GRACE - A Full Payment!

Grace and Peace from God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. A common greeting between first century Christians one that’s now reserved to formal occasions. If the measure of Grace were to be represented as a mathematical construct, I believe it would be the sign of infinity ∞.

Grace is because Love is. The scripture says in

Ephesians 2:4-5 "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),"

Notice this passage has a comma, the thought of this sentence doesn’t end here. Lets pause and notice closely that while we were dead in our sins, God made us ALIVE together with CHRIST. But Why? Why did God do this? I don’t know about you but I couldn’t take my eyes, my heart, my mind away from THIS TRUTH. Let us take a closer look and meditate on the complete thought of

Ephesians 2:4-7.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

I wanted to draw your attention to the WORD "Grace". Have you heard people say that they are doing well by the grace of God? I believe as a Christian we cannot escape but come under conviction of the word Grace, one because it is simply stated in so many scriptures and two, the teaching of Grace is over emphasized. Grace is also synonymously used as offering forgiveness. In all my years as a ‘Christian’, I have come under conviction of this Word multiple times.

One night, however, I had a dream that left me, convicted and baffled. In the dream, I was brought into a courtroom before a judge for a traffic infraction. I knew the charge and was ready to face the consequences as the Judge rules. My heart was ready to pay the fine. As I stood there facing the judge directly and about to hear him rule, in came a man running. He comes up to the right side and says to the judge, “I will pay up the fine, I will pay her fine”.

I looked at this ordinary looking guy and thought, “who is this crazy guy?”. I responded turning towards the judge, “No, he will not, It is my fine and I will pay.” The man continued to insist to pay and pleaded with the judge that he be allowed to. I became extremely irritant and wanted him thrown out of the courtroom. Just then the Judge became God and the man turned into Jesus. God said, “That is Jesus, He is here to pay your fine”. In disbelief, instead of being moved by this, I responded, “NO, it’s my mistake, my fine, I will pay the fine.” I heard Jesus say, “Do you believe I died for your sins, you believe, so now let me pay". “Yes, I do believe but No, I simply cannot allow you to pay this”, I responded firmly. And so, the dream ended.

I immediately woke up realizing what had transpired. I walked the next morning in disbelief that I had “rejected” Jesus’ payment for the ‘traffic infraction’. Where it really mattered, I had refused. How did I miss the mark on Grace that God was offering? What didn’t I understand all this time? I walked in condemnation of not having accepted this “Free Payment”.

However, I did not have to walk in condemnation for too long, as God led me to Romans 10:8-10. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For I had faith to know God raised Jesus from the dead and knew Jesus is my savior. For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Did I truly confess with my mouth concerning salvation? I grew up in a Christian family, I did experience Christ, His grace and have repented from my heart. I was led to another scripture in

Revelation 12:10-11

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

They overcame the accuser by the blood of the Lamb, I knew this and was refreshed in this truth. However, they also overcame by ‘the ‘word of their testimony’. This meant they professed something. A revelation was unraveling; Confession is not just professing the sins one has committed against God. Confession is stating, declaring and proclaiming the saving Grace, the Finished Work of Christ. It is the love of God has for one that though their sins are dark as scarlet now are made white as snow. Its not just faith in, believe in, repentance but also confession of the triumphed Truth. Repentance is not salvation but it leads to salvation. Confessing your sins is not salvation but confessing your sins to receive God's forgiveness for those sins is salvation. And that forgiveness is freely given to us for we didn't earn it and neither can we pay for it. It is grace. We beleive, receive and confess this grace!

As I was receiving this understanding, a vision began playing in my mind. The courtroom appeared again, and as I looked around; the walls were breaking up. I looked at this once thought “crazy” guy, beaming and walked out with Him joyfully.

Grace is part of this salvation story that we are willfully and intricately part of. The amazing unbelievable part of this Truth is that, it’s for the entire mankind. Grace is not just a noun but a verb. Grace is freely given but received by faith through action in confessing the triumphed Truth. This Truth can only be gleaned and found through the Word of God. Oh yes! The Holy Spirit helps in your understanding too.

If you been having trouble in relating and understanding His Word consistently, then take the time to study and meditate on scriptures for yourself. Simply ask and seek! For you will be amazed! For no knowledge is ever attained without seeking and investing the time to acquire it.

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit guide you in all Truth.