The Most Impactful Things I’ve Learned About Grace
When I first started to learn about grace, I struggled. A lot. There were new things that sounded different from what I had learned growing up as a Christian, and I was confused.
So, I pushed back. I argued in my mind with the author of whatever book I was reading or the pastor who was preaching the sermon I was listening to.
I eventually went to the Bible to prove what I was hearing and reading was wrong. However, the more I read, studied, and prayed, the more I began to come alive and feel a freedom that wasn’t there before.
God began to confirm many things through Scripture to me about grace, and it was so exciting. It didn’t all happen overnight because I had to unlearn some things that I had been taught before. But as He opened my eyes to see His truth, I felt like I was truly beginning to experience the abundant life that Jesus said He came to give us (John 10:10).
I am certainly still learning and growing today, but here are three of the most impactful things I’ve learned about grace.
ONENESS WITH CHRIST
I had always heard people say that Jesus came to dwell in me when I became a believer, but the way it was talked about made it still sound as if Jesus was “up there” and I was “down here.” I was taught that the more I read my Bible, the more I came to church, the more I listened to Christian music, and the more I imitated Jesus, the closer I would get to Him. It seemed like there was a gap to close through my activity.
I was told that Jesus was with me and that He helped me, but I was never told that He and I were one. Yet, it was right there in the Bible all along.
17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Cor. 6:17)
United? One with Him? Wow! That is truly amazing.
When you and I put our faith in Jesus for salvation, the Spirit comes to dwell in us (Eph. 1:13), and we enter into a spiritual union with Jesus.
We are joined together. We are glued to each other. I am in Him and He is in me.
Talk about being close. You can’t get any closer.
This allows for true intimacy in our relationship with Jesus.
IDENTITY IN CHRIST
I used to define myself by my actions, accomplishments, behavior, choices, speech, mistakes, and failures. I was a good Christian if I read my Bible, spent time in prayer, went to church, and told others about Jesus. I was a bad Christian if I didn’t do the above-mentioned things or if there was sinful behavior in my life.
What I didn’t know was that birth determines identity, not behavior. I can try and behave like a chicken all that I want to, but that isn’t going to make me a chicken.
When I was spiritually united to Jesus and made one with Him, I was born again into a child of God! (John 1:12)
It’s not my actions, accomplishments, good behavior, or religious activity that is going to make me a child of God because I’ve already been born into God’s family. It’s also not my bad behavior, sinful choices, or lack of religious activity that is going to get me kicked out of God’s family.
Salvation is His work, not mine. I received it by faith, and He made me into a new creation in Christ.
As a new creation in Christ I am already righteous (Ro. 5:17), holy (Col. 3:12), completely forgiven (Eph. 1:7), a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20), dead to sin (1 Pet. 2:24), and been made complete (Col. 2:10).
You and I are not defined by what we do, what we think about ourselves, or by what other people say about us. We are who God says we are!
And when we begin to understand who God has made us into that changes everything. We’ll increasingly live as we really are because we’ll know who we are, and the glory of God will be on display through us!
COMPLETE FORGIVENESS
Even though I knew that Jesus died for my sins on the cross, I used to think that I was really forgiven each time I confessed my sin to Him. The more sorrowful I felt about what I had done and the more it felt like I truly committed to never do it again, the more forgiven I felt at the time.
Even though the Bible says there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, it sure felt like there was each time I would do something that I said I’d never do again.
But then I learned the truth that Jesus offered a one-time sacrifice for all the sins of all people (Heb. 9:28). I learned that after Jesus made His sacrifice on the cross, He sat down (Heb. 10:12). He sat down because there was no more work to do for the forgiveness of sins. It was finished.
Therefore, I learned that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because there on no sins left for Him to condemn. The cross has obliterated them! My sins have been blotted out, and He doesn’t even remember them (Heb. 10:17)!
So, now I don’t feel condemned when I sin. I don’t like it, and I acknowledge it before Jesus; but I am then reminded of my identity and who I really am – a totally forgiven, redeemed saint! I am reminded that I am still one with Jesus and can get on with living my life in and through Him.
CONCLUSION
Grace is not just a term we use for how we are saved and get to go to heaven one day. God’s grace is everything. His grace not only provides eternal life in Heaven, but a new life with Him here and now.
If you have put your faith in Jesus for salvation, by God’s grace, you are one with Christ, been given a new identity, and are completely forgiven for all your past, present, and future sins. You live in a state of constant oneness, sonship, and forgiveness.
Next week, I’ll write about three more of the most impactful things I.ve learned about grace in part 2 of this blog post. See you then!