FIFTY SHADES OF GRACE
It has been said that grace is the most important idea in scripture but so often people are entirely confused as to what it is or understand the grace of God solely in mono-focal terms.
Grace is at it's core receiving from God in his love what you don't deserve. In saving grace, we are taken from the kingdom of darkness and placed into the Kingdom of light, in grace for service we are equipped by God with gifts to build his kingdom, not because we deserve such but because he chooses to partner with us.
You could say that in some ways Grace and Mercy occupy the same space but are the opposite side of the same coin. In God's grace we receive what we don't deserve, in God's mercy we don't receive what we do deserve.
Below are simply a collection of verses that highlight some of the shades of grace (and yes I know 50 shades of Grace is a little Christian tacky but that is better than the other Fifty shades :) )
1. GRACE IS GOD'S GIFT
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
2. SPEAKING WITH GRACE BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS
"One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.” Prov 22:11
3. GRACE ENABLES AND DRAWS THE UNBELIEVER TO REPENTANCE
‘And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10
4. GOD IS FULL OF GRACE – NO LIMITATION
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. “ John 1:14
5. GRACE COMES FROM GOD'S FULLNESS
“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. “ John 1:16
6. JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF GRACE
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. “ John 1:17
7. GRACE WORKS POWERFULLY IN US THAT GOD MIGHT WORK THROUGH US
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all “ Acts 4:33
8. GRACE WORKS
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8
9. GRACE BRINGS GLADNESS NOT BURDEN
“When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” Acts 11:22
10. WE MUST CONTINUE IN GRACE
"When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.” Acts 13:43
11. GRACE CAN BE CONFIRMED BY THE MIRACULOUS
"So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. “ Acts 14:3
12. GRACE BRINGS DOWN THE DIVIDING WALLS
“No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:3
13. THE GRACE OF GOD DESERVES LOUD LIVING
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “ Acts 20:24
14. THE WORD OF GRACE BUILDS UP
‘Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. “ Acts 20:32
15. YOU ARE GRACED FOR A CALL
"Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.” Romans 1:5
16. GRACE COMES FREE (to us) THOUGH IT COST JESUS HIS LIFE
"...and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. “ Romans 3:24
17. GRACE (through faith) IS THE GUARANTEE
"Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.” Romans 4:16
18. GRACE OVERFLOWS!!!
"But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! “ Romans 5:15
19. GRACE COMES FROM ONE
"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” Romans 5:17
20. GRACE LEADS US AWAY FROM SIN
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? “ Romans 6:1
21. GRACE FREES YOU FROM SINNING
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! “ Romans 6:14 – 15
22. GRACE IS NOT OUR WORK
“And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. “ Romans 11:6
23. GRACE GIVES US A GODLY UNDERSTANDING OF SELF
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3
24. GRACE IS SEEN IN DIFFERENT GIFTS IN OUR LIVES BUT IT IS ALL STILL GRACE
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;” Romans 12:6
25. GRACE IS FOR BUILDING THE KINGDOM
"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. “ 1 Cor 3:10
26. GRACE EFFECTS CHANGE
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” 1 Cor 15:10
27. YOU CAN RELY ON GOD'S GRACE
"Now this is our boast: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” 2 Cor 1:12
28. GRACE IS NOT ABOUT YOU
"As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. “ 2 Cor 6:1
29. GRACE IS EVEN SHOWN DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT CHURCH COMMUNITIES
“And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” 2 Cor 8:1
30. GRACE ACTS OUT
“So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Cor 8:7
31. GRACE IS SEEN IN JESUS BECOMING LIKE US THAT WE MIGHT BECOME LIKE HIM
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor 8:9
32. HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor 12:9
33. GRACE IS FREE NOT FORCED
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel” Gal 1:6
34. GRACE RELEASES AND POSITIONS
“James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.” Gal 2:9
35. GRACE GAINS US RIGHTEOUSNESS NOT LAW
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ Gal 2:21
36. YOU CAN FALL AWAY FROM GRACE
“You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Gal 5:4
37. GRACE COMES FROM GOD'S RICHNESS
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” Eph 1:7
38. GRACE SAVES US
“(HE) ...made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” Eph 2:5
39. GRACE SHOWS GOD'S INCOMPARABLE RICHES
“...in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – ” Eph 2:7 – 8
40. GRACE IS FROM GOD TO YOU FOR OTHERS
“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you” Eph 3:2
41. GRACE SETS ONE APART FOR A PURPOSE
"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, ” Eph 3:7 – 8
42. GRACE GIFTS ARE GIVEN AS CHRIST DECIDES
"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” Eph 4:7
43. GRACE NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD
“...In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world – just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” Col 1:6
44. GRACE FILLED SPEECH IS WISE SPEECH
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Col 4:6
45. GRACE BRINGS ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thes 2:16 - 17
46. GRACE IS POURED OUT ABUNDANTLY
“The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim 1:14
47. GRACE IS IN CHRIST JESUS
“He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” 2 Tim 1:9
48. GRACE OFFERS SALVATION TO ALL PEOPLE
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11
49. GRACE MAKES US HEIRS
“having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7b
50. GRACE TAKES OUR PUNISHMENT
“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9
Ok, maybe a couple more than 50
51. GRACE IN TIMES OF NEED, NEED BE SOUGHT (but God is willing)
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Heb 4:16
52. DON'T INSULT THE SPIRIT OF GRACE
“How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Heb 10:29
53. GRACE STRENGTHENS
“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.” Heb 13:9
54. GRACE IS ATTRACTED TO HUMILITY
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.’ James 4:6
55. GRACE IS SEEN IN PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” 1 Peter 1:13
56. GRACE IS FOR SERVICE
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
57. CONTINUE TO GROW IN GRACE
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
58. GRACE AFFIRMS HOLINESS AND JESUS AS SOVEREIGN
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” Jude 1:4
59. GRACE BE WITH YOU TILL THE VERY END!!!
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Rev 22:21