I once heard someone state that pastors who say the same things over and over again, week in and week out, need to throw those phrases out of their vocabulary for a while. It made me wonder if I repeat the same words each Sunday and they might have become stale.
One such phrase that I have a hard time not repeating are the words “amazing grace.” When I think about Jesus’ love for us I cannot help but think about “amazing grace.” This grace is the basis for my faith in God and inspires me to continue living the Christian life.
Grace is best defined as a gift from God (John 3:16).
Grace is God’s love and mercy given to us because God wants us to have it. Grace is not something earned because we did something (Ephesians 2:8-9). John Wesley’s faith was based upon the grace of God as well. In fact, for Wesley, the grace of God was the central element of his theology. He believed that God’s grace stirs in us an awareness of God’s love for us and reveals our sinful nature. It is God’s grace that moves us to seek repentance for our sins and turn our lives in a new direction (Matthew 4:17).
God’s grace also enables us to have faith in Jesus Christ and be justified in Him (Galatians 3:24). It is God’s grace that calls us to have “a new birth” (John 3:7) and helps us transform our lives as “new creatures in Christ” (2 Corinthi-ans 5:17). It is God’s grace that moves us to live holy lives, “love our neighbors as our-selves” (1 John 3:11), and do “good works” (James 2:17).
I cannot think about Jesus without thinking about grace. Now you know why I speak about it so much. Isn’t it amazing!
In Christ,
Kurt