Grace unfolds, saturating, transforming, and empowering every part of life
by Merle Shenk
When you hear the word grace, what comes to mind? For many, it is salvation. And that is absolutely right. Salvation is the entry point, the beginning of our encounter with grace. But salvation is far from the whole picture. Grace is not a one-time experience in which we surrender our lives to Jesus. It unfolds, saturating, transforming, and empowering every part of life.
To grasp this fully, we must first understand how grace operates at the moment of salvation. From there, we can explore how it carries us beyond that initial encounter at salvation.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Grace can be simply defined as God’s work: what He does and what He supplies. Salvation is received by His grace through faith. This free gift is not earned, but given in response to simple trust in Him.
A helpful comparison is often made between God’s grace and His mercy. Mercy is not getting what we deserve, while grace goes even further by giving us what we do not deserve.
Imagine standing in traffic court with no money after being caught speeding. The judge declares, “Guilty.” But then he extends mercy: “Your fine is far beyond what you can pay, but my son has offered to cover the cost, so I will let you go.” That is mercy. Then the judge continues, “Not only that, but I will also provide you with a personal rideshare service and driver for the rest of your life, free of charge. And here is a brand-new watch so you will never be late again.”
How crazy would that be? Mercy meant not getting what was deserved—the fine should have been paid. But grace went even further, providing free transportation for life and a new watch. This is a picture of the free gift of salvation received by God’s grace.
A Powerful Example
A powerful example of this is seen during Jesus’ crucifixion. One of the thieves beside Him recognized that Jesus had done nothing wrong and asked to be remembered when He came into His Kingdom. Jesus’ response was stunning: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:41-43).
This is amazing. It is also scandalous. The thief on the cross had no chance to live a righteous life or accomplish anything significant for God. Yet, because of simple faith in Jesus, he encountered God’s grace. His story reveals the extravagant nature of grace and the goodness of God toward us—not because of anything we can do for Him, but because of His love for us.
A member of our church shared a testimony about when he was in prison awaiting trial for a serious crime. While in prison, he gave his life to Jesus. One night in a dream, Jesus came to him and said, “I am going to set you free, but I want you to serve me.” Within the week his case was unexpectedly dismissed and he was set free from prison. The last time I heard from him, he was serving as a pastor in another church. He experienced the amazing grace of Jesus that was far better than he could have imagined.
This example of grace confronts the religious mindset. A religious mindset seeks to earn righteousness through works, but God’s grace operates differently. This kind of grace can make those who trust in their own good deeds, as if they can earn approval from God, feel uncomfortable. Some struggle to accept that a person could be saved in his or her dying moments simply by turning to Jesus–yet this is the radical, unearned nature of salvation.
“That’s not fair!” they argue.
Grace isn’t fair—it is good. It is the goodness of God on display for every person who responds to Him.
Right standing with God comes through His grace. Jesus took our punishment upon Himself on the cross, making a way for us to be restored to relationship with Him.
God’s Grace Is Not Based upon Feelings
At times, we encounter discouragement in our journey of faith. You may even feel discouraged right now. Doubts can creep in, making it hard to believe in God’s love. Feelings of unworthiness, of not measuring up, of not being good enough or spiritual enough, can weigh heavily on the heart.
John Newton, the slave trader turned hymnwriter, struggled with self-doubt and shame over his past life. He wrestled with the question of whether someone as sinful as him could be redeemed by God. He once said, “I thought that surely the Scripture proved that there never was, nor could be, such a sinner as myself.”1
Yet after encountering God’s grace one stormy night, he penned one of the most famous hymns known in Christendom, which states, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…” He would eventually go on to fight against the very slave trade that he had been part of in his previous years.
Apostle John addresses this struggle of the heart in 1 John 3:20. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”
The Passion Translation puts it this way:
“Whenever our hearts make us feel guilty and remind us of our failures, we know that God is much greater and more merciful than our conscience, and he knows everything there is to know about us.”
This is a powerful truth. The God who knows everything, past, present, and future, extends salvation by grace. His love is not based on human effort but on His own goodness. No condemnation from others, the devil, or even personal insecurities can outweigh the grace of God. That is His nature. That is His goodness.
The enemy works tirelessly to convince believers that this grace is too good to be true. He uses condemnation, guilt, shame, and fear to plant doubt. When these lies take root, the thought arises: “I am not good enough for God.” Striving to earn righteousness in human strength becomes the focus, yet Scripture declares that righteousness is a gift given at the very moment of faith in Jesus as Lord.
One preacher put it well: “Believers need to stop trying to get something that they already have!” The reality is that in Christ, righteousness is already secured.
New Identity in Christ
The reality of God’s grace is that we do not remain sinners. When we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the old man of sin is dead, buried with Christ, and we are made new in Him. We come alive spiritually. It is our new rebirth date. As a new creation, we begin learning to live out the righteousness that was given to us. We are no longer sinners; we are sons and daughters of God.
Being a child of God, saved by His grace, is our new automatic default starting position. This means that on my best day, I am a child of God. On my worst day, I am still a child of God. When facing the hardest challenges, the biggest frustrations, or even great failures, we remain His children. There is always something to celebrate because God’s gift is not dependent on us; it is dependent on Him. Salvation, by God’s grace, is the foundation of the believer’s life. It is secure. Praise Jesus, we are saved by His grace!
ENDNOTES
1. https://www.museumofthebible.org/a-wretch-like-me
More about great grace!
Walking in the power of God’s abundant supply Packed with real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical wisdom, this book reveals that grace is walking in divine empowerment every day. Through testimonies of breakthrough, restoration, and supernatural provision, Great Grace demonstrates how God’s undeserved favor is actively at work in your life.
