GRACE: An Acronym

 

            A great way to remember spiritual truths is to commit them into the form of an acronym, where the first letter of each line spells out a key word.

 

            Here's one for a central Christian concept: grace. It means favor or kindness without regard to the worth or merit of the person who receives it, and in spite of what that person really deserves. It's a free gift.

 

            In Exodus 34:6, God is described as "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." God showed His grace in saving the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and parting the Red Sea to help them escape. God's grace is embodied in the gift of Jesus Christ, who brought the gospel of grace into the world. In John 1:14, we learn that Jesus was "full of grace and truth," and in Acts 15:11, we're told that "through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved."

 

            Salvation by God's grace, rather than by anything that humans can do, separates Christians from every other religious belief. In Romans 4:4, that's made clear, that grace is a gift and nothing that can be earned, by prayer or good deeds or money or anything at all.

 

            So how can you live a life of grace? Live by this acronym:

 

            Give grace, not guilt.

 

            Refuse to have pity parties.

 

            Accentuate the positive.

 

            Cultivate freedom for yourself and others.

 

            Encourage people to come to know the Lord.