For those of us who work or engage in businesses and earn wages, the requisite for earning wages is performance — the amount of work we put in during a set period.
Thus, our wage is dependent on our input; and if we want to earn more, we have to work overtime.
Philippians 4:19 says And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us.
The last phrase in this construction affirms that our needs are supplied because of what Jesus has done for us — not because of self-effort.
This is grace; grace is a person; his name is Jesus. Grace is goodwill given out of unconditional, overflowing love with no expectation of reward or payment. It is the limitless kindness and mercy of God that is freely given to man undeserved; and it came through Jesus.
As new creations, we are under grace and under this covenant of “Grace”. Jesus put in the hours for us; he did the work for us. Grace is the finished works of Jesus, and all we need to do is receive it by faith.
Ephesians 2:8 -9 says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast.
The ending phrase in Verse 8 avers, it is the gift of God. A gift is something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned.
We are saved by grace, not by self effort, meaning grace remits our sin, makes us new creations, rescues us from the kingdom of darkness, and translates us in the kingdom of God.
Grace is a gift of God, bestowed or acquired by us without any particular effort or without being earned, merited or deserved.
In Romans 11:16, Paul gives credence to this assertion, saying… And if he chose them by grace, it is not ·for the things they have done [by works]. If they could be made God’s people by ·what they did [works], God’s gift of grace would ·not really [or no longer] be a gift (Expanded).
In order words: And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is — free and undeserved (New Living).
I love the last phrase of this construction, which says God’s grace is free and undeserved, meaning that with grace, there is no place for man’s work or self-effort; it is based on the finished works of Jesus.
But, you might say this sort of teaching encourages laziness and redundancy.
Note that self-effort doesn’t imply a lack of effort. Effort connotes a vigorous or determined attempt to achieve, and it is about who you depend or rely on in achieving the set goal.
Self–effort depends on self: our degrees, pedigree and achievements. However, when we depend on or look up to God to get the job done or accomplish a set task, then that is no longer self-effort.
Remember Paul said… I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. In order words,… I worked harder than any of them yet, not I, but The grace of God that is with me (Mounce) (1Corinthians15:10).
Paul put in the effort, yet did not rely or depend on his efforts. Instead, he relied on the finished works of Christ; he relied on grace, which is favour not earned, deserved or merited. Hallelujah!!!
By Emmanuel Emeke Asiwe(Ps)
