Responsible Grace

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

Grace is a gift from God, one that requires responsible and wise stewardship. Grace is not a license to sin, but permission to live. Grace is all about living for God and walking with Him. It engages with eternity by approaching God’s throne of grace with gratitude, awe, and boldness. God’s grace is a guarantee of eternal life. It is absolutely amazing because Christ collateralizes it. There has never been a shortage of your Savior’s grace.

No group or individual has ever made a run on heaven’s grace account. You can go to the bank with God’s grace. It is as everlasting as the Lord. However , though unlimited in supply, it may be the most underused resource available. People miss grace when they thrash around and stumble about in their own strength. They apply bad theology. They believe in salvation by grace through faith, but then drift into living in their own strength.

Demons must chuckle when they observe Christians applying dead works. Working to earn God’s favor after receiving salvation is as futile as it was before salvation. Do not fall into the trap of graceless living, for grace is God’s remedy for the self-indulgent. Grace values community with people and communing with Christ. There is a spirit of acceptance and peace with those who often receive and apply God’s grace.

Learn to use grace responsibly. Grace is not a safety net for your fall into sin, for sin still has its consequences. Grace is not an excuse to sin and is not your pass for disobedience. Harsh judgment and extremes are natural outcomes for graceless Christians. Grace is, more than anything, an honorable motivation for your attitude and actions. Without grace, you gravitate toward pride for not sinning. Yes, grace is a governor on your behavior, but it does not promote pride.

Grace means you have a stewardship of wise choices to manage for the Lord. It gives you permission to be free in Christ, but your freedom is for Him. His kingdom agenda is what drives grace. Grace integrates all of life around faith. Christ does not compartmentalize the sacred from the secular. Grace includes, it doesn’t exclude.

It discloses rather than hides. Sin is subservient to your Savior’s grace. Grace gives you the perspective and power for forgiveness and honesty. It is the delivery channel of truth. Grace is your excuse for extending forgiveness and second and third chances—and more—to culprits. Use grace to remove sin’s stain from any fibers of your faith.

Indeed, as you extend grace, you are more likely to receive grace. Be responsible with grace, and you will be trusted with more. Grace saved you from sin; so don’t go back to your pre-grace condition. Because of grace, you are free from sin, not free to sin. Therefore, be a responsible and gracious follower of Christ. It is amazing grace!

Taken from the June 26th reading from Boyd Bailey’s Seeking Daily the Heart of God. This 365 day devotional book is a compilation of the reader’s favorites from the daily email devotional “Wisd om Hunters”. Andy Stanley says, “I have walked with Boyd for over 20 years and I am definitely wiser for it. You are going to love this book!”