John 1:16 – “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.”
Have you ever been in awe of a multi-tiered wedding cake? It’s layer upon layer of creamy deliciousness – stacked to perfection. Well, God’s grace is so much grander than that and healthier too! Not only has God’s grace delivered us from sin and an eternity in hell, it also equips us with everything we need to live a life according to His will.
In today’s verse, we see John the Baptist testifying about Jesus. It’s from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sin in full. When Jesus cried, “It is finished” on the cross, it was a permanent victory over the powers of darkness.
Now that we’re partakers of the grace of God, what should our response be? We no longer entertain sin in our lives. When we give into sinful thoughts and desires, we allow ourselves to be enslaved by sin again. In effect, we’re crucifying Jesus again and putting Him to shame (Hebrews 6:6). With the help of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to deny our flesh and let God reign in the choices we make.
As children of God, it’s imperative that we grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). As we spend time with God, His Word transforms us and makes us more like Him. We become gracious in our words, thoughts and actions, reflecting Christ through our everyday lives. As people who’ve experienced firsthand the abundant grace of God, may we become vessels that pour out the same grace into the lives of those around us.
