WALK IN GRACE

“But by the GRACE of GOD I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…” – 1 Corinthians 15:10a

To walk in perfection is to WALK IN GRACE: “But by the GRACE of GOD I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor.15:10). In other words: “I walk by Grace. I am a product of Grace. It has all been by Grace”! Paul considered himself “the least of the apostles” because once persecuted the church (v.9; Acts 22:4) He said in Ephesians 3:8, “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this GRACE was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Although he had a late start and missed the discipleship training that the other apostles had, Grace enabled Paul to travel further, establish more churches, write more Scripture, and suffer much more than all of them (2 Cor. 11:23–27).

Grace is God’s unmerited favour – His goodness toward those who have no claim on, nor reason to expect His favour. The principal manifestation of God’s Grace is the gift of Salvation: “For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Though not written explicitly, the concept of Walking in Grace saturates the New Testament. Grace is the common bond of the Body of Christ, irrespective of our diversity, circumstances and seasons in life: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (Jh.1:16). We were bearing some form of sin, shame and regret that disqualified us from relating with God the Father. But Christ came and ushered us into the Way of Grace!

We are not only saved by grace; we’re meant to walk and live by grace, not by the compulsion of the law. Grace is a greater motivator than the law. When you have to perform in order to please the Lord, guilt would be your constant companion because you can never be good enough. Every time you fail to live up to your own expectations, you may query whether God loves you – or maybe even whether you’re really saved. God doesn’t want us to live in bondage to performance. We’ve already received His acceptance and justification, and there is nothing more we can add to it. Grace not only sets us free from guilt but also motivates us to obey and serve the Lord out of love and gratitude for everything He has done for us

Beyond the blessings and benefits, is the Power of Grace. To walk in Grace is an invitation to lay down the burdens of futile self-effort that weigh down and to receive the divine enablement you never deserved in order to be exceptionally productive. Grace attracts to your life the right company, circumstances, and resources in line with God’s purpose. Even in challenging situations, grace gives you the edge, causing you to rise above every adversity. Although Grace became fully manifested in the Person of our Lord Jesus, even Old Testament saints tasted grace: ‘Who are you, O great  mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth i the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” (Zech.4:7).

Grace transformed Saul to Paul and showcased him eternally. God’s Grace will single you out from the crowd and set you apart for glory and excellence. Nothing in this world – not fame or fortune – can be compared with the Product of Grace. Paul therefore testified: “I do not set aside the grace of God…” (Gal.2:21a). He also counsels: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor.6:1). He admonished Timothy to: “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim.2:1b). When you walk in Grace, obedience and service flow from a heart of love not guilt or duty, and God will lavish His Grace to make your life the expression of His excellence, greatness, and glory.