02/06/2026
JESUS CHRIST – THE GRACE OF GOD (Continued)
Friends, depending on the Bible version we read, we encounter various expressions of the grace of God, such as Saving Grace, Sanctifying Grace, Strengthening Grace, Sharing Grace, and Serving Grace.
However, these can conveniently be grouped under two broad categories: Saving Grace and Enabling Grace, both of which are found and rooted in Jesus Christ.
SAVING GRACE
Saving grace is God's unmerited favor toward humanity. Though we were sinners deserving judgment, God looked upon us with love, forgave us, and restored us into relationship with Himself. We received forgiveness and reconciliation not because we deserved it, but because of His mercy and grace.
This privilege gives us confidence to call upon the name of the Lord in times of crisis, fear, intimidation, or depression. It causes us to surrender completely to God, waiting upon Him because we recognize that our confidence is not in ourselves, but in Him.
Through saving grace, we are:
• Freed from the power of sin (Romans 6:20, 22).
• Enabled to do the will and pleasure of God (Philippians 2:13).
• Empowered to walk in obedience (Matthew 7:21).
• Given the grace to pray (Zechariah 12:10).
• Enabled to grow in Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
• Empowered to witness for Christ (Acts 4:33; Acts 11:23).
We can do nothing apart from the grace of God, and God has assured us that His grace is sufficient for us all. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to approach the throne of grace boldly so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need.
From John 15:1–11, we learn that we enjoy and experience God's grace by abiding in Christ through studying and obeying His Word. The grace of God is strengthened in our lives as we hear and proclaim the Gospel, pray and fast, worship God, and continually yield to the Holy Spirit.
The grace of God covers every deficiency in our walk with Him. Jesus Christ, our Great Intercessor—the very embodiment of God's grace—is continually interceding on our behalf. He covers the areas we may not even be aware of because He is our Captain, Advocate, and High Priest.
Saving grace brings us into God's presence, while enabling grace gives us the capacity to grow. As we mature in Christ, the operation of enabling grace becomes increasingly evident in our lives.
For believers to become God's battle axe, we must take responsibility for our spiritual growth. God prunes us and allows certain pressures into our lives so that we may mature and become sharp arrows in His quiver, useful for both Kingdom service and spiritual warfare.
Just as earthly parents desire their children to grow, our Heavenly Father desires spiritual growth and maturity in His children. God loves us, and therefore He calls us to grow in grace.
ENABLING GRACE
Enabling grace is God's empowering presence that enables believers to live, serve, and fulfill His purposes.
Our capacity to walk in God's grace increases as:
1. We Grow in the Knowledge of Christ
As we grow in our understanding of the Lord (2 Peter 3:18; Colossians 1:10; 2 Peter 1:3), Christ increasingly becomes everything to us.
2. We Learn to Use the Name of Jesus
We gain confidence to confront challenges and spiritual opposition because we know whom we carry within us. The name of Jesus is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10), and believers are commissioned to minister in His authority (Mark 16:17; Acts 4:30).
3. We Operate in Greater Dimensions of God's Grace
As we mature, we experience greater manifestations of God's power through Christ. At the name of Jesus every knee must bow, and every tongue must confess that He is Lord.
Brethren, whatever we are engaged in, we need God's grace to serve Him acceptably. Without His grace, we are empty and powerless. Everything we need in this life comes by the grace of God.
Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Therefore, abiding in Him is not optional—it is essential.
We are saved by grace and sustained by grace. Therefore, we must understand the necessity of continually depending on God's grace. Why should we run anxiously from place to place when God has invited us to come boldly to the throne of grace, where we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need?