By Rev Anthony Lee and Cheryl Mah
When we are asked to describe the nature of our Lord, the word “grace” often comes to mind. In the past, I understood the word “grace” vaguely, but at the same time its actual meaning used to be mystifying to me. The questions that ran through my mind were always the same:
“Is grace and mercy the same thing?”
“Can the words “grace” and “mercy” be used interchangeably?”
“Is there a difference between the grace of humans and the grace of God?”
While the dictionary simply defines “grace” as a “favour” or goodwill”, the biblical explanation of God’s grace is so much more profound, substantial and lasting. While mercy and grace are similar in meaning, mercy is better defined as “compassion” or “kindness”, but without the aspect of bestowing a gift or favour – unlike “grace”.
Someone once differentiated grace and mercy this way – mercy is us not getting what we deserve (e.g. wages of sin is death) while grace is us getting what we do not deserve (e.g. eternal life).
God’s grace is really a gift in four parts, and it plays a very important role in the spiritual life of Christians:
1. Salvation
First, we need to remember that God’s grace is free. We did not do anything to deserve the gift of salvation, neither did we not earn it because of the good works we have done. It is solely and strictly because of God’s grace that we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8-9), and it comes through Jesus’ ultimate sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:21).
2. Justification
Through the grace of God, we have been justified – that is, declared righteous and forgiven of sin. Most importantly, justification means we are now in a right relationship with God our Father. To preserve justice, God cannot simply overlook sin; in fact, His forgiveness is costly (Romans 6:23). At the same time, our Lord is merciful, and He does not want His people to perish (2 Peter 3:9). By having His Son Jesus Christ pay the price for our sin, God found a way to show mercy without denying us His justice (Romans 3:22-26) and to restore us as His sons and daughters (Romans 8:15).
3. Sanctification
God’s grace sanctifies us by setting us apart for His own special use and purpose (2 Thessalonians 2:13). We are aided in our character formation and spiritual transformation through the study of Scripture (John 17:17; John 15:3), the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13), and the fellowship of other Christians (Hebrews 10:24-25). It is our Father’s will for us to become sanctified like Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
4. Empowerment
Although our Lord’s grace was not earned through good works, good works must be produced as evidence of His grace at work in our lives. Just as grace comes into us and works in us, so it must also run out of us and flow to others through our loving deeds (Philippians 2:13). Through His grace, God has empowered us with plenty of gifts and abilities, therefore we must use them to glorify Him (Acts 4:33). The grace and blessings that flow from God to us must continue to flow onto others through us.
Ultimately, the grace of God is not a physical gift, but a spiritual gift. His grace is not merely a nice favour, but a gift that came at an extravagant cost. Moreover, God’s grace gives us everything we need to live a life of godliness. As John Wesley exhorts all Methodists, let us rely on God’s grace and keep moving onto perfection (Hebrews 6:1-2).