Christian Living
The Measure of God’s Grace
Again, Grace is not just some hot looking babe we knew in High School, it’s not just a prayer made before a meal and it’s not just a nice name for a beautiful baby girl. We heard the song Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! However, we must continue to search the Scriptures to gain greater insight to the full Biblical definition of Grace and the Power it has to radically change our lives and Divinely motivate us to become Powerful Christians on earth.
Hi Faith-writers, I’m grateful to be back again to share the Word of God on the Topic of Grace. As I meditated the Holy Spirit granted me fresh Revelation to this Powerful Topic that the Apostle Paul taught almost 2000 years ago. I would like to be open and sincere about my experiences being a Christian. I heard several messages of Grace and I heard the arguments in the Christian world about this topic. I began to study it deeply and I understand it and the practical teaching Paul, Luke and John the Baptist shared about the Topic of Grace. I applied it over the years and I’m here to share not only a topic but Powerful testimony that will inspire us to seek a GREATER MEASURE OF GOD’S GRACE.
Grace the Gift
Grace is not just God’s (Unmerited Favor)—it is also a Gift. Paul said, for it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 Amplified Bible).
This Gift of Grace was made available to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Once we heard the Gospel preached to us Supernatural faith kicked into our hearts and we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and the Gift of Grace was imparted to us and we became Born-again (saved) and became a child of God. (Read Ephesians 2:4-9 NKJV).
Paul did not stop there, he continued to teach the Christians in Ephesus (as well as Christians today) about the Gift of Grace with added features!?
Our Calling—comes with a Measure of the Gift of Grace
Paul said, therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the Calling with which you have been Called. (v. 1)
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, (v. 2)
Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (v.3)
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your Calling; (v. 4)
But to each one of us GRACE was given according to the MEASURE of CHRIST’S GIFT (v. 7). (Ephesians 4:1-4, 7 NAS). I purposely skipped verses 5 and 6 to get to the point faster.
Paul said that our Calling came with a Measure of the Gift of Grace. However, we have Protocol’s to follow and we have the Divine equipment to do it!
The Rules of Engagement
Paul gave us a list of virtues that we should walk in a manner worthy of our calling.
1. Humility
2. Gentleness
3. Patience
4. Showing tolerance for one another in love
5. Being diligent to preserve unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
And in case we were looking at this list and saying Paul you’re mad dude! Paul says, each one of us was given a Measure of Grace by the Gift Christ had given to us. (I paraphrased it!)
This list of virtues (the fruits of the Spirit) that must be developed in our lives with the Helper (The Holy Spirit); HE can enable us to live in the Measure of God’s Grace to be classified as His disciples. Now, the Gift of Grace is also mentioned as the Divine ability we have in us to actually live out these virtues.
For example, I could not humble myself to take hand-outs I always had the attitude that I must be a mover and a shaker and make things happen on my own strength and natural ability. I was very harsh with my words and my tone of voice and attitude because of my military family shouting orders at me. I was groomed to be the same way in voicing my opinions and to get my points across. Patience ah, yeah that was another issue I had to learn to work on in many areas. I couldn’t tolerate slow pokes and air-heads and out-right lazy people.
Over time I learned to be humble and clean a toilet in the church and at work as a porter instead of being a big-wig manager or preacher. I learned to be gentle at home, work, in my relationships, as a husband and a father. I had to learn to be patience with everyone I just mentioned. And I was not able to do it unless the Holy Spirit HELPED me. God’s Grace is His Divine ability in us working through us to move us in this Gift of Grace to do the Will of God.
So, God not only granted us His GRACE (Unmerited Favor) to save us so we can become children of God. God had given us a MEASURE of HIS GRACE to operate as Christians. He did it all! Our responsibility is to read Scripture about this topic of Grace, receive revelation and be inspired to apply the Scriptures to become the Powerful believers He called us to be.
The Measure Defined
Measure- is Metron in the Greek #3358 Strong’s Concordance; it means (a meter), a measure and it can be applied literally and figuratively; by implication a limited portion.
It is the whole extent or dimension of a thing height, length, breadth, depth and thickness; capacity or amount. Adjusted or proportioned. Sufficient quantity; Extent of power or office; And or extent of ability. (Noah Webster)
There’s something also interesting for Bible Teachers and students to know. When I thought about the Measure of Grace a few Scriptures that I taught on in the past came to mind. However, when I went to the Greek in Strong’s Concordance it illuminated the same Scriptures I thought about. (I’m not saying this to sound spiritual). My point is the Topic of Grace has many subjects such as;
1. Law vs. Grace
2. Grace God’s Unmerited Favor
3. Grace God’s free Gift of Salvation
4. The Measure of God’s Grace and so on;
We can teach and preach about Grace in many areas; However when we look up Measure in the Greek there are 6 words given in Greek (See Vine’s Dictionary). Metron however, only connects us with the Scriptures that speak about The Measure of Gift of Grace upon the life of a believer.
Here are those Scripture’s (Matthew 7:2/ 23:32 NKJV) (Mark 4:24NKJV) (Luke 6:38NKJV) (John 3:34) (Romans 12:3 NKJV) (2 Corinthians 10:13b, c, 14 NKJV) (Ephesians 4:7, 13, 16 NKJV) (Revelation 21:17 NKJV).
Understanding the Measure of God’s Gift of Grace in the Life of the Believer
What is my point? Why did I go through the trouble of Greek definition and then give you guys all these passages of Scripture? Let me explain why; Paul taught about God’s Grace in detail about the Measure we have in us—and that it is a Gift given to us by Jesus Himself. (See, Ephesians 4:1-7 NKJV) Metron—Measure.
Paul then continued to tell us that we need to grow spiritually to the Measure and full stature of Jesus Christ and that was the purpose that Jesus gave us Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Pastors and Evangelist so that they may train us through Scripture to be Powerful servants in the Kingdom of God and grow to the Measure of Jesus Christ (See, Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV) Metron—Measure.
Paul said we all have been given Gifts to function or operate in the Ministry according to the Measure of the Gift of Grace (Romans 12:3-6 NKJV). Metron—Measure.
John the Baptist said God gave Jesus the Holy Spirit without Measure (or an unlimited Measure) so He can operate in the Ministry (John 3:34 NKJV). Metron—Measure.
So then, God did not just save us and we need to go to church an become goody-to-shoe Christians until He returns. Jesus granted us Power, Divine ability called “The Measure of the Gift of Grace” to become spiritually mature Christians to operate just like He did when He walked on the earth. Now let’s learn how we can increase that Measure of Grace in our lives so we may operate like Jesus did.
Increasing the Measure of God’s Grace in our lives
Metron—Measure is also found in the story about “The parable of the Sower” in (Mark 4:1-24 NKJV). In the parable of the Sower, Jesus relates a story of a farmer who went out to sow seeds in the ground;
1. The sower is the Preacher /Teacher
2. The seed is the Word of God and The Word of Grace that’s taught to us
3. The four types of soil represent different responses to God’s message.
You see, people respond differently because they are in different states of readiness of mind when they go to services or to a Christian Meeting.
1. Some are hardened because of living a hard life. It’s hard for them to let go and let God touch them.
2. Others are shallow—they don’t pursue or study further the topic they heard preached.
3. Others are contaminate with all the cares of this life and fail to prioritize their lives to give God and His Word some room in their lives.
4. And some are receptive to the Word of God and bring forth fruit 30, 60 and a 100 percent in their Christian lives. (The fruits of the Spirit) can be developed with the HELP of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the key verse that speaks about “Increasing the Measure of God’s Gift of Grace” in our lives is in verse 24; Jesus said;
Take heed what you hear. With the same Measure you use, it will be Measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given (Mark 4:24 NKJV). Metron—Measure.
The process of development has become our responsibility. We must hear, we must do and we must produce in order to experience a greater Measure of the Gift of Grace in our lives. The ball is in our court. So we have no excuse. May God bless you and move you to desire a Greater Measure of Grace in Jesus’ name, amen.
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