Called To Grace

 Ephesians 2:8


8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,


In this two part devotional, we are going to talk about the importance of grace and mercy in the Christian’s life and the difference between the two.  To many people in the world today if you were to ask them the difference between grace and mercy most would consider them the same thing or give you the same definition of the two.  While they are somewhat similar they are two different things.  Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve.  Mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve.  


Let’s look at today’s theme verse.  This theme verse could be considered the main verse that the Reformation was based on.  It emphasizes the root of the whole gospel that man is not saved by what we do, but simply on the fact that God by His grace, has saved us.   Again, this verse tells us that by grace we have been saved.  Taking our definition of grace into consideration, this verse is truly awesome and expresses the great love that God has for us.


I think one of the things many Christians take for granted is the thing that makes us Christians.  Our salvation.  If we are to live each day in remembrance of our own salvation, we would stay in a state of awe and thanksgiving unto God.  Again, looking at this verse, the fact remains that we did not deserve to be saved, but God saved us anyway.  He gave us what we didn’t deserve.  It truly is a gift of God.  When was the last time you genuinely and simply thanked God for your salvation.


2 Peter 3:17-18


17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

At the end of 2 Peter, Peter wrote to the believers warning them of the events of the end times.  Peter, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, was preparing the church for the dire times ahead.  Since he informed the church, he gave one last admonition to them before he closed his epistle, that we grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 


We are to live a life of grace and continue to grow in grace each and every day.  Just as Christ gave us what we don’t deserve, we need to do the same to others.  We need to express grace to other people.  We know people in our lives who don’t deserve certain things.  Some people may not deserve for us to be nice to them, but in grace, we should be nice to them.  We know people who don’t deserve to receive help from us or love from us, but in grace, we need to help them and love them.  Some people don’t deserve to be forgiven for the wrongs they have done to us, however, in our life of grace, we need to forgive even if they don’t deserve it.


Are you living a life of grace?  Is there someone you can show grace to today?  Is there a situation where grace can be shown.


Let us follow the words of Peter and continue to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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