Many of us are familiar with the concept of grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” If a person is saved, that means they have received God’s grace. So what does it really mean to be saved by grace?
Grace is a simple concept, but still hard for many of us to wrap our heads around because of its weight. First, we should think of grace as an incredible gift from God. It is underserved kindness, acceptance, and favor because of Jesus Christ. It is not earned, and we don’t deserve it. Yet, God gives us His grace because of His extraordinary love for us.
As believers, we are not only saved by grace but we, in fact evolve through grace. Too many Christians think that if they sin less, they need God’s grace less. If you think this, you are mistaken. Yes, we are saved by grace, but we are also transformed by grace. There is no way that we can live without God’s help. If you believe that your spiritual life can grow without God’s grace, you’ve missed the entire definition of grace. The truth is, when we recognize God’s grace and the depth of it, we can move in the direction of more love.
Remember, God is concerned about our salvation. That means He is concerned about every aspect of our life. This includes our personal, social, emotional, and professional lives, among other things. You begin to limit yourself when you think that God is only concerned about a fraction of your life. God is concerned about our salvation – deliverance and redemption from sin.
To understand grace, we have to also understand salvation. This is deliverance from suffering and danger. In the Christian context, salvation concerns our spiritual, eternal deliverance. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”
When Paul tells the Philippians jailer exactly what he must do to be saved, he talked about the jailer’s eternal destiny. Acts 16:30-31 says, “Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Jesus connects being saved with entering God’s Kingdom. In Matthew 19:24-25, Jesus says, “’Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’”
You may ask, what exactly are we saved from. We are saved from wrath or God’s judgment of sin. First Thessalonians 5: 9 says, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” While our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death, we can find deliverance through salvation. That grace saves us.
You may also ask who exactly does the saving. Is there anyone else who can remove sin and deliver us from the penalty of it? God is the only one who can remove sin and deliver us from it. The Bible tells us so, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). How exactly does God save us? Through His Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:17 tells us, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”
The Bible is clear that salvation is a grace-filled, undeserved gift of God. Ephesians 2:5 says, “Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.” It was Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection that allowed us to receive our salvation. Romans 5:10 reminds us, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” The gift of salvation is only available through faith in Jesus Christ.
It is important to always remember that we are saved by faith. In order to fully comprehend this, we have to hear the gospel, the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We also must believe, which means we must truly, and fully trust the Lord. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” This begins with repentance, which a full changing of the mind around sin and Christ, while also calling on the name of Jesus. Salvation is available through Jesus alone, and is dependent on God alone for assurance and provision.
Understanding God’s gift of grace is key on our journey towards the cross. On our path to spiritual development and growth, we must recognize God’s love and grace. Scripture only affirms God’s immeasurable love for us. John 3:16 is a wonderful reminder for all believers. “For God sol loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” This is the constant reminder alone of the immensity of God’s love for us as His children. He loves us, even in our sin. He won’t stop loving us, even when we fall victim to sin over and over again. We will always be recipients of God’s gift of grace.
