Saving Grace

For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing. – Ephesians 4:2 (The Voice)

Simply put, saving grace speaks of God’s willingness and desire to redeem – an unfathomable degree of favour offered to people “even though we’re buried under mountains of sin”. It is a special gift from God to us human beings, a higher grace of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, into God’s very presence. This saving grace gives us full access into the Throne Room of God – to approach without reproach.

God’s gift of grace which offers salvation to all has been revealed, unveiled, and everything we do must be based on accepting and receiving this gift in our lives. Like Rahab, whose sin was removed as far as the east is from the west, we must act with boldness, drop all our illusions of our own righteousness, or unrighteousness and humbly take up God’s gracious offer and enter into His grace.

So even before the New Covenant dispensation of grace, God was bestowing His saving grace upon sinners, for when we look at Rahab’s story, we see God’s grace touching the life of a woman making a living as a prostitute. Rahab was a perfect candidate for God’s saving grace. Grace can be seen as God’s divine assistance – His super natural power at work being made perfect in weakness. Grace can be identified as the medium through which God has effected salvation (see Titus 2:11) and, when taken into the message of Christ, this concept of unusual favour shown to the undeserving, fills out with a newer and more enriched content.

Yes, this unmerited favour of God toward sinners which has provided for our redemption, not only secures our eternal salvation but is also the sustaining influence that enables us to persevere throughout the Christian journey. You see, it’s not God’s intention for any of us to walk along this narrow road of salvation by our own strength but by means of His sufficient grace which empowers us. Don’t ever believe that you can do anything to save yourself, it is only through God’s grace through faith in His Son, Jesus (see Ephesians 2:8). 

Saving grace reveals God’s goodness and kindness and love toward human beings, and the great news is that it is available to all people but not dependent upon any person. This unequivocal gift of Salvation is really about God since it is His initiatory act, not that we do not have a role to play, indeed we do. Our part is to avail ourselves of the gift. Grace has been offered, it has not been taken away, it is here for whosoever will accept it, receive it, grab hold of it and not let go…it’s our daily requirement for spiritual strength. 

Now, hear the voice of God,

“Beloved, My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Saving Grace

Shelley Johnson © January 18, 2018