What is the biblical meaning of Grace?
Over time, the church has defined grace through the natural man's understanding while forfeiting the biblical definition of grace.
Because the bible does not outrightly define this word, it's easy to ascribe the world's definition to grace or assume we understand what we think it means.
But in my walk with God, I've been taught over and over again to see how God's thoughts are far from mine and the goal is to align my thought process with his.
Through His word.
What is the biblical definition of grace?
Like Perfection, have we been defining it wrongly?
Has it been misunderstood?
To understand the true meaning of grace, we must be willing to understand its insertion within the context of scripture.
When God's word is misunderstood, it hinders us from living out God's will or loving Him the way he desires to be loved.
It's futile to love a God we hardly know or understand.
Our love begins when we love God according to his love language and this comes by understanding his heart.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
Ephesians 2:8
First, we need to understand how Grace plays a major role in our Salvation process.
Without Grace, there would be no salvation.
Our New-birth experience was by grace through faith.
It wasn’t because we loved God. It was simply by grace alone.
We did nothing to deserve it, neither did we work to get it.
All we had to do was believe. God loved us, had mercy on us and quickened our spirit to be joined to Christ.
So we can say God's grace is seen as God's love and favour according to New-birth experience.
You can read more on that HERE and HERE.
After being saved, it's easy to feel indebted to start developing a kind of righteousness of our own.
We could stop wearing earrings, make up and the likes and feel that is God’s will.
We could run out to start preaching without even learning about God who birthed us FIRST.
It's not far fetched to start cultivating pious habits that have nothing to do with God’s leading.
As I mentioned in previous posts, we CANNOT assume God’s will.
We need to hear before we do it. God reveals his word to us as we follow Jesus daily.
We must learn to wait on the Spirit in Fellowship and this is where we fetch from.
So our obedience and pleasing God isn’t something conjured by us, but God ordained and God inspired.
The Holy-Spirit who knows the father’s heart will show us what Father wants; when he wants it, and how he wants it. This is how working for God is different from Man’s definition of working for God.
Supply of grace is important for our salvation process
Over time I’ve seen people translate grace in light of human understanding and not scriptural definition.
Some call it unmerited favour.
But let’s look at the following verses to get a clearer picture of grace
For God’s people perish for lack of knowledge.-Hosea 4:6
For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. It (Grace) INSTRUCTS us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
Titus 2:11
According to the biblical meaning of grace, grace is meant to help us live holy lives after getting born again.
Instead of giving excuses for our sin, we are to resist and rise above it till it is eliminated. (James 4:7-10).
We could miss it a couple of times, but the goal is to keep going till we attain perfection.
We were saved for ONE reason-To be like Christ.
For this reason Grace was provided so we can run the race set before us.
The Law was given so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more.
Romans 5:20
Grace is the divine ability to live above sin
We may fall seven times and more (Proverbs24:16), but God’s grace is able to lift us again to keep following Jesus.
Any gospel that tells you grace is available so just do as you like can NEVER be from God.
Why?
Because the Grace of God according to scriptural definition is divine ability/God's energy.
Grace is able to help us live godly lives; it is here to help us renounce sin and live for God alone.
Grace enables us to do what our flesh/natural man could never do.
So Grace is help from God.
But he said to me, “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2Corinthians 12:9
In the above scripture, GRACE is revealed as an ability to overcome Paul’s weakness.
Even while he was suffering, God believed His grace was strong enough to help Paul rise above that thorn in his flesh.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of GRACE and truth.
John 1:14
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that GRACE may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:1
Strength to resist sin and please God
From the above verses, there is one thing Grace is supposed to do;- Give us strength to resist sin.
Not to live in denial of sin, but the DIVINE ABILITY to overcome Sin.
Grace is the ability to keep walking with God until we get it.
Through God's supply of grace, we are able to do things that we were unable to do by our strength.
So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord-Romans 5:21
Romans 5:21
Moses came with the Law, but Jesus came Full of Grace and Truth.
Before Jesus, men were unable to resist sin. Sin was so mysterious it took advantage of the law and overcame men- (Romans 7:8)
But Jesus was the One who came to show us Sin could be overcome. In Him.
Jesus embodied Grace (God's divine ability and love)
God presented his Son as a role model, a pattern to live by and follow. If Jesus lived this life and pleased God to the End, then we can also do it. Because God doesn’t want Sons who look nothing like Jesus.
Hence Grace was supplied for this reason.
I hope with this understanding in mind, we are able to utilise and live with God’s grace, eager to run our race to the End.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work
Bloom with love. Xx!