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| Goodness Gracious! -- Thoughts On Grace |
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2:8 For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
To "say grace" means to pray over a meal. "Grace" is sometimes a woman's name. "Amazing Grace" may be the most popular hymn of all time. But what does "grace" really mean?
The most common and popular definition seems to be: "unmerited favor." In most Christian circles this is taken to mean "the right to go to Heaven when you die, based on telling people (making a public confession) that you believe in Jesus".
One time this definition of "grace" popped into my mind. GRACE is G--God's, R--Righteous, A--Attributes, C--Continually, E--Expressed in our lives. One thing for sure, grace is not earned. Whatever it is, it is given freely.
I guess the question is: Is grace for when you die (to get you into Heaven) or is grace for this earthly life (to enable you to live your life in a Christian lifestyle)? Maybe grace is not either-or. Maybe it is both. Maybe if you have received genuine grace, you not only will go to Heaven when you die, but you will also live a godly, moral lifestyle here and now. If all I have is the right to enter Heaven after I die, but I can't or won't obey God on earth, maybe I don't really have God's grace at all. Is that possible?
The song says: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." The writer, John Newton (a former slave trader), is saying that he is no longer living a wretched lifestyle. Amazing grace didn't just give him a future in Heaven, but changed his way of life on earth. Now that is grace--a changed lifestyle!
I want to have GRACE -- God's Righteous Attributes Continually Expressed in my life. But I can't earn a Christian lifestyle by my own power. I need supernatural power in order to obey Jesus daily. I can't do it by myself--I must have grace in order to live godly. But when God gives me His grace--when God opens the door, I must go through. I must not excuse sin in myself by saying: "I'm going to Heaven anyway so my sin doesn't matter."
One final question: If grace cannot save us from the power and dominion of sin in this earthy life, why do we suppose it can get us into a pure and holy Heaven? |
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| To add a comment to "Goodness Gracious! -- Thoughts On Grace" |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| That is very gracious of you, Paul! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| And maranatha to you as well, apodermeo! Spell check didn't like this comment and underlined two words in red. It's Greek to me. |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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Wow! When I first became a christian...there was a lot of dross that had to get cleared up. I am by no means there yet, but since 1995 my life has really changed. I became a christian in about 1982 0r 1983. I did some really dumb things as a new christian...being immature and hurt by my childhood...I justified it. Then, around 1993 I fell bad and hard! I thought that there was no way back. That is when Jesus met me...in 1995, in a dark hospital room...and He took a trillion pounds of weight off of me! Praise The Lord!
Things have not always been easy since then. I suffered the consequences of sin and bad choices and have struggled in areas, but my life changed for the better. I've had people tell me that I am probably not okay, etc. After He forgave me...he gave me Job chapter 33 in an amazing way. It described everything that had been happening to me in detail.
He will not let us go. He does bring about and allow circumstances to come into our lives...even if we have to fall face down in the dirt so we can look up...so we will look up! I never really understood His love until 1995. I only thought I did.
As for your question??? While we are on this fallen earth...we will be susceptible to the enemy and we will fail at times. His resurrection power will change us when we rise from the grave. Even that is something that we cannot accomplish on our own. His power will raise us. We will see Him as He is. We will know Him. He will wipe away our tears.
One day, ALL creation will be redeemed!
In Him,
Forgiven. |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| Grace is the most beautiful thing...it is what saved me from my sins, and what is allowing me to live my daily life. My biggest challenge was forgiving myself of my sins, and it wasn't until I realized exactly what God's grace meant, and that I needed to forgive me for what I did...show grace to myself. Thank God He helped me to see that, and to see exactly what His grace has done for me! Great blog! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| Thank you forgiven, Deb, & Gene. |
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| February 22, 2008 |
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| great blog.... I don't know where I would be right now without Grace..... ah how sweet it is! |
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| February 22, 2008 |
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I have a new revealation regarding grace now. I'm learning so much from these Blogs. Keep them coming.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blessedmary (Not proudmary) smile |
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| February 22, 2008 |
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| Thanks Tammy & blessedmar... |
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| February 23, 2008 |
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| Grace is so amazing since we so completely do not deserve it. Praise GOD for it, though! HE wipes the slate CLEAN! Good blog! |
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| February 23, 2008 |
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| I like your name, Yahschild. |
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