A Taste of Grace

Yesterday we saw that Peter encouraged the people to "set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." I Peter 1:13 HCSB

So what is Grace?

You can find all kinds of definitions on-line for the term. I'd like to propose that grace is what God does when he wipes away my sin and doesn't make me pay for it. He made His son pay, instead. According to this definition, then, we don't have to worry about trying to "earn" our way to heaven. We can get there simply by placing our trust in the Lord who conquered sin on our behalf.

• "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 NIV
• "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people." Titus 2:11 NIV
• "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7 NIV
• "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14 NIV

Does this mean that we can live it up and sin all over the place because we are covered by God’s grace?

• "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Romans 6:1-2 NIV

We are to live like obedient children who strive to please their parents. 

We are to be separated from the nastiness of this world and live so that others see Jesus in us.

And, interestingly enough, we are to be holy.

Tomorrow we will look at holiness. Meanwhile, pull out your electronic devices and look up what Scripture has to say about being holy. Let's see if we come up with the same passages.

Lord, thank you for the grace you extended to us through your son, Jesus. Help us to be ever mindful of the cost He paid for our liberty and life.