As we conclude our series on Experiencing God’s Blessing, we focus on what it truly means to walk in grace – to live the life God intended for us by receiving all He has already provided in Christ. Saints, we don’t experience the blessing because we are sinless – we experience it because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Saviour. Grace is not about our works, self-righteousness, or personal merit – it is about trusting solely in the finished work of Christ.
A mature believer who understands grace does not rely on self; they are guided by the Word of God and the wisdom therein. Why? Because self-reliance births pride and boasting in oneself rather than glorifying Christ. We clearly see the tragic consequences of pride and self-promotion in Isaiah 14, which recounts Lucifer’s downfall, saying, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! … For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God … I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit” (vs.12-15). Lucifer rejected his God-given role and sought to elevate himself, to make himself equal with God. This self-promotion severed him from both his purpose and his community. That is always the danger of pride: it isolates, blinds, and separates us from the grace we so desperately need. This is why Romans 12:3 cautions us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Church, let us remain submitted to God’s Word and the systems He has placed in our lives for our benefit. Don’t step outside the boundaries of God’s Word and the covering of grace to chase personal ambition.
By contrast, John the Baptist understood his calling and embraced it with humility. He did not compete with Jesus or demand honour because he came first, no! Instead he declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water” (vs.29-31). John knew that his role was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He faithfully bore witness to Jesus, the Lamb who would take away our sin so that we might walk in grace and freedom. This was foreshadowed in Genesis 22, that just as God provided a ram in place of Isaac, He gave Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind. Leviticus 16:5-10 further shows us that in the Day of Atonement, sin was dealt with through the scapegoat system, where one goat was sacrificed and the other released into the wilderness to represent forgiveness of sin and the removal of guilt and iniquity. This was symbolic of how Jesus’ sacrifice would remove our transgressions from us as far the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
Moreover, under the law, it was not the sinner who was examined – it was the lamb. Likewise, grace looks to Jesus and puts the focus on His perfection, not our mistakes. And just as a lamb without blemish was required under the old covenant (Exodus 13:3-6 & Leviticus 1:3-4), Jesus was examined for 30 years and found without fault. That is why God declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Even Pilate testified, saying, “I find no fault in this Man” (Luke 23:4 & John 19:4). This is why 1 John 2:2 says, “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus took our place. He took our sin, shame, and punishment, so we could walk in His freedom. And unlike the repeated sacrifices under the law, Jesus died once and for all (Romans 6:10). He didn’t just cover sin, He took it away completely. church, we have been redeemed, not by our works, but by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. So, let us walk boldly in the grace we have received, never allowing the devil to use guilt or condemnation to rob us of the freedom that already belongs to us.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the gift of grace made available to us through Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in this grace daily, not striving in our own strength, but resting in the finished works of the cross. Empower us, Holy Spirit, to live boldly in the freedom that grace has provided. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
