Grace What Is It?
Grace comes for the unconditional love of God. This unconditional love is a foundational belief. But there is a problem with some people who think that because God’s love is unconditional that they can sin. No sin will always bring destruction into our lives even if we are grace people. Our bad decisions result in bad things happening to us, but this is not God’s judgment.
Grace is defined as God’s ability working in man making him able to do what he can’t do on his own.
What is it that man can’t do on his own? Change himself.
Grace comes to us through the unmerited favor of God. But grace itself isn’t the unmerited favor. If we attempt to change ourselves in our own strengthen, the change will only last as long as we put forth that effort. The change in us comes from God’s ability bringing effortless change into our lives.
Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Under the old covenant/testament, people had to work very hard to change through the law. But the law didn’t give them the power to change. The law did not change them; it simply gave them a standard of conduct.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Anytime we get into sin, it is a deliberate choice. The new life that Jesus came to give us is more than a ticket to heaven, it is a new nature. This new nature was born in our spirit instantly once we received Jesus into our lives.
Heb 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Heb 12:23 to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to a judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect,
When we receive Jesus into our lives, our spirit is made perfect. The fact that our spirit has now been made perfect and that we have received a new nature now would be good enough if we didn’t have a body. We have to deal with our soul, which are our mind, will and emotions. When we first received Jesus our way of thinking didn’t change. We still did and said things that were wrong. Until we renew our minds (change our way of thinking) will we continue doing and saying things we shouldn’t. This doesn’t mean we’re not believers, it just means that we have a soul problem.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We gazed on his glory, the kind of glory that belongs to the Father's unique Son, who is full of grace and truth.
John 1:16 We have all received one gracious gift after another from his abundance,
We are able to receive the fullness of grace that Jesus received while he walked this earth. Most believers however are operating under the old covenant/testament. In other words it’s by their own performance and ability.
John 1:17 because while the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus the Messiah.
Man had truth before Jesus came, it was the law. But truth alone won’t set you free. The old covenant/testament was based on man’s ability. But the new covenant/testament is based on God’s ability.
2Co 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God.
Grace comes from our thanksgiving to God. Not focusing on the problem. You get more of what you focus on. So if your focus is on thanking God, then the more grace comes and operates in us.
