“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.”
Grace. We sing about it. We talk about it all the time. But, what exactly is this grace that Christians speak of? Simply put, grace is God’s favor extended to mankind because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice at the cross.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesian 2:8-9
We all struggle with sin. Sin separates us from God. The only way to be reconciled with God is to accept His gift of salvation. It is a payment for our sins, once and for all. This is grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t buy. It’s a free gift from above, and it is found in Christ alone! With that said, I have noticed a disturbing trend when it comes to people’s attitudes regarding grace.
They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. – Jude 1:4
God’s grace is amazing, but we cannot go about willfully sinning and believe that grace will cover it. The forgiveness of our sins is a beautiful demonstration of God’s love towards us. If we truly love Him, as He loves us, we would be motivated to turn away from sin. Instead, many use grace as a “get out of jail free” card, excusing sinful choices. Please don’t misunderstand – we will constantly struggle with sin in our lives. But, a heart that is truly sold out to Christ will consciously make a decision to turn away from sin, rather than justify or make excuses for it.
Ladies, take a moment to examine your life and see if there are areas where you are rationalizing sinful behavior. If you discover any, seek God’s forgiveness and make a conscious decision today to turn away from that behavior. His grace is amazing, but it is not a license to sin!
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. – 1 John 3:6