THE ESSENCE OF GRACE

What really is grace?

Where is its source, How does it work, what is its purpose, why does man need grace and when?

Growing up there used to be this large contention about whether or not it is possible for a man to be perfect, totally free from all sin, blameless, holy like God(not as in divinity), we often wondered whether or not it was possible to have men like Daniel, Paul walk on today’s earth, it’s finally clear to me.

I’ve heard my struggle with this for years and I hate to say it has hindered my growth as a Christian over the years because I failed to understand the import of grace into the life of Christian; this lack of understanding has brought me time again to a state of rising and falling as a Christian more often than I will like to admit.

Grace is God’s hand extended to man. It is

God’s

Riches

At

Christ

Expense.

Grace is what is given to us when a sinner repents of his sin and accepts Christ. Grace is God coming into our lives, working with us and in us so that all of the inconsistencies in our life are removed and we live for His glory which is the very purpose for which are created.

Unfortunately, in the church only one side of the work of grace is often preached.

Grace takes away all our sin on one side and on the other side it empowers us to live in righteousness. The fullness of grace is when both sides are accomplished in our lives.

I recently heard a preacher say that “if you claim that Christ is your saviour and you have to wait till your death to be totally free from sin, then Christ isn't your saviour, Death is”.

Christ shed his blood not so our sins can be covered but so we can be cleansed from our sin, so not only does his blood make us free from the power of sin but it makes us free from the sin itself.

We are thus passed from:

Sin to righteousness

Darkness to Light

Uncleanliness to Holiness

Now I understand for some, this happens immediately and for some it takes time depending on the size of your faith. But you cannot continue to trample on the blood of Christ by your sin and keep saying that God’s grace covers that; what happened to the other side of grace.

The amount of grace you receive is proportional to your level of faith.

Grace empowers to live in righteousness, if it did not then Christ’s sacrifice will be incomplete.

The essential thing is to believe that you can live above sin and be free from its shackles. You and I can be free, it is what Christ died and shed his blood for, Christ died to destroy the work of the devil and sin is one of them.

By Faith, believe and say, I am free to live righteously, Lord Jesus by your grace I exchange all my unrighteousness for your righteousness.

Hallelujah. Shalom.