Faith & Grace

Faith & Grace

Brad Reiches

May 10 2006 12:43AM

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

A GodThoughts Classic:

"Faith & Grace"

"For by grace you have been saved through faith..."

Ephesians 2:8

A Christian is one who is a "partaker" of the grace of God (see Philippians 1:7).  He/she is one who willfully receives the unmerited favor of God and chooses to walk in His empowering presence.  By faith we accept grace (see above), and by grace we choose to walk in faith.  Faith and grace are inseparably linked.  Faith is not available without grace, and grace can only be accessed through faith.   It is only through God's merciful initiative, grace, that man is given the opportunity to walk by faith (see 2 Corinthians 5:7), live by faith (see Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38), and please God by his faith (see Hebrews 11:6).

By faith we put our trust in the grace of God.  For this reason we are challenged to GROW in grace (see 2 Peter 3:18).  I believe that "growing in grace" means learning to live by faith in an ever-increasing way.  Tragically, "popular Christianity" has missed the ENTIRE point and purpose of grace!  God has given us His grace...to provide us the power and potential to live by faith...which brings about obedience.  And where did I come up with that pray tell?

"Jesus Christ our Lord,

through whom we have received grace...

to bring about the obedience of faith."

Romans 1:5

Grace through faith.  Learning to access the presence and power of God that enables us to become...and overcome.