All For Nothing

Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.

2 Corinthians 6:1, HCSB

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO make great strides in their faith, while others seem to be stuck in neutral? In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes to a church that has gotten off track, a church in name but not in deed.

Where did your ideas about faith in God come from? If they came from the Bible, all is well. But if they came simply from the world around you . . . well . . . your faith may be all for naught. The Greek word for vain means “having nothing” or “containing nothing.” It’s easy to look righteous on the outside but to be living an empty life of moral compromise on the inside.

If you have received the gospel of Jesus Christ, God is working in you to make you more like His Son. As Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). Rich and satisfying. Abundant, not skimpy. Full, not empty. The very opposite of grace received in vain.

God wants us to show others this abundance of His life, this fullness of His grace. When we live in the lavishness of His love, mercy, and grace, we will want to share that with others. We are meant to be conduits of grace. So ask God to continue to change you by His grace. And ask Him to help you love others in Jesus’ name and by the power of His Spirit. He will surely answer that prayer.

BOTTOM LINE

God’s grace changes us. It makes us more like Jesus. We are more loving, more joyful, more alive. Ask God to help you experience more of His grace.

Moment of Strength: Romans 6:1-4