Everybody believes in grace until their “enemy” needs it. Until their “enemy” admits failure. Confesses sin. Asks forgiveness. Seeks help. Stumbles and falls. Surrenders.

Deep down, we all feel there’s someone who doesn’t deserve grace…and we’re right. That’s the truth. All of us are undeserving of grace. That’s what makes grace grace. It’s unmerited, yet freely given. But “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) And not because we were lovable, but rather because we were loved.

Loved by God first.

Loved by God because He loved us (Deuteronomy 7:7-8). No other reason is as simple yet as unbelievable. 

Our salvation in Christ, then, is impossible apart from the grace of God. But so is living out the Christ-life or our Christian life.

A big reason we don’t pray for some people is because we don’t love them. We don’t want to love them. To love them in Christ would demand of us things difficult to imagine and achieve: love your neighbor-enemy as yourself. But the radical transformation of the heart by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ will lead us to forgive others as God forgive us. To show kindness as God shows kindness to us. To give mercy as God gives mercy to us. Because that’s what grace does.

I have often thought about the church, the American Church, and have come to the conclusion that it would be better to be persecuted than to be deceived. The early church was never persecuted for being too much like the world. But, rather, for being too much unlike the world. For refusing to bow down to its idols and identities. For refusing to worship any other Lord or King as Savior but Jesus Christ alone. Why? Because the grace of God is transformational — “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Put another way, “grace” is the smelling salts of the Kingdom of God. It shocks and reminds us of what we were and why we needed salvation. Of what we did and why we deserved God’s condemnation. But, also, it jolts and reminds us of who we are now and how we are called to live now. Of what we are empowered to do now and why the glory of Jesus is our greatest joy now and always. 

Dear Elim Grace, if ever we are led to believe that the reason “Christ loved me and gave himself up for me” isn’t so that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in,“ then we have missed the path of abundant life (Galatians 2:2). There is no abundant life without grace, yet there is no grace without abundant life. Without transformation. Without the life and fruit of the Spirit present everywhere and everywhen you keep pace with Him.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,”  preached Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace means both. Accomplishes both. Demands both. Empowers both. It is not only that sin is defeated in Christ, but also that righteousness is victorious. It is not only that we are set free from the power of sin through Christ’s death, but that we are also freed to walk in His righteousness through His resurrection by His Spirit.

So, yes, we can give and show grace to our “enemies” (without setting aside justice and the just consequences due upon wrong actions). We can love and pray for our “enemies” (while not ignoring or minimizing the hurt and pain and areas of our lives that need healing). Grace as a gift is offered to all and can be received by anyone. But to be seeking and living into the grace of God, like a branch into a vine, is a fruit of growing BIG in Christ. Let grace abound, then. Let grace abound.