Grace

Apostle Paul addresses a misunderstanding of God's grace in Romans 5:22. He writes, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"

How is that God's grace could be so misunderstood?

There is a corrupt misunderstanding among some believers who find themselves in willful sin and because nothing happens as a result of sinning, it must be God's grace. No, beloved, that is God's mercy while acting foolishly and carelessly. Remember God is not mocked, what a man or woman sows, so will they reap (Galatians 6:7).

The world understands grace much like a debt to be repaid. There is a short period to pay without fees and interest commonly called a grace period. But such grace is conditioned that you pay in part or full. How sad that even in relationships this happens when demands are made to change or be someone other than what the person can be - human grace like a thin thread - wears even thinner still.

Did you notice a common theme starting in Romans 5:21 through 6:11? The words "death" or "dead" appears at least once in each verse.

Beloved, to understand and appreciate God's grace is to know how to die to a self life and live anew a life found in Christ. It takes God's grace to die and God's grace to live in Christ.

As long as we nourish and nurture our flesh, our thinking will become more and more corrupted. We will misunderstand God's grace by thinking we are an exception to the rule, sin is something other than what Scripture calls it and God's love will excuse our failings and flaws - after all we were born this way or our families passed along bad traits and rotten history.

Grace is extended to Noah who obeyed in building a ark when it never rained before, yet he found favor in God's eyes (Genesis 6:8). To a Jewish orphan woman, although a queen, touches the king scepter, after finding favor in the king's eyes (Esther 5:2).

For you see, true grace is not just experiencing God's very heart when we are in need, but grace is when we move the heart of God toward us. Sinning against Him only will oppose His grace never increase it.