We value...Receiving God’s GRACE and offering GRACE to each other.
(Eph. 2:8,9; 2 Cor. 12:9; Titus 2:11)
God’s character is gracious, abundant in lovingkindness (Jer. 31:3; 1 Tim. 1:14), overflowing in generosity (John 1:16, John 1:14), rich--never stingy--(Eph. 2:4-7), always watchful for our best interests (2 Cor. 9:8). His grace makes provision for us to access His presence that His holiness and justice could not otherwise allow. Grace is the unmerited kindness God shows toward people (Luke 1:30, Eph. 2:4-5). In grace, God provides gifts from His goodness to the undeserving (Zech. 10:1) as well as empowerment and strength to His people (2 Cor. 12:9).
Grace stands not only in contrast to law, but to works (Rom. 11:6). Even a life of good deeds cannot earn us the right to be in God’s presence (Heb. 4:9-11) nor make us worthy to deserve His gifts (Isaiah 64:6). The moral law of God means that no responsible person can enter God’s holy presence (Eph. 2:1-3) without faith which grasps the grace of salvation (Rom. 5:1,2). We all must humbly receive (Matt. 18:3,4) God’s grace as a gift (Eph. 2:8-9).
God’s grace imparts a salvation which cannot be earned (Gal. 2:21), sustains that salvation throughout the Christian’s life allowing us to persevere (Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:14) and enables us to build up other believers (1 Cor. 3:10). The believer has been given gifts of grace (Eph. 4:7) grows in grace (Acts 20:32), gives generously to the poor and needy (Acts 10:4; 2 Cor. 10:6-12) and acts in grace (Matt. 6:1). As we become more like Christ, we become full of His grace and express God’s kind, gentle, humble (James 4:6), forgiving (Luke 6:37) and loving character to others (Col. 3:12-14). Since God showers the believer with grace, we should extend grace from one believer to another (1 Peter 4:10).