To hear some folks explain it, you would think that God’s ‘grace’ is something akin to a pair of ‘rose colored glasses’ that God wears when He looks down on us in our sinful state, but instead of seeing our wretched sinfulness, He sees the ‘finished work of Jesus on the cross’, and therefore withholds judgment on us; that is...if we have ‘accepted Christ as our personal lord and savior’.

No wonder God likens us as ‘sheep’, adding that His people are ‘destroyed for a lack of knowledge’ (Hosea 4:6).

And it was for good reason that Paul expressed serious concerns for us NT ‘believers’ that we could be easily deceived as Eve was by the serpent...and end up following ‘another Jesus’ while receiving ‘another gospel and spirit’ (2 Cor. 11:3-4).

I asked the other day how you might explain ‘grace’ to a young child where they could understand it. How’s that coming up with an explanation going for you? May I offer some assistance which I’m happy to do? I sure didn’t come up with this on my own.

Grace is the empowerment of God’s Spirit, a loving and undeserved gift no doubt, that not only enables us to 'be' something we could never be on our own...but it also empowers us so we can actually go and ‘do the will of God’. And in case you forgot...doing the ‘will of God’ is ‘keeping His commandments’, which is best summed up by loving God with all our hearts and loving others as Christ loved us. If you think you can to that on your own...good luck trying.

Now if/when you come to a place where you realize that none of us ‘have it within us’ to actually do that in the manner in which scripture prescribes (1 Cor. 13:1-8), then you are at a very good place. It can be a humbling place for sure, but let’s not forget, it requires humility to even become a recipient of this grace, for “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5)

Let’s review what Paul wrote to Titus: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age...” (2:11-12)

This ‘grace’ brings to us...’salvation’ and deliverance so that we can go and live in a manner that is pleasing to God...holy and blameless, godly and righteously. I think we often forget, (or maybe were never taught)...that God’s ‘wrath is being revealed’ in this day (right now) and it is directed at “ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). And what did Jesus come to 'save' us from? (Rom. 5:9) 

May I say it again: you can’t do this on your own; none of us can...which is why and how we are ‘saved by grace’...leaving no room for us to ‘boast in ourselves’ (Eph. 2:8-9).

God fills us with His Spirit and empowers us to go and ‘do His will’; and it is through our faith in Christ Jesus who “might redeem us from EVERY lawless deed...and PURIFY for Himself, His own special people...” (Titus 2:14). Faith in Christ is not just saying you ‘believe in Him’ or you have ‘trusted Him’, etc. Faith is evident by our obedience, our action...as we learn to hear and recognize His voice...and then follow Him...and ‘do what He says’. (John 10:27; 2:5; 14:15; Heb. 5:9)

Turn to Acts 1:5-8 & Luke 24:49, where we can listen in on the final words of instruction and encouragement that Jesus left with His disciples. He told them to wait there in Jerusalem until they were ‘endued with power from on high’. Jesus explains exactly what is going to happen to them- The ‘Holy Spirit will come upon them and they shall be witnesses to/for Him’, specifying in order...’first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, then Samaria and eventually to the far ends of the earth’.

He did not tell them to go be a ‘witness’ before...they were empowered. We saw how Peter did with that when he denied even knowing Jesus. Oh...let’s not forget they all fled when the guards came to arrest Jesus in the garden (Mark 14:15). No matter how sincere you claim to be, sincerity will often fade as you ‘fall short’ when it comes to doing the will of God in your own power or ability. But once empowered from on high, as they were on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) everything changed. 

So let’s take a look at what it means to be a ‘witness’, as mentioned there in Acts 1:8.

That word comes from the same Greek word that we get ‘martyr’ from; which usually suggest one who ‘dies for their faith’. Can we dial back some, the lofty visions that spring up when you think what it means to be a 'martyr'... where you take a sword for the gospel, or are ‘burned at the stake’ for Jesus...and let’s talk about the ‘real dying’ that needs to take place. I think you know what I’m talking about here as we ‘follow Jesus’ by taking up our own cross and ‘die to self’ as we ‘put to death the deeds of the flesh nature’ (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5-9).

And guess where it begins first? In Jerusalem...or our own ‘home’. There’s no point jumping up to go be a great witness for folks who don’t live near you...if you can’t be a fruitful witness to those who do know you...and live with you day in and day out. Yes, my feet winced on that one as well. The good news here...is that same grace is available in ‘Jerusalem’ as it is anywhere else. Do you recall what Jesus told the man who He set free of a slew of demons, in Mark 5?  "Go home to your friends and tell them the great things the Lord has done for you and how He has had compassion on you."(18-19)

'Home'...is a great place to be 'tested and refined' and where God's grace can be found in abundance.

 In fact, we read in Jer. 31:2... they ‘found grace in the wilderness’. which is the place where we are usually tested (Deut. 8:2)

Anyone feeling a tad 'convicted'...and needing some grace?  Why not try humbling yourself before the Lord and spend some time with Him. Do as James advises in 4:7-10 and see if God doesn't draw near to you as you draw near to Him.  And look what Peter tells us we can expect when we do come to that place of repentance- not only are our 'sins blotted out...as you are converted'...but...the 'times of refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord' (Acts 3:19).   [Pssst- don't tell anyone, but that is 'grace' being delivered to you in abundance...so you can 'take up your bed and walk'; and it won't be because of anything you have done or possess...it will be all Him doing it...in you and through you].  Just make sure you 'wait upon Him'; and you won't need me or anyone else to tell you or confirm when it it happens.  You'll know! ;-)