2 Kings 17:1-18:12 / Acts 20 / Psalm 148 / Proverbs 18:6-7
Does any of you ever feel that Christianity is too difficult to follow? Or that there are too many “rules” to remember? Since Christianity came out of the practices of the people of Israel with the 10 commandments, and the additional 600+ rules the Pharisees instituted, some believe we must try to keep up with all the previous regulations. That, however, is not true. Christianity is simple when looked at through the lens of what Jesus Christ accomplished!
That’s a relief to me, because all my life I’ve tried to be a “good person” not fully realizing what Jesus’s sacrifice purchased for me. Jesus’s sacrifice and my acceptance of does not mean I can live any way I’d like either! Instead, I’m FREE to live a life of grace and love through the forgiveness He offered. I say “offered” because we must receive that offer for it to come into effect.
Think of it this way. I receive a coupon in the mail to receive a discount when I purchase a certain item, but unless I put in the coupon code or take the coupon with me to the store, I won’t receive the benefit. I must redeem the coupon. Regarding salvation, just because Jesus has paid the price and made the offer, I must still RECEIVE the gift before it’s mine.
I’m thinking of all this based on Acts 20:32 which states, “And now I entrust you to God and the message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for himself.”
The portion of that I’m interested in looking at further is “grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance.” Grace builds me up and grace gives me an inheritance. Did you notice it doesn’t say, “The Law builds me up and gives me an inheritance”? Nor does it state that keeping the law will give me these things. I can’t be “good enough” to earn any of what Jesus has paid for and offered; I must receive all He did through faith by His Grace.
You probably know what’s coming next – what is Grace? How does it build me up? How does Grace give me an inheritance? Let’s study!
Grace is charis, which means of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.
To build you up is epoikodomeo, which means in the N. T. only in the figurative which likens a company of Christian believers to an edifice or temple; to build upon, build up; absolute – ‘to finish the structure of which the foundation has already been laid,’ i. e. in plain language, to give constant increase in Christian knowledge and in a life conformed thereto.
To give you an inheritance is kleronomia, which is property to be received (aka the Kingdom of God).
So, if I receive the message of His Grace, I have everything I will ever need. I need nothing more. Grace is enough. Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on the cross is enough. I can’t earn more even if I try. I’ll just wear myself out trying to be more approved when I’m already as approved by God as I’ll ever be once I’m in Christ.
And, if you read the definition of Grace again, you’ll see that by us sharing this message, everyone around us will also have everything they need. We won’t have to prop them up, because they will be empowered by God’s grace to accomplish all He’s given them to do.
I have one last thought. The very end of that verse tells us that our inheritance is found with all those He has set apart. In other words, I cannot receive this Grace in a vacuum or all by myself. This grace is received as I commit to community with other followers of Jesus Christ. If you want the goods, you gotta love the people!
