My Journey of Knowing His Grace
Growing up as a Christian, I often heard the word Grace—in churches, among people I met, in books I read, and even in the prayers I prayed. Yet, despite hearing it countless times, I never truly understood its meaning.
My curiosity led me to explore online resources about the Doctrine of Grace. However, instead of clarity, I found myself confused, and that confusion began to affect my understanding of other Christian doctrines.
Eventually, I decided to study what Grace truly means—through mentors, Bible studies, and personal study of the Scriptures. Once I understood the Grace of God, I experienced a freedom in my spirit that opened my eyes, revived my heart, and decluttered my mind. Life became clearer and more practical when I finally tasted the true essence of His grace.
What is Grace?
One can truly understand Grace by exploring its biblical root words, which serve as a foundation for us in these days of deception.
| Word | Transliteration | Language | Meaning | Example Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חֶסֶד | chesed | Hebrew | Grace, mercy, steadfast love, compassion, lovingkindness | Psalm 136:1 – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love (chesed) endures forever.” |
| חֵן | chen | Hebrew | Grace, favor, kindness (withholding punishment), graciousness | Genesis 6:8 – “But Noah found grace (chen) in the eyes of the LORD.” |
| χάρις | charis | Greek | Grace, favor, goodwill, unmerited favor | Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace (charis) you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” |
From these root words, we learn that God’s grace is unwavering love, undeserved kindness, and unmerited favor. His love for us remains steadfast in a world that constantly changes. His kindness rescues us from His righteous wrath, and His favor bestows upon us the precious gift of salvation.
Jesus — The Source of Grace
John 1:14–17 (ESV):
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
“God’s unwavering love endured the cross, His undeserving kindness set Barabbas free, and His unmerited favor welcomed the thief into Paradise.”
Practical Relevance of Grace
The Doctrine of Grace is not a mere theological theory; it is a living reality that shapes our everyday lives. Many study the Bible as history, but very few go forward to live according to it.
“The Bible is not only theological in essence, but also practical in its sense.”
Understanding grace in practice means discovering what grace can do in our daily walk. The life of Apostle Paul is a perfect example of how God’s grace works practically in our lives.
7 Practical Implications of God’s Grace
1. God’s Grace Leads Us to Salvation
No one can be saved by their own deeds. Paul, a learned Pharisee trained under Gamaliel, was not saved by knowledge or works but by encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
True salvation is God’s gift—received by faith, never earned by deeds.
2. God’s Grace Strengthens Us
Paul suffered from a “thorn in the flesh,” yet God allowed it to show that divine strength is perfected in human weakness.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (ESV)
Grace does not always remove suffering; it empowers us to endure it.
3. God’s Grace Works With Us
Paul’s ministry spanned over 30 years, including three missionary journeys and the writing of 13 New Testament epistles. Despite beatings, imprisonments, and shipwrecks, he remained steadfast.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)
The God who gives purpose also gives the grace to fulfill it.
4. God’s Grace Will Not Depart From You
“‘For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 54:10 (ESV)
Even when people leave or betray us, as they did Paul:
- John Mark left him midway (Acts 13:13; Acts 15:37–39).
- Demas deserted him, loving the world more (2 Timothy 4:10).
- Phygelus and Hermogenes, and many others in Asia, turned away (2 Timothy 1:15).
- Some even caused him harm (2 Timothy 4:14).
Despite this, Paul remained steadfast. People may leave, but God’s grace never does. That same unchanging grace stood with Paul till the end and it will not depart from us as well.
5. God’s Grace Keeps Us From Perishing
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)
Paul endured beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, and imprisonment, yet God’s grace preserved his life and mission.
“Are they ministers of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a fool—I am more! With far greater labors, far more imprisonments, beatings, and near death many times. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on journeys often, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; I have been in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”
2 Corinthians 11:23–27 (ESV)
Yet none of these perils overcame him—grace kept him alive and steadfast.
6. God’s Grace Keeps Us From Sin
“For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 5:19–21 (ESV)
Grace empowers us to overcome temptation. It is like firefighters advancing toward a blazing fire. The water from their hoses pushes back the flames with greater force, keeping them safe. In the same way, sin is like fire, but grace is the water that goes before us, overpowering every temptation that seeks to harm us.
7. God’s Grace Is Better Than Life
“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”
Psalm 63:3 (ESV)
Paul’s life—from his first letter to his last—was marked by grace. Every trial, hardship, and season was sustained by God’s grace. He began his first letter with grace (1 Thessalonians 1:1) and concluded his final letter the same way (2 Timothy 4:22), showing that grace carried him through every moment.
Paul’s life also demonstrates spiritual satisfaction and victory. In his final statements, he could declare that he had “fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). His journey shows that a life lived in God’s grace is not only protected and sustained but also fulfilled and victorious, marked by contentment and confidence in God’s promises.
May our lives also begin, continue, and end with God’s grace, with every moment in between marked by His sustaining power, satisfaction, and victory. Amen.
