"And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain-- 2 for He says,
“At the acceptable time I listened to you,
And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—" 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
He's talking to Believers here. Why did Paul have to remind believers that it was the day of salvation? Not to receive the grace of God in vain?
Don't forget the time is now. We often deny the grace that is available to us. We operate in our own strength rather than God's.
"20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
We are Christ's ambassadors. God wanted to give us grace but couldn't through the Law.
Jesus opened the door. Just walk through.
All eyes are on us. People are looking at us. Is Christ worthwhile? they wonder (while looking at us).
Through grace we can fulfill this role. God wants us to be His ambassadors.
Grace is the fullness of life.
We were saved. We are being saved (a building process -- santification) and we will be saved (glorification -- in heaven).
"And the Word became flesh, and [a]dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of [b]the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Jesus was (and is) full of grace and truth. We can be too through Christ. We need to be full of grace for others and for ourselves.
"6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so [a]walk in Him,7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established [b]in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing [c]with gratitude.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, [d]rather than according to Christ.9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made [e]complete, and He is the head [f]over all rule and authority;" Colossians 2:6-10
Don't let anything separate you from the truth of Christ. We are taking on a burden we weren't meant to have if we go after the world's philosophies. Those things that tell us we must do _____ to be good enough.
What does it tell those who are watching us if we aren't praising God? What does it say if we are grumpy all the time? What does it say if people hear us gossiping?
Live in Grace.
They know how to land on the net. They gotta learn how to land on Jesus.
Get back to work.
1 Peter 5:
Come to God humbly. Recognize who God is and recognize who you really are.
The world doesn't teach us to be humble. The world teaches us to be prideful. Grace is sufficient. We need to be humble.
Do I ask for forgiveness when I haven't given it?
Do I have a lack of grace toward others?
When we go to God is it in ritual or humility?
"10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so [a]as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving [b]by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 4:10-11
Use your gifts to serve others as stewards of God's grace. Faithful steward of God's grace.
I'm here for the glory of God. He's going to try and muffle you (satan that is).
Be enveloped in God's grace. We have to be real in the way we walk and talk.
They don't need to see perfect. They need to see restored. Tell them about the grace you've been given.