{"id":47453,"date":"2023-03-15T01:58:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T22:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=47453"},"modified":"2025-05-26T16:29:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:29:51","slug":"not-by-works-but-by-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2023\/03\/15\/not-by-works-but-by-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"NOT BY WORKS, BUT BY GRACE"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re living in a way that honors God\u2014perhaps you’re generous, prayerful, or obedient\u2014that\u2019s a good thing, and you should give thanks to God for enabling you to do so. But be careful not to become proud or self-righteous about it. The reality is that, even on our best days, we still fall short in ways we don\u2019t even notice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Theologians often speak of total depravity<\/em>\u2014the idea that sin affects every part of our lives: our thoughts, desires, and actions. That doesn’t mean we’re as bad as we could possibly be, but it does mean that nothing we do is free from the effects of sin. As Romans 3:23<\/strong>\u00a0says:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Even when we think we\u2019ve done well, we\u2019ve likely failed in ways we don\u2019t see. You might feel confident in the 100 good deeds you\u2019ve done today, but what about the 200 selfish thoughts, harsh words, or careless moments you weren\u2019t aware of? God sees it all. If He were to keep a detailed account of every sin, none of us could stand.<\/p>\n

Psalm 130:3\u20134 <\/strong>says:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If we demanded fairness from God\u2014if we insisted on receiving what we “deserve”\u2014we would face judgment, not reward. That\u2019s the danger of trusting in our own righteousness. As Isaiah 64:6<\/strong>\u00a0puts it:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you expect God to bless you for your Sunday offering, shouldn\u2019t He also judge you for the anger, jealousy, or lust you carried in your heart the same day? Jesus taught in Matthew 5:22<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So rather than demanding God’s blessings based on our flawed obedience, Jesus calls us to humility. In Luke 17:10<\/strong>\u00a0He says:<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, \u2018We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is the posture of true Christian faith: not entitlement, but humble dependence. We don\u2019t earn anything from God. We receive by grace<\/strong>\u2014God\u2019s unearned favor. This is at the heart of the Gospel and the Reformation teaching of sola gratia<\/em> (grace alone).<\/p>\n

Ephesians 2:8\u20139<\/strong>\u00a0makes it clear:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
\nnot a result of works, so that no one may boast.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Grace means God blesses us not because of who we are or what we’ve done, but because of who He<\/strong> is. His grace flows from His love, mercy, and kindness.<\/p>\n

Even the Holy Spirit\u2014the very presence and power of God in our lives\u2014is received by grace, not earned by good behavior or rule-keeping.<\/p>\n

Galatians 3:2<\/strong>\u00a0asks:<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Therefore, don\u2019t trust in your good works. Don\u2019t boast in your efforts. Instead, pray daily for the grace of God to sustain you. As 1 Peter 5:5<\/strong>\u00a0reminds us:<\/p>\n

\u201cGod opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Your health, your life, your talents, your salvation\u2014all of it is by grace. None of it is by your own merit. So ask for God\u2019s grace, and live in gratitude and humility before Him.<\/p>\n

Pray for grace. Depend on grace. Live by grace.<\/strong><\/p>\n

May the Lord cover you with His abundant grace.<\/strong><\/p>\n