What is Grace?
April 8, 2014//
Topics to Dig Into
Romans
5:15, 18, 20 (NLT)
5:15, 18, 20 (NLT)
For
the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and
his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for
everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship
with God and a new life for everyone.
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they
were. But as people sinned more and
more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. (see the MSG translation below)
the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and
his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for
everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship
with God and a new life for everyone.
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they
were. But as people sinned more and
more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. (see the MSG translation below)
Grace has been a theme in my
devotions lately. What is grace? How do you define grace? Not the ‘good posture and flowing movements’
sort of grace. What is God’s grace?
devotions lately. What is grace? How do you define grace? Not the ‘good posture and flowing movements’
sort of grace. What is God’s grace?
Here’s my favorite definition: Grace is the undeserved love of God. It is God’s love for us that can’t be earned
or repaid. It’s a gift offered freely
without strings attached. An undeserved
gift.
or repaid. It’s a gift offered freely
without strings attached. An undeserved
gift.
I feel as though we’ve lost the
significance of God’s grace. We so often
hear how much God loves us (and He does!), that we forget that He doesn’t have
to. We aren’t entitled to His love. We haven’t been good enough for Him. We have nothing to offer except our gratitude
and reciprocal love.
significance of God’s grace. We so often
hear how much God loves us (and He does!), that we forget that He doesn’t have
to. We aren’t entitled to His love. We haven’t been good enough for Him. We have nothing to offer except our gratitude
and reciprocal love.
God doesn’t have to love us. But He does.
God loves us so much that He became one of us and suffered excruciating physical
and emotional pain to guarantee our place in His eternal presence. God could have given up on the human race
long ago when time and time again we failed to trust Him. But He didn’t. He continues to beckon us into a personal and
trusting relationship.
God loves us so much that He became one of us and suffered excruciating physical
and emotional pain to guarantee our place in His eternal presence. God could have given up on the human race
long ago when time and time again we failed to trust Him. But He didn’t. He continues to beckon us into a personal and
trusting relationship.
Do you recognize God’s grace? Do you appreciate it?
To comment, click the title at the
top of this email then comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like
to comment privately, you can email me at papachung3@aol.com.
top of this email then comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like
to comment privately, you can email me at papachung3@aol.com.
Excerpts
Romans 5:15-20 (MSG)
Romans 5:15-20 (MSG)
The
verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins
that followed was this wonderful life sentence.
If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you
imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who
grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand
setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins
that followed was this wonderful life sentence.
If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you
imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who
grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand
setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?
Here
it is in a nutshell: Just as one person
did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person
did it right and got us out of it. But
more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life!
it is in a nutshell: Just as one person
did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person
did it right and got us out of it. But
more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life!
All
that passing laws against sin did was to produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in
competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin
versus grace, grace wins hands down.
that passing laws against sin did was to produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in
competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin
versus grace, grace wins hands down.
Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
