Understanding Grace

Pastor Chris Mosley

Grace is one of the most commonly used and least understood words in Christendom today. We love to use catch phrases like; “by the grace of God,” and, “saved by His grace”. The problem with these phrases are that many of the people who use them believe that a person has to work to be saved, work to keep their salvation, or work to prove that they are saved. All of these mentalities are in direct contradiction with the definition of grace itself.

The word grace is the Greek word charis which means unmerited or undeserved favor. The Bible tells us we are saved by grace

through faith alone, meaning by no merit of our own.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

 9. not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  

Put simply, the moment that we believe that Jesus Christ, and He alone, is the giver of eternal life, not only for the world but most

importantly for our own person, we have eternal life.

John 6:40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I

Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Not because we deserve it, but because God loved us so much that He did all the work required for salvation so that we who could

not, wouldn’t have to. 

2 Tim 1:8-9 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in

suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

9. who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”

The moment you add works to the salvation scenario on any level, you take the word grace completely out of the equation. God does

require good works for your continued fellowship and or blessings.

James 4:8a “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

God also punishes those believers that refuse to keep His commandments.

Hebrews 12:5-8 “and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the

discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by

Him;

6. For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”

This, however, does not negate the fact that we are still saved by grace through faith. Our works determine our status as a believer,

but the grace of God to those who will believe determines our eternal destiny.

Romans 4:1-8 “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

2. For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

3. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4. Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

5. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

6. just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7. “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered.

8. “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into

account.”