WHAT IS GRACE?
At the heart of the gospel is the concept of grace. Let us look a little deeper into grace.
- Grace is love in action: This is an apt definition of grace. Paul talks of grace in this manner,
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4,5)
God is defined by love which is central to the nature of God. Any religion that does not assign personality to God misses that critical element of God and is therefore deficient in its understanding of God. And this love of God is made manifest by grace which is an outpouring of God’s love toward man. And the ultimate manifestation of grace is God in love reaching out to man and saving him.
2. Grace at its highest is man’s salvation: It is man’s sin that predominantly stands as a
barrier to God working out salvation for man. It is here that God’s mercy comes into effect. God’s mercy is forgiveness in action. Mercy is a subset of God’s love and part of his nature. No gift is greater than that of salvation and it is grace and mercy that makes it possible. But grace extends to one’s day-to-day life as well.
3. Grace partners with man’s effort: Paul describes the effect of God’s grace in him for his work in this manner.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1Corinthians 15:10)
The gift of God’s grace brings enablement in man. This is again because God’s loves and cherishes man and just like a parent helps a child, God enables with his grace. But this grace comes into fruition only when man responds to it by working hard. When you take one step in concert with God, he takes you forward ten steps so that you come away knowing that it was only the grace of God that made it possible.
4. Grace overcomes weakness: At times God directs man into endeavors that are beyond
one’s natural capabilities. It is during such times that weakness within and without cannot be limiting factors in progression. Paul’s classic statement of embracing weakness and moving forward beyond it is inspirational.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
A life lived by grace is life lived at its fullest.
