Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Grace (09/03/26)
-
TITLE: A Deeper Understanding | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Martelli
09/09/26 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NKJV)
This verse says that Jesus was full of grace. Now, did Jesus have unmerited favor? I think not, because He merited everything!
It seems there is an important dimension of grace that “unmerited favor” completely misses. Grace is not merely God's attitude toward us; grace is God's active power at work in us. It is His ability to divinely intervene in our lives and transform us.
Grace is God's gracious goodness made active in a person's life, enabling, transforming, strengthening, and empowering that person to accomplish what he or she could not accomplish alone. Paul gives us a beautiful example:
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV)
Paul wasn't asking God to favor him. He was asking God to intervene in his situation. God's answer was, essentially, My grace is enough to enable you to live through this.
Grace doesn't merely say, “I forgive you.” It says, “I will work in you and give you what you need to become what I have called you to be.”
Consider Titus 2:11–12 (NKJV):
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”
Notice what grace does. Grace teaches. Grace changes behavior. Grace enables transformation. This Word may be one of the clearest statements of this:
“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 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV)
Paul doesn't describe grace as merely something God gave him. He describes grace as something that was with him and working through him. Grace is God's enabling presence.
Jesus didn't need grace because He was a sinner who needed forgiveness. Rather, He perfectly embodied the gracious power and goodness of God. Everything He did flowed from who He was in relationship with the Father.
Consider this: The same grace that was manifested perfectly in Christ is the grace God makes available to us. Grace forgives us, but it doesn't stop at forgiveness. Grace meets us where we are but loves us too much to leave us there.
In summary, beyond unmerited favor:
• Grace saves us from sin.
• Grace teaches us how to live.
• Grace strengthens us in weakness.
• Grace enables us to endure.
• Grace empowers us to serve.
• Grace changes our desires.
• Grace makes us increasingly like Christ.
So perhaps “unmerited favor” is the doorway into understanding grace, but not the whole picture. A more complete definition might be:
Grace is the freely given goodness and active power of God that works in our lives to save, transform, strengthen, and enable us to become and do what He has called us to become and do.
God doesn't merely look upon us with favor. Through His grace, He comes into our lives and begins doing something in us that we could never do for ourselves.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
