The Least Understood Word in the Bible

 

I was reading through Romans today and marked down 10 passages I want to talk about.  I chose the first one, Romans 1:7

This is part of Paul’s greeting to the church at Rome, and we usually just pass over it quickly.  Nothing to see here.

The more astute Bible student will note that grace usually refers to “the unmerited favor of God,” and then we leave it at that.

I suspect a lot of Christians wrestle with the idea of how God feels about them on a day-to-day basis, between or during all the trials and tribulations, all the tests, and all our failures and misdeeds.

I know I have.  I feel I have failed God in some big ways over the years, and I think He’s watching my feeble efforts to bless people today to see if I can keep from blowing this one too.

I’m rereading a book I read a very long time ago.  He points out what I had long stored in my head, that the grace of God means the favor of God.

Much of Romans explains the why and how of this, but the fact is that Christians have favor with God.  Too many of us just see salvation as a ticket to heaven when we die, but we don’t see how this salvation extends into this life as much.

God not only accepts us into His family through Christ, but He extends His favor on us.  I could use a family analogy, as I like to do, but maybe a work one will be better.

Many of us have felt a bit of unease at work, wondering about our futures there, if we have a future, afraid of doing something that might incur the boss’s displeasure.  Imagine that you had the boss’s favor.  You can walk right into his office without knocking, he stops by where you are working and says Hi throughout the day, and he’s written it into the company’s bylaws that you are a privileged employee. 

That is the grace of God.