It also showed us that grace is a gift that must be received and something that can't be achieved.
Paul was granted the privilege to receive the revelation of God's Grace. He dedicated many chapters and verses in his Epistles to the Grace of God. Look at a key statement he made under the direction of the Spirit concerning Grace;
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
Look at this in Weymouth Translation;
For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit—Ephesians 2:8 WEY
This passage plainly defines the true nature of God's Grace, it is unearned, unmerited, and undeserved. It is free of any boasting or claims of earned favor. It is all about Him and has nothing to do with us.
Yet even with passages like this given by the inspiration of God, we still find ourselves clinging to works and performance-rooted traditions. We think and feel we must contribute something. It can't really be that free, that sounds irresponsible.
Why is this? Because we are conditioned to the natural realm more than the spiritual realm. Paul tells us this natural realm is temporal and subject to change.
Yes, in the practical, natural world, merit can be a good thing.
All things being equal, we award the promotion to the one who is the best-suited and qualified candidate. In the athletic realm, we award the trophy to the one who endured and scored the most points. This is okay in the natural, it is a way to be fair and equal.
Guess what, though, the athlete who scored the most scored their best that day. That doesn't mean they will score that well tomorrow or the next day. Merit has a place in the natural, but even then, it is fallible and rooted in personal strength alone.
This is why God cut the New Covenant with Jesus and not with fallible man. Jesus is perfect and flawless, but we aren't.
We may score the best one day but could also score the worst a few days later. This is why personal merit, performance, and performance are faulty grounds to base our relationship with God.
God, in His wisdom, knew this.
Consider three words that can revolutionize your relationship with God: not of yourselves. Paul, under the Spirit’s inspiration, captured the heart of grace in these simple yet profound words. They sum up the Gospel: it’s all about Jesus, not us.
On the Cross, we saw the great exchange. Jesus took and bore all our sins and the death sentence and exchanged it with His forgiveness, Righteousness, and new life. This exchange was not of ourselves, but only through Jesus and His perfection. He was the spotless Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
Grace is completely about Jesus alone. Grace is not of ourselves; it is of God, not any achievements, deeds, or abstinence from sinning we could accomplish.
If it is not of ourselves, then on whose shoulders does it bear to get it perfectly right? Is it us or Jesus? If it is not of ourselves then it can only be Christ alone. Isn't that the Gospel message summed up? Christ alone bore the penalty and paid the price in full.
If it is not of ourselves, then what are we doing attempting to enter God's presence based on our merits?
If it is not of ourselves, why are we petitioning God for answered prayers based on our behavior, our good deeds, or our performance?
If it's not of ourselves, We come to the Father based on Jesus, and nothing we have done or could do.
It is not of ourselves, it is totally and completely based on Jesus alone. We pray in Jesus' name. That means we are coming to the Father based on Jesus' goodness, Jesus' Righteousness, and His acceptance.
In summation, Abundance of Grace means embracing the truth that it’s entirely about Jesus, not us. To receive Grace is to receive more of Him—His righteousness, His goodness, His sufficiency. Jesus is more than enough, covering every shortcoming and meeting every need.
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
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