The Motivational Power of Grace
Some believers have a hard time with grace. It just seems too easy to believe in Jesus and then make decisions on your own. Shouldn’t Christians be required to live a certain way to please the Lord? The problem with this reasoning is that it mixes legalism with grace by saying, “Sure, we're saved by grace, but after salvation, you’d better follow the rules if you want to stay in God’s favor.” Grace is a far greater and more powerful motivator than the law. If you have to perform certain works in order to please God, guilt is your constant companion because you can never be good enough. (Eph. 2:8-9) Every time you fail to live up to your own expectations, you may question whether the Lord loves you, or maybe even whether you’re really saved. Our Father doesn’t want us to live in bondage to performance. We’ve already received His acceptance, and there's nothing more we can add to it. Grace not only sets us free from guilt but also motivates us to obey the Lord and serve Him out of love and gratitude for everything He’s done for us. Instead of feeling burned out or trapped in fear, we will have a burning passion for Him. When you truly understand and live in God’s grace, you’ll be energized because obedience and service will be a natural result of His overflowing love.
