Focus: Meaning of Grace

Text: Act.11:23

"Who, when he came, and had SEEN the GRACE of God…"

Grace is, to me, one of the most powerful words in the Bible. It's a wonderful word, and going by our text, grace can be seen at work and in manifestation. It's visible and touchable. Let's look at the threefold significance of grace in our lives.

1. Grace signifies free flow of favor to the undeserving.

It's something received freely with no price paid by the recipient, without a cause, or getting something for nothing due to the fact that another (God) has already taken care of the bill. The reason for getting the favor is not in any way found in the receiver. Grace is God's deposit or investment in a person.

John says, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (Jh.1:16).

Concerning Esther, it's written, "And the king loved Esther ABOVE ALL the women, and she OBTAINED grace and favour in his sight MORE than ALL the virgins; so that he SET the royal crown upon her head, and MADE her queen instead of Vashti" (Esth.2:17). This is grace unmerited!

Ezra declares: "And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage" (Ezr.9:8).

Here Ruth testifies: "Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" (Ru.2:10). A stranger finds grace. O, the wonder of favor!

2. Grace signifies ability.

Paul says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1Cor.15:10). Grace is God's ability to achieve the unusual. It is more than a favor received; it's a divine ability to accomplish feats which lie beyond the scope of human strength. Grace saves us for free and also enables us to labor productively for God's glory. Grace makes you God's co-worker. It's a supernatural might for supernatural ministry.

3. Grace signifies beauty.

Grace speaks of beauty and elegance or what the Bible calls the "beauty of holiness." God takes you from the slave market of sin and brings you into the beauty shop of grace for a total makeover. Grace beautifies. Grace looks so good on you. It transforms your character and lifestyle. It alters how you live radically. It makes you bear fruit. Paul writes to Titus: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Tit.2:11-12). Grace makes us virtuous and creates in us the beauty of the inward man. By grace we live godly in a godless world and bear the fruit of the Spirit. We showcase the beautiful attitudes of grace - the grace of quality character.

Grace for character. Sin is offensive to grace, for as Paul says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (Rom.6:1).

So you can see that grace is seen in its free flow to the unqualified, seen in its power to carry out divine assignment, and seen in the change and beauty it works into the recipients.

I pray that grace becomes evident in your life, and that you become a living proof of what God can do in your life by His mighty and matchless grace. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter