Dear friends of the church,
I write to you today with a message of love and understanding, seeking to make the profound concept of grace more accessible to your hearts. The more you comprehend the kindness and mercy of God, the more your love for Him grows, and your desire to serve Him deepens.
First, let’s demystify grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor; in simple terms, it means you don’t earn it. If you grasp only one thing about grace, know that it’s something God freely gives without us deserving it. In other words, it’s unmerited.
The book of Romans, in the Bible, clarifies this truth. It paints a picture of a day when we’ll all be judged with perfect fairness. The reality of our sinfulness, as mentioned in Romans 3:23, should make us understand the need for grace.
But here’s the beautiful part: those who trust in our Lord, in Christ Jesus, have hope. We are justified, which means made right with God, by His grace, not because we’ve earned it, but as a free gift, through faith in Christ’s redemptive work. No boasting allowed, for it’s not our works but God’s grace alone, received through faith, that brings us justification.
Consider Abraham, the prime example of someone justified by faith alone. If his salvation depended on something he did, he could boast. But he had no such merit; he had faith, and even that faith was a gift. In Romans 4:3, it says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
This concept is highlighted in Romans 4:4–8, where it’s explained that wages are what you earn, while grace is a gift. Grace is what declares the ungodly righteous, as David also noted in the Bible.
To put it simply, grace is not a debt; it’s a free gift. You can think of it like a job: if you work, you’re owed a wage. But in our relationship with God, we owe a debt we can’t pay, and Christ steps in to pay it. It’s not our goodness but His that saves us. We don’t earn anything; we receive His merit through faith. The essence of grace is that it’s freely given, not a requirement.
Grace is an astonishing gift. God’s justice is pure and holy, and we hold onto Christ’s merit to satisfy it. We haven’t earned it; there’s nothing we do that makes us deserving. It’s pure grace.
The more you comprehend this, the more willing you’ll be to obey God. True sanctification starts with acknowledging our sinfulness and understanding God’s grace. This leads to greater love and obedience.
When you genuinely grasp grace, your motivation for living righteously is transformed. It’s not about following rules; it’s about love and gratitude. When Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” He meant: obey out of love, not to earn righteousness. A true understanding of grace always leads to a life of gratitude and obedience.
Embrace this gift of unmerited favor, and let it change your hearts and lives. Remember, grace is God’s free gift to you. It’s your response of love and obedience that honors His grace.
May God’s peace and grace be with you always.
With love,