Grace is Not Earned; It Is Given

Without Christ we are filthy rags. If we see filthy rags in the garage they generally get thrown away. They are not worth washing; they might destroy the washing machine. Nevertheless, while we were filthy rags, God picked us up and cleaned us up through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

There was nothing you or I have done to earn his grace. He simply loves you and me because he is God. Jesus says, “Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you (Luke 6:27).” Is that hard? Extremely hard for worldly men! Nevertheless, God loved us even though we were his enemies. Sin is God’s enemy. He cannot abide sin. While we were steeped in sin we could not fellowship with God. Even so, he loved us enough not to give up on us. Instead, he devised a plan of grace that was carried out on the cross of Calvary in the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 26:10 says:

           

Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD.

There is nothing you or I have done to warrant the grace of God. Wicked man deserves judgment. He does not deserve grace. However, God gave us mercy through his grace instead of judgment that is earned by our sinful lives.

            We can’t learn righteousness without Jesus Christ. Grace is shown to the wicked; however, without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot learn righteousness. Grace is given to all, but it is up to the individual to accept it. Ephesians 1:1-2 says:

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Christian is a saint. Perhaps like me, you have a difficult time considering yourself to be a saint. There are many things in my life that would exclude me from being called a saint. The world believes that a saint is one who is perfect. Nevertheless, God looks at Christians as saints. Why? Because, we are made perfect through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ. Paul was an apostle; yet he had been a murderer.

Acts 9:13-16 says:

  

"Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many   reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Paul was called by God through his Damascus road experience. Jesus came to him and chose him to spread the Gospel of Christ. Even though Paul was a murderer he was a saint.

Christians are saints because they are believers. Ephesians 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: . . .” He is writing the letter of Ephesians to the saints. Perhaps some think of saints as angels; those who have died and have become an angel. Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not become angels when we die.

Angels are created beings that God has made to be his messengers. Saints are those of us on this earth who have accepted the message of Jesus Christ and follow him; those of us who are imperfect beings, but are seen as perfect from God’s standpoint because of the sacrifice of Christ.

Grace is something that is given even though one is undeserving of it. In Rotary International we generally have a speaker. After the introduction, and before the speaker speaks, we give him or her applause. That is grace! It is not known whether the speaker is a good speaker or bad. Nevertheless, grace dictates our willingness to recognize them through our applause.

Paul, John, Jude, etc. are called saints. However, if you are in Christ you are a saint as well. The saints of the Bible have been from the same filthy rags that we are. Jesus asked Paul, “Why do you persecute me?” Paul was sinning against God and persecuting Christ.

The saints are the faithful in Jesus Christ; those who follow the leading of Jesus Christ; those who proclaim the Gospel of Christ. They are saints because of the grace of God and not because of the works they have done; it is the faithful in the heart. It is the faithful in the works because of their heart. “Works” do not equal salvation. Grace equals salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

It should be your main goal to glorify God. Nothing you do should ever point to you. Everything we do must glorify God. God’s grace includes what we have done as well as what we will do.

The Old Testament saints are in heaven through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed retroactively. It was the grace of God that saved them as well as us. If you are living your life to work your way into heaven you are on the pathway to Hell. You are on the pathway to destruction. However, if you are living your life and doing your works out of the love you have for Christ, you are not only on the pathway to salvation, but in fact, have been saved through the grace of God in his Son Jesus.