For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.
Titus 2:11-12 NLT
Grace is not an abstraction, a loose religious word that applies to any unexpected blessing. Grace is not a quantity that is handed out by heaven when I need a little help. Grace is not something I pray for after I’ve done all I can do. Grace is not something I obtain when all else seems to fail.
Grace is Jesus. Grace is a Person. Grace lives in us by the personal presence and power of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:9). Grace is pardon, when I don’t deserve forgiveness, upon repentance, the Lord pours out his love and mercy. Grace is enabling power, grace enables you and I to refuse temptation, rebuke sin, and stand in righteousness (Titus 2:11-12). Grace is Jesus being available power to live the Christian life anywhere, anytime.
There is no such ‘thing’ as grace! Grace is not some appendage to Christ’s being. All there is is the Lord Jesus Himself. And so when Jesus speaks about us abiding in Him and He abiding in us – however mysterious it may be, mystical in that sense – it is a personal union.
Christianity is Christ because there isn’t anything else. There is no atonement that somehow can be detached from who the Lord Jesus is. There is no grace that can be attached to you transferred from Him. All there is is Christ and your soul.
Sinclair Ferguson on “John 15” at the 2007 Banner of Truth Ministers’ Conference in Grantham, PA.