SALVATION IS BY GRACE
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Salvation is a free gift and it is all of grace. Grace here means unmerited favor from God. Lack of true understanding of what grace is, has led many Christians to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. Jude 3-4. As we can see, many Christians today are living anyhow they like because they believe that grace is there to take care of their sins.
When we consider salvation, we begin with the basic fact that a sovereign loving God without apparent reason chose to show His kindness towards undeserving people by forgiving their sins.
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Remember, there are two kinds of grace in the bible.
- Common grace, which is showered upon all people of the earth. This grace is from God and it helps to save people from dangers and keep them from evil without minding that they are sinners. It also helps families, communities and nations to lie together in social harmony and also provide for their well beings. But this common grace is not sufficient for man’s salvation; rather it can lead one to consider his need for a savior.
- Saving grace; this comes through hearing the word of God and compels us to respond to it.
The purpose of saving grace is not only to bring salvation to us but also to teach us after salvation how to live righteous life that will please God here on earth. It helps us who are saved to live in expectation for the coming of the Lord. The grace of God does not excuse us from sin and is not a license to indulge in sin, so be careful.