Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

What comes to mind when you hear about grace? For the average Christian, it’s always been unmerited favor. Well, that’s not entirely true. It’s not the whole truth. It’s more like a beginner’s definition of grace.

In grade 2, my teacher was writing math questions for us to solve and for one of the questions, she wrote 5 – 7. Then we all started discussing how it wasn’t possible and then she asked what the problem was. She corrected it to 7 – 5 instead, but guess what? In 7th grade, we started learning about integers and got to know there were negative integers, so the 5 – 7 that was impossible to solve in grade 2 was now possible in grade 7. That’s how spiritual knowledge also works. At a certain level, some truths are accepted but after some time, we are expected to grow into higher dimensions of knowledge and truth. 1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

There is definitely an aspect of grace that has to do with unmerited favor and we see that in Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. In Ephesians 2:8, the Bible says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Both scriptures reveal the idea that we did nothing to warrant it. That’s unmerited favor. We didn’t have to be good before God mapped out the plan of salvation. However, there is a dimension of grace that is merited. I know that’s a huge pill to swallow but everything I say would be backed with scripture.

Take a look at the opening scripture once again and you’d see two laws mentioned there. So this means we moved from one law to another law. From the law of sin and death to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Therefore, grace is a law. The difference between these two laws is that with the law of sin and death, human effort alone does the work but the law of the Spirit of life gives you the ability and strength of God to do the things that the flesh struggles with. Your will is also needed here. In James 2:17, the Scripture speaks of faith without works being dead. The works here are not works of the law but works of faith. Works that stem from a revelation of Jesus not because you want to fulfill a religious obligation. So grace as a law deals with works of faith. This is the reason why in Matthew 7:21-23, the Lord will say not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the Kingdom. They will say they did great things in His name but He will say He never knew them and that they were workers of iniquity. keyword: Workers. The work they did was weighed.

Now the evidence that grace can be merited is in James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. This means there is a type of grace that only the humble have access to. Once you are proud, you’re disqualified from receiving it. So grace as unmerited favor doesn’t work here. There are different graces so limiting all grace to unmerited favor is not right. 1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. 2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. Let’s also look at 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. This means grace can be multiplied and this particular grace is only accessible to the one who has a certain knowledge so here again, unmerited favor does not apply.

The third point is that grace is the power to do God’s will. It is also God’s energy to obey God’s instructions.

Grace is a divine influence in your spirit to do His bidding.

There is both a legal and vital part of salvation. The legal aspect is what Jesus did to take our place and that’s settled but to see it come to reality in our lives, the vital part must be done. Philippians 2:12b -13 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. So why should I work out my salvation? Because God’s ability is working in me to do so. That phrase, for it is God which works in you, is grace available to do His bidding. That’s why the Apostle Paul said, Shall I continue to sin that grace may abound? Many people see grace’s only function to be for the forgiveness of sins but don’t know that this same grace can actually help you deal with that habit you keep going back to. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law but under grace. Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

So you see that grace is not only unmerited favor. There’s the other side which is merited and another side which is God’s ability inside us to do His will. The Apostle Paul described our walk of faith as a fight and race.

Grace is God in your race. G- race.

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