When we live in grace God does not treat us as sinners anymore. We are his saints. But it does not mean that we would not be sinners anymore. We are not practicing sinners, that’s true. But we are recovering sinners.

This does not mean that we could do whatever we want to and then ask for pardon. God forbid! A saint can’t willfully and actively continue to sin because we have been washed clean and died to sin. But saints still do sin (even our best deeds are stained with sin, hence we need daily washing) but our attitude toward sin is essentially different from that of an unbeliever. We recognize our sins with deep regret and sorrow. We repent and turn back to God for cleansing.

Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. (Romans 8: 1-2, MSG)

God did not just save us by grace and leave us to deal with life on our own. There is a new power in charge! God gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and work in us. Salvation (justification) and becoming Christ-like (sanctification) are organically woven together. We can’t separate grace and becoming holy. They go always hand in hand. We are saved by grace and we are sanctified by grace. When Christ lives in us there is a new power in charge. The Holy Spirit charges the recovering sinners with his power and grace to not to sin.

But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s! (Romans 8:10-11, MSG)

How do we then live in grace? By the grace of God we every day recognize our sinfulness, remember that we are baptized children of God, and claim the promises of God for ourselves. God is more than happy to pour grace upon grace on us when we ask. God is thrilled to invigorate his children to live holy. God is so excited to see us to embrace God’s wild grace as the working power in our lives and to live the kingdom life with gusto. We are God’s beloved children. Let’s act like it! By the grace of God!

 

Gracious God,
We love you and we praise you!
Thank you for your perfect plan for us.
Thank you for the extravagant gift of salvation.
Thank you for creating new life in us.
Forgive us, renew us, and make us holy.
Enable us to live out our faith.
Work in us and through us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Do you have any further questions about/tips for living in grace?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you life the kingdom life with gusto! Let the grace of God rule in your life! Let the Spirit of God breath new life into you!

Photo courtesy of Marian Trinidad