What does grace mean to you? Let me tell you what it means to me

[txchvs]

The working definition is 'unmerited favor' but it really doesn't do the real meaning justice. Grace breaks the will with a love that while we were yet sinners Christ died for our sins.

Grace not only saves us but sanctifies us, apart from Christ we can do nothing and to make myself clear, your merit counts for nothing. If one were to ask the Apostle Paul how it is that he worked so hard and suffered so much and bringing so many the Gospel, he would, and did, tell us that it is by grace.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (I Cor. 15:10)

A good working definition for grace is 'unmerited favor', Paul worked in the ministry field by grace alone and he is crystal clear on this point. The merits of Christian ministry are Christ's alone we can add nothing. James in speaking to believers who were obviously showing favoritism was simply telling them that this is not how saving faith works. He was outraged that a wealthy Christian could teach a poor Christian as inferior when they themselves apart from Christ are poor, pitiful, blind and naked.

When announcing the death of Martin Luther King Robert Kennedy quoted this:

“In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” Aeschylus

Perhaps because of the solemness of the occasion or possibly the crushing weight of grace in my life these words best describe grace as I have come to know it. I must forgive, even as I am forgiven. It is then in my despair, against my will, comes the awful grace of God. Or perhaps it was here:

In the final hours of darkness, in the garden there he prayed.
Father take this cup from me, is there any other way.
As his prayer turned into pleading, his sweat turned into blood,
Father prepare me now, your will not mine be done.

Then the thousand came to take the one, and there he stood betrayed.
By the kiss that found forever, the lamb who would be slain.
They said which one is Jesus and he spoke these simple words,
And the thousand fell before the answer that changed the world,

I am he he said

In the final hours of darkness in the gardens of my search,
tempatations grown around me like thorns around the word.
I saw my sin before me and I felt my heart turn numb.
When I cried Lord, where is my strength, came the answer that changed my life.

I am He he said.

(Terry Talbot, I am He)

Grace and peace,
Mark

[IMINXTC]

The picture of a father helping his son to learn baseball has always been a helpful analogy to me.

The child holds the bat, but the father holds the child's arms, giving him strength. And while the boy watches the pitch the father helps to guide the swing.

As time goes by, the boy grows in strength and wisdom, always heeding the Father's call.

[txchvs]

The picture of a father helping his son to learn baseball has always been a helpful analogy to me.

The child holds the bat, but the father holds the child's arms, giving him strength. And while the boy watches the pitch the father helps to guide the swing.

As time goes by, the boy grows in strength and wisdom, always heeding the Father's call.

Your analogy seems like it's along the same lines as your avatar. Got kind of a chill then that occurred to me. I wonder, would you care to elaborate because I suspect there is more beneath the surface, perhaps much more. By the way, I love that avatar, who is the artist and is it possible to get a print?

Grace and peace,
Mark

[crossnote]

Grace is inseparably linked with the cross.

[IMINXTC]

Your analogy seems like it's along the same lines as your avatar. Got kind of a chill then that occurred to me. I wonder, would you care to elaborate because I suspect there is more beneath the surface, perhaps much more. By the way, I love that avatar, who is the artist and is it possible to get a print?

Grace and peace,
Mark

Oh yes,

The Old Man And The Sea, 2009, Acrylic on canvas - Wenlan Hu Frost - I'm still waiting for response to an enquiry about the availability of a print. But will let you know.

The analogy of the fisherman is, beyond doubt, an important theme to me:

And Jesus said unto them, come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark1:17

[lovex]

I have been thinking so much about the Lord's grace. I've been getting memories of who I was in the past, without Christ, and looking to where He has brought me now... wow, only by His grace. I found myself standing in a room with people all around me worshiping Christ. In my head I thought "I would have never...ever... pictured myself being in the center of a room where all I wanted to do was fall to my knees to worship my King". It was only two years ago that Christ came into my life. I ignored Him for 17 years... and finally, I could see. Only by His grace was I released from this world and all the bonding that comes with it. Only Christ could have that power. Grace is a beautiful, beautiful part of Jesus Christ. He gave His life while He knew we'd all still sin against Him. He never regrets what He did. He wants to see us turn to Him, regardless of what we've done. It's all about Christ.

[drn123]

What do you mean by the awful grace of God? Maybe this means that His grace is awsome or maybe ful of awe or wonderment. All the grace that I have recieved from God has been absolutely wonderful. God gave me the grace to quit smoking in one day after smoking for fourty eight years and not one moment of craving after a cig. That is what grace is to me, and much more too numerous to mention. God bless you all David

[Dani H]

Grace means everything to me.

You're completely right. To box it in as "unmerited favor" is quite glib and barely scratching the surface.

People who realize what grace is are unable to describe it, but happily live in the reality of it, with their hearts full of wonder, every single day of their lives. Amazing grace, it is.

Full of grace and truth, my Jesus is. There is none like Him.

[txchvs]

What do you mean by the awful grace of God? Maybe this means that His grace is awsome or maybe ful of awe or wonderment. All the grace that I have recieved from God has been absolutely wonderful. God gave me the grace to quit smoking in one day after smoking for fourty eight years and not one moment of craving after a cig. That is what grace is to me, and much more too numerous to mention. God bless you all David

Well, it's like when Jacob was at Bethal and said, 'this is a dreadful place'. More then that I think grace is crushing, that is devastates to ego and leaves you utterly without any merit. You don't deserve anything but judgment and condemnation but you are embraced as the righteousness of God in Christ. There is just one major problem with grace though, you must forgive as you have been forgiven and grace empowers us for service. If the world hated Christ, it will hate you.

When I want to despair, when I want to quit, when I simply can't do it, grace comes crashing in. Such is the awful grace of God, as wonderful as it is, it is none the less devastating.

Grace and peace,
Mark

[episkopos]

Grace is the power of love shed abroad in our hearts. It is God's reality enveloping our own. Grace is a touch from God...a divine opening and empowering to do what is good in His sight. Grace is God directing someone like a father directing a son in the right path. It is His embrace.

[txchvs]

Some truly beautiful thoughts on grace, let me share a few I was thinking about today. When you read the Proverbs who do you think of when your read about the 'fool'? I used to avoid the book because I thought it was talking about me and that's just plain rude for an ancient writer to get that personal. Just kidding but not really, when you read Romans 1 do you think of all those wretched sinners out in the world or does it bear a striking resemblance to someone that looks a lot like you? I know when I look at the cross I see just how bad my sin is, I know how it is toward the things of God and the price that was paid for it. When I was yet a sinner Christ died not for a good man but a wretch like me, if that doesn't crush your ego I don't know what will.

Spent a lot of time early in my Christian life standing on doctrinal issues, I came to believe that justification by faith was the keystone of Christian doctrine. When the smoke cleared and in quite times I began to realize I was missing something important, it was implied but I really never emphasized it. It's justification but grace through faith. While that might seem a bit of a dubious distinction it has come to mean more and more to me. I still believe in Christ alone, faith alone, scripture alone but none of these are as important to me and grace alone.

Grace and peace,
Mark

[Equipped_4_Love]

Until we understand the severity of sin, I don't think it's possible to understand the richness and complexity of God's grace. I really don't think that there are any words that truly define it....We can comprehend it, but not in a complete way. I really do think that, at its deepest level, it is beyond our comprehension.

God's grace must be taken in light of His other attributes, also, such as His righteousness, holiness, and even His judgment. I have been thinking a lot about the mercy of God, in light of His judgment, and I am starting to see God's judgment as a SIGN of His mercy and grace, because He is using His judgment to draw me to Him so that He could exercise His grace in my life. God's chastening can also be seen as His grace working in our lives.

God's grace doesn't end with our salvation, but it carries through to our sanctification. God's grace is perfect. It is perfect at a level that we cannot possibly comprehend. God grants us grace that we may show grace to others, but even so, you can't even really compare the 2. God's grace is all-sufficient.....It is sufficient for every trial that we endure, and it goes SOOOO beyond God's blessing in our lives. We must look at our trials and tribulations in light of the grace of God...What is God trying to teach me here? How is His grace working through this in my circumstance?

I've heard the acronym "GRACE - God's riches at Christ's expense," but that is over-simplifying it. God's grace didn't begin at the death of Christ, but Christ died IN ORDER THAT God could manifest this grace -- the grace that was already present with Him -- to us on a different, more dynamic level in our lives. It is this grace that enabled the temple curtain to be torn, so that we can enter into the presence of God.

We were created to experience this grace. Angels cannot experience God's grace like we can. We are the ONLY living creatures who are able to experience God's grace in such intimate ways. Like Dani said, God's grace is EVERYTHING. We are alive ONLY by the grace of God. It is by His grace that we are even able to have a personal relationship with Him, and by His grace that His presence is manifest in our lives.

[Neanias]

Grace is the power of God travailing in us both to will and to do what pleases Him.

[txchvs]

Just to add a theological note, grace is not permissive or a license to sin. Grace justifies in order to sanctify:

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:1-4)

Justification starts the sanctification process which is the ministry of the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter promised to the Church at the Last Supper. Faith is never alone but with regards to faith that brings salvation it is apart from works.

All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. (Acts 10:43:44)

Faith is an act of obedience, (John 7:38; Acts 16:31). This is the specific act of faith by which a sinner is justified before God (Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9; John 3:16-36; Acts 10:43; 16:31). What is more this passage directly ties the reception of the Holy Spirit with receiving the Holy Spirit which is the seal that guarantees our inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession (Eph 1:13).

Grace saves, grace sanctifies and grace works to produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness.

Grace and peace,
Mark