August 11, 2019
Grace is a word the Bible often uses in connection with salvation. The term speaks of God’s merciful kindness, by which He not only turns souls to Christ but also keeps and strengthens them. In other words, it brings people to saving faith and then enables them to live righteously (Titus 2:11-12).
Unfortunately, some people who receive Christ try to use divine kindness as an excuse to cover their sins (Rom. 6:1-2). But if we’ve truly experienced God’s saving grace, we should also be living in His sanctifying grace. As new creations in the Lord, we are no longer the people we were before coming to faith. We should turn from old patterns and instead nurture the new desires and ambitions that align with those of God’s Holy Spirit, who indwells us.
Then there are some unbelievers who think it’s okay to live as they please for a while before repenting of sin and turning to Christ for salvation. But it’s dangerous to delay. The time to be saved is when you hear the gospel, feel the Spirit’s conviction about sin, and understand that eternal consequences await those who reject the Savior’s free gift. Turning a deaf ear insults the Spirit of grace and “trample[s] under foot the Son of God” (Heb. 10:29).
A proper understanding of grace includes a warning against these types of resistance. Paul expressed it this way to the Corinthian people: “We beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it” (2 Cor. 6:1 NLT). Then, in the very next verse he added, “Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.”
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 9-11
