The end of the calendar year always seems to be the busiest time of year. Whether it be work related projects reaching their deadlines, or the planning and preparation of family gatherings and Christmas parties, attending and participating in various Christmas programs, or even going on vacation during the holidays, the end of the year always seems to be a time crammed with various activities. So, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I would like to draw our attention to the reason for the season, Christ Himself – the gift of grace.
Uniqueness in Biblical Christianity
Many years ago, I had the unique opportunity to study several world religions and faiths. What’s unique to Biblical Christianity as opposed to any other belief system out there is that only in Biblical Christianity do you find grace. So, what is grace and how do we define it? G.W. Knight I think captures it well: “When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award—yet receives such a gift anyway—that is a good picture of God’s unmerited favor – the grace of God.”
What is Grace?
If justice is getting what we deserve and mercy is not getting what we deserve, then grace would be getting what we don’t deserve – God’s unmerited favor. What we actually deserve is a punishment that is equal to our sin. Consider Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Also, in Romans 3:23-24 we read, “Since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus” (Amplified Bible).
Thankfully, God freely gives us His grace, instead of unleashing His wrath towards us. He offers complete justification through His Son – to forgive and forget. Grace is God’s unmerited favor for sinners who simply admit their own inadequacy and therefore depend on God’s grace for forgiveness and salvation. The plan of salvation is one of substitution where God executed His divine judgement upon Himself and not on us. The clearest picture of God’s grace is at Calvary where Jesus, the Son of God, died in our place. Simply put, God’s grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
Power to Live
Not only does His grace make us accepted into the family of God, but it also provides us the power we need to live the Christian life. As we trust and obey God’s Word, His grace – His enabling power, will help us continually. In every area of our lives, it is God’s grace that causes us to grow and be strong. See 2 Peter 3:18. Trust Him in the fact that He does indeed have us in the palm of His hands. Rest in the grace that He offers. Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you” (John 14:27). Trust His grace and acknowledge His peace. Jesus also says, “Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Demonstration of Grace
Grace is not something just to be claimed (something we receive from God) but it is also meant to be demonstrated. God’s grace is incredible. Because of His grace, He is fully satisfied with you and me! God’s grace is enough to save us, to secure us, to sanctify us, to sustain us, and to strengthen us. Our mission is to accept His grace, trust His grace, and share His grace.
Let’s make the decision today to not only receive God’s grace into every area of our lives, but also to demonstrate and share His grace with those around us.
Let’s focus on the reason for the season this Christmas season as we remember the Savior’s birth, His physical manifestation here on Earth as He stepped into time for our sakes.
Have you accepted this free gift?
(If you have not done so, please contact us. It would be a joy for us to share with you more about God’s wonderful gift of grace.)
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This article was written by Jake Joseph. Jake is a pilot with a major airline and also serves as General Director of FCAP.
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