Grace

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." – Galatians 5:13-17

As the apostle Paul matured in the faith, he recognized more and more that the missionary work he performed was only by God's power and grace. He often called himself the foremost of sinners:

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief - 1 Timothy 1:13-15

Paul murdered Christians, yet God's grace transformed him. He wrote most of the New Testament, spent his remaining years spreading the gospel, was persecuted greatly, and was eventually martyred for his faith.

I believe that grace is one of the most misunderstood doctrines in the Bible. Many people reject grace as too good to be true and others accept it superficially, believing that they can continue living just as they always have. They speak of liberty in Christ while they are still slaves to sin. Satan is the adversary that whispers that we deserve to indulge ourselves and then condemns us as being beyond salvation. God’s grace is a gift open to all who are willing to turn to Him. First though, we must understand grace and that it is the power of God unto salvation.

Today's text reveals the struggle people face when grace is misunderstood. We are saved by faith in Jesus' sacrificial atonement. We can do nothing to earn salvation. Once we are saved, we become the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that we are to crucify the flesh daily, follow His Spirit, and function as His body on earth fulfilling His will. Grace empowers us! God gives us freedom from sin's bondage, and we have liberty.

Before I was saved, I was a total mess. I was selfish, in debt, addicted to pornography, and was miserable. Satan whispered that God could not save me and could not use me for His purpose. Grace proved that Satan is a liar. God transformed me and has given me a life of purpose. I have freedom in Christ as His Spirit leads me. The power of grace is that it brings godliness. I am not justified by keeping the law, yet the Spirit directs my heart. I love God and others, and thereby live a life pleasing to God.

My freedom allows me to love and serve others without worrying about the letter of the law. Returning to a life of bondage to sin never crosses my mind, as Jesus has paid too high of a price to set me free. He paid my debt and I owe my life to Him. All God asks is that I walk in love and share the good news of the gospel. All of us are free from sin and are called as ambassadors to bring this truth of freedom to others.

Too often today, people deny that they are captives to sin and simply call their sinful actions their choice. They say that their lifestyle is not slavery but is simply the freedom to live as they desire. They do not believe that they need to repent because grace is enough. Unfortunately, this mindset is harmful because repentance is a crucial component of salvation. None of us can hold on to the flesh and walk by the Spirit. We all need to confess our sins and see the need to turn away from them. Jesus calls the lost and hurting to come to Him with a repentant heart and be changed.

He loves us too much to leave us in bondage. He calls us to repent so that He can set us free. That is Grace.