Pressing On Requires Grace: Part One

We are utterly dependent on the grace of God.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV

The word ‘grace’ is used in many ways: We use it to describe someone’s poise, it’s used as a name, to describe one’s demeanor…

What, then, is meant by God’s grace?

It seems that God’s grace is best described when compared to His mercy.

Mercy is withholding the wrath and judgement that our rebellion against him has earned (Rom 3:23; 6:23)

Grace is above and beyond, not only holding back judgement and an eternity separated from God, but instead adopting us as sons; joint heirs with Jesus Christ; God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

His Grace justifies. Our sin and rebellion earned us the penalty of death. His mercy removed the penalty, but His grace removes the guilt – He justifies us. He takes away our offense and makes us as though we had never sinned. That is great news!

In addition to our justification, by His grace we receive a new identity: we are sons of God. God’s grace, then, not only removes the punishment our actions earned, He not only removes the guilt, God’s grace goes above and beyond to the point of adopting us as sons – God grafts us into the family! How incredible!

Why is grace required to press on?

He removes the enemy tag on our lives

He places us on his winning team

He gives us a goal to shoot toward

He places hope within us; hope for something more than we see around us

He works in us to purify us

Without the above, there would be no reason to attempt to press on, and nothing of worth to press on toward…

[to be continued…]

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14 ESV