By: Steve Wilmot
Edgerton, Ohio
Watching a trapeze show is breathtaking. We wonder at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses. In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, the net catches them and saves them from potential life-threatening harm.
In Christ, we live on a trapeze, and we often fall. What happens when we do? A net catches us. The net is grace.
Thank God for grace, but most believers have merely a partial understanding of what grace is.
They’re saved by grace and every time they sin, they’re forgiven by grace. But grace is far more amazing than that!
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12).
Paul informs us grace doesn’t suddenly dry up once we’ve crossed the line of faith. Yes, it offers salvation to all people, but it does so much more. We don’t automatically quit sinning the moment we decide to follow Jesus, do we?
That’s where grace shows up. It’s not limited to covering our sins; it gives us the power to sin less. It teaches us to say no to the bad habits and hang-ups that plagued us before we allowed Jesus into our lives. And it teaches us to say yes to godly living.
Paul also makes clear that this process of breaking free from the person we used to be requires a partnership with God. To be sure, God does the heavy lifting, but we have a vital role to play in the process.
“…Continue to work out your salvation, for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12-13). Our role is to “work out” our salvation. God’s role is to “work in” us.
Fact is, you cannot “work out” life transformation unless God “works in” you first. You are powerless to change on your own.
Powerless to become the man or woman you want to be. Powerless to stop drinking, control your tongue, or kick an addiction. No matter how committed you are or how hard you try, you can’t do it.
If you could, you would have by now. We need a power greater than ourselves. That’s where grace comes in. According to Philippians 2, grace is the desire and power to do God’s will. It’s the want to and the power to.
God provides grace in ample measure, but we still must do our part. In the moment of temptation, we must decide to say no to sin and yes to God. It’s a personal decision you must make. God isn’t going to make it for you. Only you can.
In the face of temptation, God’s grace will give you the desire and the power to resist it, but you must respond to the power. You must move toward grace first. That’s your part.
— Don’t reach for the bottle.
— Walk away from the internet.
— Turn off the TV.
— Bite your tongue.
— Get away from your friends.
— Don’t drive to Wal-Mart or Kohl’s.
— Reach for your Bible instead of a snack.
The decision you make at that moment will determine what happens next. If you entertain the temptation and focus on the momentary pleasure, the battle will be lost. But if you activate grace, you will win the battle every time. But you must take the step toward grace.
When you do what God has told you to do, then he will do what only he can do — give you the power to resist temptation, break your addictions and habits, and set your life on a whole new course!
That’s what’s so amazing about grace. It not only grants forgiveness when we mess up, it gives us the desire and the power to say no to lure of sin so we don’t mess up and need forgiven again. And that frees us from guilt, regret, shame, and bondage.
How cool is that? Amazing grace, indeed!
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Steve Wilmot is a former Edgerton, Ohio area pastor who now seeks “to still bear fruit in old age” through writing. He is the author of seven books designed to assist believers to make steady progress on their spiritual journey.
