Be Strong in Grace
God does not expect you to be strong in the world. Slaves are typically mistreated by their oppressive masters, and the slave to sin is often brutalized by the god of this world, Satan (Rom 6:6; 2 Cor 4:4). Lucifer is the father of lies (Jn 8:44), and he deceives the subjects of his dark kingdom (Eph 4:17; 1 Jn 3:10). The promises of Satan center on the glory of man, however (Gen 3:5). The reason for this strategy is that if man is glorified, God is not glorified. Thus, the pride of man seems natural to man, but man is deceived, not realizing he is stealing glory from God.
Man works hard at his sport, his education, his business, his reputation, and he gets an award. He takes pride in his accomplishment and presents his resume before his children present his obituary. Many are tormented in eternal hell because they walked in darkness their whole lives (Jn 8:12; 12:35; Eph 5:8; 1 Jn 1:6; 2:11), but posthumously, they are acutely aware of their rebellion and enmity with God, who made them.
Satan’s cruelty is used by Almighty God, as a foil for his own goodness. God is good, all the time (Mk 10:18; Lk 18:19). He is love (1 Jn 4:8). He is true (Rom 3:4). He alone possesses perfect attributes in His character and works. One of God’s attributes is grace (Ex 34:6; Neh 9:17, 31).
God’s grace is perfect. It is an act of favor toward some, but not all people. Those who receive the gift of grace from God do not deserve His favor. Those graced by God are evildoers, unjust sinners (1 Pet 3:18). It is God’s sovereign choice to be gracious to them (Rom 11:5).
Grace comes to this select group at God’s appointed time, place, and circumstances. It is the Holy Spirit of grace that brings grace to the object of His love (Zech 12:10). In other words, when God chooses to set His love upon one of His elect souls, she receives His love, by His grace (Rom 5:5; 2 Cor 5:5; Eph 2:8–9).
Grace distinguishes the recipient from those who do not have God’s favor (Jn 5:42; 8:47; 10:26; Rom 8:9). His enemies remain His enemies; but those enemies He makes to be His friends become more than friends. God adopts His befriended ones into His own family, as children (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:5). Or, seen another way, the relationship becomes like a married couple, where a Mighty Prince takes a previously ungrateful commoner to be his bride. Her life and her worldview changes.
Grace changes one’s relationship to God, position-ally and experimentally. The child of God sees how great a love the Father has for her (1 Jn 3:1), by sending forth His only begotten Son into the world (Jn 3:16), in order to die for her (Jn 10:11, 15; Rom 5:8; Eph 5:25). There is no greater love than that love (Jn 15:13). She was blind to it, but He made her see it (Jn 9).
When one is illumined, awakened, made alive, spiritually, to the truth of what God has done for her, she begins to understand grace. God was not obligated to bring His love, by the indwelling presence of His Spirit, to her (Rom 8:9, 11). Far more people live without God’s grace than those who have been humbled by His abiding presence and ongoing gracious work (Is 26:10; Gal 2:20; Phil 2:13).
All that a Christian has from God is by grace. Grace is the channel by which every spiritual blessing is bestowed (Eph 1:3). Grace is contrasted with man’s work because grace is God’s work to accomplish His will in the regenerate believer’s life (Jn 3:1–8; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; 1 Pet 1:3).
The Christian life is a life of grace. Whereas sin once reigned, ruled, led, guided, taught, worked, lied, cheated, stole from one’s heart — now, grace reigns by the Spirit (Rom 5:17, 21). The love, God has shone in the heart of His adopted child, is shared with one’s neighbor (Mt 22:39; Rom 5:5). Where sin is selfish, love is selfless. Sin is corrupt and corrupting, but grace is holy.
Paul wrote to Timothy, “…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2:1).” Christian, God is not asking you to be strong. Joshua looked like a weak and foolish military commander, when he crossed the River Jordan, stopped, circumcised the people, and then attacked Jericho in a way that could only be attributed to the wisdom and power of God. Obedience is by grace (Ezek 36:27), and grace is God’s way of doing things. It looks foolish to the world, but God’s children learn grace and give thanks for it.
Whatever your circumstances are, today, know that His grace is sufficient for you (2 Cor 12:9). When you are weak, He is strong (Heb 11:34). He is at work to bring about His will in your life (Phil 2:13), and His will and work, regarding you, is all grace. Therefore, be strong in His grace, alone. He will do it. He’s got this, whatever this is.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
November 6, 2021
