- Philippians 1:1-11 - Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
- Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
- Romans 5:2 - By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
- Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 4:13 - Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 - But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
God's grace is infinite, and He invites us to live in that grace. The fact that all of Paul's letters begin with an expression concerning God's grace might lead us to think that this is merely a customary greeting. But in reality, God's grace is our foundation and the environment in which we live as believers in Christ. Grace is the mercy and kindness that God shows us even though we do not deserve it. According to Ephesians 2:8, we are saved by grace through faith. And Romans 5:2 says that through faith we have obtained access to "this grace in which we stand." Grace is not a one-time gift; it sustains us throughout our lives and into eternity. It never ceases to work in our lives. That is why Paul could say with confidence: "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Sometimes it is difficult to see righteousness in ourselves because we know how weak and flawed we are. But even this realization can draw us closer to Christ. If we are saved, the Lord lives in us and we live in Him (1 John 4:13). Jesus is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), and as we abide in Him, He actively cultivates His fruit in our lives. This process is called sanctification — it is God's grace conforming our character to the character of His Son. Therefore, let us stand firm in divine grace and trust that God will complete the work He has begun.
Reflection
In what area of your life do you especially need God's grace today, and how can you allow Him to shape your character?
