The definition of Grace, is God’s favor/gift towards the unworthy, or God’s benevolence on the undeserving. It is a virtue of God and He gives it to us freely and we are undeserving of it. We have done nothing and can’t do anything to obtain grace in any shape or form. It is a gift from God to all mankind. If we could obtain grace by individual acts, then grace would cease to exist. Romans 11:6, Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. Grace, love and mercy are all closely connected when it pertains to the attributes of God. Ephesians 2:4-10, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Grace was given to mankind in the beginning of the Bible and grace is given to all who accept Christ till the very end of Revelation. God created Adam in his own image from dust and from the ground He breathed the breath of life into his nostrils (Genesis 2:7). God created Eden and in the middle of the garden planted the tree of life as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gives Adam one commandment, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die (Genesis 2:16-17).” God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone and caused a deep sleep and took a rib from him and created woman, which Adam later named Eve. If we look closely we see that Eve added to God’s commandment when she was being deceived by the devil. Genesis 3:3, “But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” The devil of course deceives Eve into eating from the tree and she gives it to Adam. It may have been God’s plan to have Adam and Eve eat from the tree of life and live forever. But because of disobedience I believe they had a spiritual death and the connection with God was destroyed. Genesis 3:22-24, The Lord God said, “Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat and live forever.” So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life. God had every reason and right to punish Adam and Eve with death at that very moment of disobedience. But yet His grace, that all are undeserving of, gave us another way to redemption and the ability to one day eat from the tree of life and live forever in heaven. Revelation 22:19, And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written in this book.
Jesus Christ was sent to lift the curse, be our redeemer, bring us salvation and free us from the sin committed by Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3:15, God already prophesized that Jesus Christ would strike the head of the serpent (Satan). Because of God’s grace, He already had a plan for our salvation, which was the sacrifice of His Son Jesus for all of mankind’s sin. John 1:14-18, The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (See previous post about Truth). (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side – he has revealed him. God created all things (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2) and the grace and truth that are the virtues of God came to us in the form of flesh and blood, in Jesus Christ. It is because of God’s grace and the sacrifice of His own Son, that we who are unworthy, now have access to God! Nothing we achieve or do in this life can ever equal that free gift of grace given to us by our Heavenly Father. Romans 5:8, But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
All of us are recipients of God’s grace and we are also to be an instrument of God’s grace to others. I Peter 4:10-11, Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. Jesus commissioned the disciples and all those who believe to spread his good news to all four corners of the earth. We are to live and act like Christ (Read Imitate Me post), so others may see Christ in us and be saved. Grace is full of love and festers no hate. We are to pray for our enemies and bring the lost to Christ.
Leprosy was seen as a curse by man as a punishment from God for doing something so evil/sin in the time of Jesus. Lepers had to live separately/quarantined, could not come six feet from an un-infected person and had to wear torn clothing, cover his mouth and lower face and cry out, “Unclean, Unclean when near other people (Leviticus 13:45-46). Imagine the mental, physical and emotional toll that a person with leprosy went through. The world despised you and believed you committed such a horrible sin against God that this was your punishment. You were guilty without a doubt. Your skin had open sores, oozing and loss of sensation in your nerves. Your family could not be with you, couldn’t hug, shake or be around your loved ones. Religious leaders developed strict rules to keep them separated. You could never go to the temple to offer atonement for your sins, so you were not only cut off from humans but also cut off from God. You are abandoned, nameless, faceless, no hope and probably depressed at this point. We now know that Leprosy is caused by an infectious disease (Mycobacterium leprae) and can be treated with medications. In Luke 5:12-16 (Mat 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45), While he was in one of the towns, a man was there who had leprosy all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown and begged him: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the leprosy left him. Then he ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them.” The leper had so much faith in Christ, that he just knelt down and asked Jesus if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus full of grace touched the man who the world would not touch, ignored and healed him completely. Christ’s grace is above all human law and there is no situation in our lives that he can’t save us from. Jesus tells the healed leper to go to the priest to make the required offering which was part of the law so that the man can be restored back into society and no longer be seen as a cursed outcast. We are all cursed in some way or another, whether physically or mentally, but only when we have faith can the grace that is freely given by God restore us.
The power of grace has given all access to God and sin will not rule over us any longer. Romans 5:1-2, Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope and the glory of God. If we do not accept grace, we can see the adversary the devil working in those who are lost. Jude 1:4, For some people, who were designated for this judgement long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Those who deny Christ rather live for the flesh and not the spirit. There will always be a battle between the flesh and spirit. Romans 6:12-14, Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey it desires. And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons of righteousness. For sin will not rule over your, because you are not under the law but under grace. Grace has given us the access to our Heavenly Father and due to God’s grace, it has defeated sin. Our desire is to sin no more after we believe and accept God’s grace. To never go back to the same life and that sin in your life. If you deny grace, you are denying Christ and living a life for the flesh and not the spirit.
Grace has given us eternal life and to be a part of God’s Kingdom forever. Romans 5:12-21, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who do not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgement, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grace is a virtue of God and a gift that has freely been given by God to his people who have faith in Him. Grace has given us access to God, because Christ died for us. Grace has defeated sin, and where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more (Romans 5:20). Those who believe that their sin can’t be forgiven, underestimate the power of God’s grace. Asking God for forgiveness and with true repentance in one’s heart, grace is more powerful and forgiving towards sin. There must be a true change, faith, prayer and grace will help build that relationship with God. 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away and see, the new has come! Pray without ceasing and take all your burdens to Christ. There is a reason why the Bible ends with Revelation 22:21, The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen. Without the grace of God, none of this would be possible! Accept and know that God’s grace is waiting for you, to change your life and give you access to Him!
