Keys to Growing in Grace
by Jim Wies

Paul the apostle, to his beloved Ephesian church, "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." Acts 20:32

Peter started his epistle with these words: 
  "Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue;" 2 Peter 1:2,3 

He ended his epistle with these words:
 "But be always growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be all glory, both now and to the day of Eternity!" 2 Peter 3:18

Grace defined: Some have called it simply the unmerited favor of God, but a thorough exploration of Scriptures reveals it to be much more than that. Here is a definition. 

Grace = charis, charisma = God's supernatural empowerment in our lives. His empowering presence that brings righteousness, peace and joy; or the empowering presence of God, enabling us to do all He calls us to do and be all He calls us to be.

"But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Eph 4:7  "For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. "For... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:16  

The grace of God is associated with the power of God. 
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." Acts 4:33   
"Long time therefore they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands." Acts 14:3  

Boundaries of Grace
1. Legalism ie performance orientation - thinking grace is earned by works 
• Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
2. Licentiousness - using grace as permission to sin 
• Jude 4 “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."

What is legalism?
We all long for and sense our emptiness without that acceptance, inclusion, belonging and approval that we need. Yet there is something in the egotistical heart of man that wants the satisfaction of earning God’s favor or approval, or thinks that is the way we achieve it.

It began in the garden
Rejection – is the sociological result of the fallen state of man.
Rejection – is something everybody experiences
Rejection = the sense we have when we are not receiving the LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL, or AFFIRMATION we need; WHEN we need it, in the WAY we need it, and from WHOM we need it. 

Fear of Rejection is the foundation for Performance Orientation. 

Performance orientation = a core motivation that says we must perform in order to gain love, acceptance and approval
Performance orientation, in theological terms is called legalism, or the performing of works as a means to obtain favor, salvation or blessing from God (note Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:23-24,27-28)
• Gal 2:16 “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. 
• Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 
• Rom 3:23-24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 
• Rom 3:27-28 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Keys To Growing in Grace: 
Two major qualifiers are FAITH and HUMILITY. Both give us access to more grace, that empowerment of His presence/favor/blessing in our lives.

ACCESS to grace through FAITH
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom 5:1-2

Almost all the wonderful things that grace includes are actualized into our life by faith. Put another way, we receive it when we believe it. We receive everything we receive by faith, and nothing without it, as we believe what God has said about his gracious gifts.

ACCESS to grace through HUMILITY 
"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6

ANSWERS FOR legalism and Performance Orientation  

Objectively understand God’s grace
• His grace is eternal (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:4-7)
• His grace is free (Rom. 3:23-24)
• His grace cannot be earned. (Rom 3:27,28; 9:15,16)
• God likes you as much as he likes Jesus! (Matt 3:17; John 17:20-24)
• If you trust in His Son HE LIKES THAT!

Subjectively experience God’s grace - Which comes to us through:
Humility - honestly with ourselves and before God about our failures and sins.
Faith - realization of our acceptance IN CHRIST through understanding our position IN CHRIST

GOD LOVES YOU, AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE HIS MIND!

Matt 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

Matt 12:18 "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! 

John 17:20-24 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

See Also by the same author: GRACE - it Does a Heart Good

About the author - Jim is an editor/project manager for XP Publishing. He also serves in prophetic ministry as an itinerate speaker. His previous experiences include serving as a pastor, author, teacher and itinerant speaker who has spoken at revival meetings, seminars, conferences and churches throughout the USA and Canada, providing training and mentoring on a number of topics including personal prophecy, revelatory gifts, healing seminars, and ministry training.