When we don’t understand grace fully, we can be tempted to think that it means we can do whatever we want. We can act how we’ve always acted because by God’s grace we’ll be forgiven and we’re already saved. But like the Bible says: ‘Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?’ (vv.1-2 NIV). God’s grace is a gift that has saved us. He loves us so much that He wanted to forgive us for our sins, ensure we have eternal life, and restore our relationship with Him forever. This gift is exactly that – a gift. We don’t have to earn it, and we shouldn’t abuse it. When we understand what we’ve been saved from, and the level of love God has for each one of us, how can we carry on living the wrong way? A true understanding of grace produces godliness in our lives. The Bible says that God’s grace ‘teaches us to live in the present age in a wise and right way and in a way that shows we serve God’ (Titus 2:11-12 NCV). In Luke 7 we see a woman with a bad past coming to Jesus. She anointed Him with perfume and even washed His feet with her tears. When Simon began to protest, Jesus explained how someone who had been forgiven a lot would be more grateful than someone who had been forgiven a little. The Message version sums it up like this: ‘If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal’ (v.47). When we understand how big a gift God’s grace and forgiveness is, we’ll be pouring out praise and gratitude rather than continuing our lives of sin.

What Now?

Spend some time praising and thanking God for His gift of grace.