This is why the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does.
And this is not your own doing it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. The Bible tells us that grace is a FREE GIFT. How can God accept me as the broken, messed up wreck that I am and not expect anything in return? We are convinced that we have to DO something to earn this kind of favor from God. We are scared because we cannot believe it is true. We can do NOTHING to earn it, and it is very hard for us to wrap our minds around this. It is completely free and undeserved with no strings attached. However, these rules do not apply to God’s GRACE. There are winners and losers, right? And we are judged according to how we measure up or perform. We live in a world of earning, deserving, and achieving. Tozer 3 REASONS WHY GOD’S GRACE MAY SCARE YOU 1) Because GOD’S GRACE is FREE Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits on the undeserving.” A.W. Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it.” Paul Zahl is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him.” Jerry Bridges Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.” John Stott Grace is free, sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.” B.B. Here are some other ways people have defined GRACE: That’s not a bad way to characterize grace, but it is not a sufficient theological definition.” Someone has proposed an acronym: GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Some of the most detailed theology textbooks do not offer any concise definition of the term. Defining it succinctly is notoriously difficult. John MacArthur adds, “Grace is a terribly misunderstood word. Grace means God sending His only Son to die on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who deserved the opposite of love. What is God’s grace really? Where does grace come from? And how do we actually experience this unmerited favor, this gift of God? The simplest definition of GRACEis this: the free, unmerited favor of God toward man (Bible Dictionary). GRACE DISPLAYED: What does grace look like?.GRACE DELIVERED: How do we receive grace?.We will try to take some of the mystery out of GRACE looking at it from 3 perspectives: I am just a simple girl reading the Scriptures and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to me.
I am not a trained Bible scholar, theologian, or pastor. My disclaimer is that I do not have all the answers. Together, we are going to deal with the fear, the doubts, and the questions that arise. In the next few weeks, we are going to break down grace, take it apart, and examine it closely. Yes, you read that correctly, but please keep reading and allow me to explain. Why? Why is it so hard to look this kind of grace full in the face and accept it? WHY GRACE WILL SCARE YOU The kind of grace that we often misunderstand, take for granted, or ignore. But the underlying current running through all of Paul’s teaching is GRACE. The apostle Paul, who writes this letter, tackles some of the weightiest issues of Christianity with blunt force. Many say it is the crown jewel of the New Testament. Romans is a doctrinally rich book of the Bible. I have spent the last 8 months studying and teaching the book of Romans. Welcome to Mindful Monday, and while my intention is not to frighten you as you begin your week, I do want to grab your attention as we delve into a very serious topic this month: God’s GRACE. But scary? How could grace scare anybody? GOD’S GRACE IN THE BIBLE
And many (including me) still struggle to grasp its full meaning. Philip Yancey calls it “the last best word.” Others say it is the single most important concept in the Bible.