Saving grace. Just the sound of that provides me a warm fuzzy feeling, just like the comfort of being wrapped up in my favorite blanket. Maybe that’s because, after the sudden passing of my momma two years ago, there was a certain warmth I receive after I wrap myself up in her blue blanket. My “saving grace” has brought forth moments to come back up for air and catch my breath amid the grief while offering healing. So much hope and healing comes with those two words, especially after we put them together. Each word holds a major meaning for us and our God; after we place them together, something beautiful emerges!
Behind this familiar and comforting phrase holds greater than we may truly know or fully understand. Let me explain. In secular and faith-based circles, “saving grace” is usually shared to breathe a sigh of relief from a detailed call or a method of slapping a band-aid to a serious problem: a fast fix or an intervention of sorts.
The meaning of saving grace, in worldly terms, means something positive will come out of an otherwise bad or negative situation. But, looking deeper, there’s so rather more than what meets the attention. Our God is so awe-inspiring, and His definition of saving grace is incredible. Let’s dive in together for a more in-depth take a look at the actual meaning behind the all too familiar phrase, “saving grace,” and discover why we’d like to live with utter confidence and conviction, knowing we’re saved by grace!
What Does it Mean to Be Saved?
This is where things can get just a little fuzzy. While salvation can bring on a warm fuzzy feeling like my blanket analogy, for a lot of questioning their salvation, this will fire up all types of feelings. Sadly, the concept of being saved is full of many misconceptions.
Maybe you will have been to a congregation where they politely ask if “you’re saved?” If you shrug or wince ultimately, they pull you aside and ask you to recite the prayer to just accept Jesus into your life. While these are well-meant intentions, it could actually feel so awkward …and compelled. And, truthfully, this isn’t what Jesus wants from us.
Part of being saved is confessing with our mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” but the opposite part (and Most worthy) is believing in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and He is alive (Romans 10:11th of September). “Being saved” is two-fold – a full confession of religion and a heart able to consider. But, possibly one other query involves mind …How can we prep our heart and “make it” consider? The answer is we don’t!
The heart is of course a deceptive organ! Jeremiah 17:9-10 tells us that it’s deceitful, and no one can fully understand it. It is self-seeking, diseased, depraved, and sinful. When we confess our faith in Jesus, we experience a “latest birth,” a metamorphosis that begins in the guts. Ezekiel 36:26 describes the brand new covenant as replacing the guts of stone with a heart of flesh. Acts 15:9 tells us God made no distinction between Jew or Gentile and cleanses their heart by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us whoever is in Christ is a latest creation. Jesus says whoever believes in Him, out of their heart, will flow living water (John 7:38-39). This is what it means to be saved. It is trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ and being willing to give up our lives over to Him!
Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and nobody will come to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). “Being saved” means believing this to be true, which compels us to desire to live based on His will. Giving our heart to Jesus doesn’t just include a heart transplant. It comes with a life change, as we grow to be known by our fruits (Matthew 15:17-29). “Being saved” is a full-on commitment and every day selection to follow Christ’s way, seek His Truth, and live in a way that honors Him.
What is Grace?
The Scriptures speak of God’s grace eloquently, painting a phenomenal picture that helps us higher understand it. “Grace” is mentioned between 124 and 170 times, depending on the interpretation. It’s evident that God’s grace is essential to know.
What does the Bible say about grace? 2 Corinthians tells us that God’s grace is sufficient. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we’ve got been saved through faith by grace, and it will not be our doing. John 1:16 declares from His fullness, we’ve got received grace upon grace. Romans 3:24 says that we’re justified by His grace as a present through redemption in Christ Jesus.
The bottom line is – grace is a present from our God that’s unmerited and may’t be earned, and it covers a mess of sins. God’s grace is sovereign, unconditional, and ultimately our pathway to redemption (Ephesians 2:8). While we still have a heart of flesh as believers (Ezekiel 36:26) and can bend and sway to sin, God’s grace grants us forgiveness and a method to be fine-tuned and pruned and offers us spiritual growth (Hebrews 12:3-11).
Putting the Two Together
If grace is an undeserved gift and being saved is surrendering our lives to Christ, then saving grace is the grace God grants to those that fully receive Christ as Savior. Where common grace is the universal grace that one and all can experience as a result of the faithfulness and goodness of our kind Father, saving grace is given to those that take the leap of religion and are fully redeemed (saved). Faith + Grace = Saving Grace, Salvation, and Redemption
That’s a fairly great end result just to present our heart to Jesus in faith. And yes, it’s really that straightforward. Yet, we overcomplicate and are likely to make it more about what “we” must do slightly than what Jesus has already done- paid the value on that rugged cross (Galatians 3:13-14)! It is our faith, but by His grace, we receive the fullness of life and a promise of life beyond this one!
Living with Confidence and Conviction
Faith is expressed within the things we hope for and the evidence of what will not be seen (Hebrew 11:1). Faith is the entire trust and full confidence we’ve got in Jesus. Knowing that grace runs free to His faithful little children this could prompt us to live in another way.
We can live with confidence and conviction after we are saved by grace. We have faith that our destiny is secure, and we could have a life beyond this one (1 John 2:17). We are confident in the reality present in God’s Word and that though we’re sinners, we’re washed by the blood of Jesus. His death gives us ever-lasting life and hope (Romans 5:8).
We also needs to live with conviction in a way that honors our God. That means we heed His instruction, follow His ways, and strive to grow to be increasingly more like Jesus, to like increasingly more like Jesus, and to shine a lightweight on those around us who don’t know Him. God’s saving grace calls us to live boldly and show those that need hope His amazing grace!
Amazing Grace …Saving Grace
Saving grace implies and reflects the character and wildly incredible love of our awesome and amazing God. That’s the actual meaning behind it. It is all in regards to the goodness, faithfulness, and graciousness of the God we serve!
Amazing Grace was played at my mother’s funeral. It was beautiful, and I have to say the again and again I actually have heard that song before, hearing it that day and seeing my momma be lowered into the bottom gave me peace. While it was an uncomfortable and truly heartbreaking moment, knowing wholeheartedly that she was saved by His grace allowed me to feel God’s great mercy on me.
The beautiful thing about this fleeting life is that we’ve got the peace of mind, as believers, of knowing that through God’s amazing saving grace, we shall be reunited with family members and, higher yet, have the option to fulfill Jesus face-to-face. Praise be to God for that!
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