The most common understanding of the word “grace” is “God’s unmerited favour” – in other words, even though we were sinners, deserving judgment, God looked upon us in love and forgave us.

This, however, is only half its meaning. It also means “God’s enabling power.”

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and
strengthen you in every good deed and word” 2 Thess 2:16-17

Not only does His grace make us accepted in the family of God, but it also provides the power we need to live the Christian life. Two scriptures indicate the two aspects of God’s grace in every believer.

1. God’s Unmerited Favour

“For it is by grace [God’s unmerited favour] you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can
boast” Ephe 2:8-9

2. God’s Enabling Power.

“… In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace [enabling power], which he has freely given us in the one he loves” Ephe 1:4-6

Read the whole chapter, which describes all that we have received by grace (by his enabling
power).

In salvation, not only is God’s unmerited favour expressed (in that we receive forgiveness and restored relationship with Him even though we don’t deserve it), but so also is God’ s enabling power – for it is by HIS power that we can and are being transformed.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Cor 5:17

This principle of grace continues throughout our walk with God. In every area of our Christian lives, it is God’s grace that causes us to grow and be strong – God’s enabling power given to us without any merit on our part.

“… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ… ” 2 Peter 3:18