The engine races as the group of nursing student's speed home after an 11:00 o'clock clinical. Nearly missing a pedestrian in the crosswalk, the sleek Toyota screeches to a halt in front of talge hall. Three white coated students rush to the front desk. Although it is already 45 minutes past curfew they are confident. Why? Because they have grace.
When we as Christians talk about grace what do we mean? In 7th grade my Bible teacher asked our class "What is grace"? No one had to think twice. "Grace is the unmerited favor of God." was the prompt reply. I agree one hundred percent with this statement. Grace is God's unmerited favor, but what IS that favor. I think the answer lies in a phrase that we use often without even thinking about what it really means. We have all heard people say "But for the grace of God." "But for the grace of God I would be a drunk" "But for the grace of God, I would be a murderer" We see someone living their life without a thought for God and we say "But for the grace of God, there I would be also." What do we mean when we say "by the grace of God"? Jeff Tatarchuck suggested to me that we are saying that grace is God's unmerited favor and that unmerited favor is Strength. Listen to what Jesus said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8 :
When we as Christians talk about grace what do we mean? In 7th grade my Bible teacher asked our class "What is grace"? No one had to think twice. "Grace is the unmerited favor of God." was the prompt reply. I agree one hundred percent with this statement. Grace is God's unmerited favor, but what IS that favor. I think the answer lies in a phrase that we use often without even thinking about what it really means. We have all heard people say "But for the grace of God." "But for the grace of God I would be a drunk" "But for the grace of God, I would be a murderer" We see someone living their life without a thought for God and we say "But for the grace of God, there I would be also." What do we mean when we say "by the grace of God"? Jeff Tatarchuck suggested to me that we are saying that grace is God's unmerited favor and that unmerited favor is Strength. Listen to what Jesus said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8 :
"My GRACE is sufficient for you,
for my STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness."
for my STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness."
In parrallelism we see how God's GRACE is His free gift of STRENGTH. Yes, God's grace is encompasess so much more than simply strength. But when I apply this concept to my life, I find strength to over come such habits as procrastination, lustful thoughts, hateful feelings, and my own ambitions. I am a weak human being and I badly need strength.
Listen to what these verses say when we interpret grace as strength
Listen to what these verses say when we interpret grace as strength
"Being justified freely by his STRENGTH through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
"For the STRENGTH of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men," (Titus 2:11)
"For by STRENGTH are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
God's grace is powerful enough to make us right with God, so that we can live eternally with Him. But it also provides strength to turn away from temptations here on earth and live a happy, full, joyful life until He comes again.
6 comments:
grace is the cord in the bungy jump of life
hehe... I like your opening paragraph, it is quite accurate :)
... but Paul, wouldn't faith be the cord... I suppose it is a cord of many cords :)
Perhaps grace is seeing the inside of God's heart.
I am glad that no one got the wrong Idea. Grace is an ilimitable amount of things. Never in a million years will we completely understand God's unmerited favor, but the more we do, the more we can trust Him with our actions.
Just wanted to let you know that my link is now www.kindlingforhim.blogspot.com .
Good post Brian. And I will be sincerely praying for your upcoming decisions about your summer plans. I didn't mean to joke about it earlier. See ya :)
I like this idea. Grace is strength, the means by which we are rescued. I also think that you could substitute the word compassion for grace as you did with strength. Because it is the compassion and love of God that caused him to redeem us. Perhaps it is better said that compassion is the moving force behind grace, the reason for grace.
Caitlin:
Who's faith?
actually, this is a pretty hot topic in theology these days. A close reading of the greek shows that Luther was wrong and EGW was right--most of the biblical references to faith deal with the faithfulness of Jesus, not anything we have or come up with.
so, in His faithfulness, Jesus gives us saving grace. our faith involves believing in the bungy cord rather than trying to fly.
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