Grace To Live By Faith
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3 (KJV)
Grace, charis in the Greek, is God-given ability, also translated as favor. Grace involves lovingkindness and bestows blessings and right standing. Grace is undeserved, unearned favor. Grace does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Paul says he received God-given ability to say, or speak, his message to the Romans. Therefore, we should speak by God’s grace. Our speech should be full of grace, not hard, mean, or cutting. God gives us grace to say what we should say. He graces our speech so we can minister grace to others.
Grace helps us to think right about ourselves and others. It helps us to think soberly, sensibly, with reason, and realistically, about our own limitations. Grace helps us to think humbly of who we are and to rely by faith on God to help us to speak and act correctly. Grace and faith release God’s unlimited ability in us and in our lives.
By God’s grace, we can think with the mind of Christ, or with a spiritual mind controlled by the Holy Ghost. He is the Spirit of Grace who graces us to think correctly, soundly, realistically, and sensibly (Romans 8:6). We won’t think too highly or too lowly of ourselves, but based on the Word. As we think properly, we behave properly. As we think in alignment with the Word of God, we speak and act in alignment with it also.
God has dealt to every man, or every believer, the measure of faith. We all have received the same measure, or amount, of faith. Some people just develop their faith more than others.
By hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17)
By speaking and releasing God’s Word (Romans 10:9-10)
By doing God’s Word (Romans 4)
Grace and faith work together. Grace gives. Faith receives. Grace is the work that causes faith to work. All that God provided for us in Christ is by grace (Ephesians 1:3). Grace gives and provides (II Peter 1:2-4). Faith believes and receives all that Christ has done for us.
As we allow grace and faith to work in, through, and for us, we become more like Christ. Grace gives us the ability to speak, think, and act right. Grace enables faith to receive all God has planned for us.
