Tag: Grace

Choosing Grace Over Payback

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NELSON NOLAND

The twelfth chapter of Romans ends with a call to live differently from the world around us. Modern culture celebrates revenge. From movies to online conflicts, payback is often seen as justice. But the gospel offers another path. We should follow a way that turns away from hate and chooses love, even toward those who have wronged us.

The teaching of Romans 12 is not easy. It asks us to love people who mistreat us and to answer harm with kindness. This is hard work, like putting on heavy gloves to do a tough job. Yet this is the kind of life Jesus calls His followers to live. It is not natural to forgive. I’ve come to believe it is something that grows from knowing that God first forgave us. The Bible says that while we were still His enemies, Christ died for us. When we understand that, we begin to see how to love others the same way.

To love enemies means to act with grace where the world expects revenge. It means refusing to return evil for evil. Across the world, there are real examples of people who have lived out this truth. A widow in Arizona forgave the man who killed her husband. Amish parents in Pennsylvania prayed for the driver who caused the death of their children. A retired judge in Michigan forgave the teenager who crashed into his car and even paid for the boy’s education. These moments show the kind of love that can only come from God. It is a love that brings healing instead of hate.

Such forgiveness is not weakness. It is strength that comes from faith. It does not excuse evil but hands justice over to God. The Bible says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Trusting that truth frees us from bitterness. Holding on to anger only poisons the heart. Letting go allows peace to enter.

Jesus also taught that we should love our enemies, pray for those who hurt us, and greet those who dislike us. These are not feelings but actions. Love is shown in what we do, choosing to bless instead of curse, to speak well instead of gossiping, to do good instead of seeking harm. Even small acts of kindness, like a word of peace or a shared meal, can change hearts. When we do this, we not only reflect God’s character but also find freedom for ourselves.

There is beauty in mercy. When we show grace, we rise above anger and become living examples of Christ’s love. In a world where outrage and division are common, forgiveness is a quiet revolution. It points people to a kingdom not built on pride or payback but on compassion and peace.

We live out our faith when we choose mercy over revenge.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

Understanding the Warning About God’s Grace

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JEFF TURNER

In 2 Corinthians 6:1, the Apostle Paul gives a strong warning to the church in Corinth about not receiving God’s grace without purpose. Paul’s message is clear: believers must not treat God’s gift of grace as something worthless or without effect.

This warning can be understood in two important ways. First, Paul may be addressing those in the church who did not truly believe. He encourages the Corinthian Christians to carefully examine themselves to be sure they really have faith. Some people in the church might have heard the gospel but never truly accepted it, so the grace of God had no real impact on their lives.

Second, Paul could also be warning true believers who had accepted God’s grace but were beginning to live by strict rules instead of by faith. He asks if they are now trying to be made perfect by following the law. He reminds them that salvation comes through the Holy Spirit’s work, not by human efforts or legalism. In other words, some believers might reject the freedom found in grace and try to earn God’s approval through their own actions.

Paul’s message shows that grace must be received sincerely, either by truly believing or by continuing to rely on God’s Spirit rather than human effort. Christians should avoid treating grace as meaningless and instead live in the freedom and power it offers.

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

John 6:29

Living Daily in God’s Grace

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FLOYD ROGERS

Have you ever thought about what role you played in becoming part of God’s family? The truth is, none of us had anything to do with it. Our place in God’s kingdom is not something we earned. It is a gift. Every believer is constantly receiving grace, whether they realize it or not.

God’s grace is always present. It comes from all directions. It is surrounding, lifting, and covering us. Everything we have, and all that we are, can be traced back to this grace. It is not because of our strength or effort, but because of God’s kindness and mercy.

When pride starts to rise and we begin to think we’ve made it on our own, it helps to pause and remember just how small we really are. Picture yourself floating alone in the middle of a deep, endless ocean. It’s a reminder of how much we depend on God and how great His grace truly is.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Ephesians 2:8

The Good News of the Christian Faith

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AMY TURNER

At the centre of Christianity is a message called the gospel, which simply means good news. This message is not just positive or uplifting; it is true. The heart of this news is that Jesus Christ gave His life for our sins. His sacrifice was not something anyone could earn or achieve, but it was freely given through God’s grace.

This gift of forgiveness and salvation is not meant to be kept private. Christians are called to share it with others. In the New Testament, Jesus gives a clear instruction: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

The Christian faith, then, is both a gift received and a message to be shared. It reminds believers of the hope they have in Christ and calls them to pass that hope on to others.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16

The Father’s Approval of the Son

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JEFF TURNER

The Gospels show us two moments when God speaks from heaven about Jesus. Once at His baptism (Matthew 3:17) and again at His transfiguration (Matthew 17), the Father declares Jesus to be His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. These statements raise a question: why was God so pleased with Jesus?

The answer lies in the nature of who Jesus is. From the beginning, He was holy and without fault. He lived a life entirely free from sin. This wasn’t just because He chose not to sin, but because He had no capacity for sin. Every action He took, every word He spoke, and even the things He chose not to do were perfectly in line with the Father’s will. His life was a constant reflection of God’s holiness.

Unlike humanity, who can only be considered righteous through faith and God’s grace, Jesus did not need righteousness given to Him. He was righteous in Himself, fully God and fully man, without flaw. The Father’s delight in Him was not new, but eternal. From before time began, the Son was loved by the Father, and that love was never broken.

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens;

Hebrews 7:26