When Do You Best Experience Grace?

Okay, I am writing this knowing that I probably don’t have this whole idea completely understood (obviously)! I definitely haven’t perfected it and would love some dialog as to whether or not you think this is right, mainly because I don’t wanting to be teaching truth if it is not complete truth, that’s scary (James 3:1). So know that this is a completed thought, but rather a work in progress, but I think I am on to something that has really helped me, hopefully it will do the same for you.

So, Romans 6:1-2 tells us that we should not continue in sin so that grace may abound, that is simply silly and doesn’t make much sense. So my question is, when you do experience grace with the Lord at its highest form? Like, when does grace make most sense to us, when can we understand it the most, when can we enjoy the benefit of it, fall in love with it, etc. When did we see its most power? Now, the first thought for most would be, “When I came to Christ the first time.” And for sure, that seems to make sense, you were dead, children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3), wicked and an enemy of God (Jas. 4:4) since you loved this world. Then, boom, praise Christ the King He had grace on your soul! You went from death to life (Jn. 5:24), from darkness into light (Jn. 12:46), man, and this is abundant grace. So grace would be at work in us in the greatest extent at salvation, I am not sure if I would argue against that.

Okay but then what, is grace over? Like do we not experience grace anymore since we are now Christians? I think only a foolish person would say no, no more grace! So, now when do we receive grace? I think the thought is, “Well when I mess up, God forgives me, and that’s when I experience grace.” Yes, but, is that when we experience it to the utmost?

What is Paul writing to the Romans for? So that they will believe in the gospel and fall in love with God and KNOW Him, I think Christians and non-Christians (Rom. 1:1-15). So, we know that “to know” God is to have life (Jn. 17:3), and that Paul actually cares about nothing else besides knowing Him, and making Him known (Phil. 3:7-11). So, grace, and experience grace is part of knowing God correct? So, the more we experience grace, the more we understand it, feel it, fall in love with it, the more we will know God, and fall in love with Him I would logically say, right? So then, if grace comes by not destroying you once you sin, shouldn’t we keep on sinning, so that we can experience God more? By no means (Rom. 6:1-2). So then, how is it, if grace draws us closer to God and helps us know Him, that we experience grace to the fullest?

Here’s what I am thinking, you actually experience grace the best, when you are under the umbrella of grace continually, not when you step out of it and then need to be forgiven. Think of it like this, when you are completely starving, like, starving, and you haven’t eaten in a long time, then you eat some food, doesn’t that just taste so good? Like, I know when I haven’t eaten for a while, and then finally eat, that is always the best time! So food tastes better then. However, does that mean that the food is better then? No, we just haven’t had it in a while, so it seems better. In reality, if we have gone too long without food, our bodies begin to slowly dwindle, and begins to be destroyed, because we need food correct? So, when is food best for us, like when does it take the full effect in our lives? When we are continually eating. When we have a few meals a day, then our bodies are fully charged, and have calories to maintain us, and help us in our activities. So food is “best” when we stay “under the umbrella” of it, does this make sense? You don’t starve yourself so that it tastes better, that’s not the purpose of food! You nourish yourself, and eat to live!

Let’s take that analogy and extent it to grace. When does grace “taste” best? When you have been in sin and you haven’t experienced it in a while, man, it feels so good to “eat” of it again. However, to fully experience grace I think we need to be continually under its umbrella. That’s when we fully experience it. That’s when it takes its full effect in our lives and we fall in love with it/God. Make sense?

So Paul is trying to draw the Romans closer to God in writing this letter correct? So if they got to experience and know God more when they sin, then come back for grace, wouldn’t Paul just tell them to do that? But he says, “That’s a foolish thought.” Instead, by staying close to the grace of God, we actually begin to fully experience it, and understand it. We see that no good thing comes from us (Rom. 7:18), and that even us staying close to God is a grace act on His part! I think we experience grace the best out of sin, close to God, not in sin. Does this make sense? It sounds counter-intuitive, but so does the rest of the gospel!!!

So, for the Christian to truly experience grace, we need to eat of it frequently. Now, that is not to say that we should live self-righteous lives, so as to make us moralist. We know that we suck! Which is why Romans 7 is the next chapter! But what is the fruit of grace? The fruit of grace is knowing God and experiencing/having eternal life (Rom. 6:21-22). So I think the person who truly “gets” grace, the one who has felt it’s affects the most, is the one who strives to live under the umbrella of grace, not by his might, but by the grace of God!

I know this might be a little hard to follow, and may not make much sense (I think I could explain it better in person!) but let me know what you think. Essentially, we know grace best, not when we are in sin, but when we are free from sin, alive in Christ. Grace is known best (post-salvation) apart from sin, under the umbrella of grace. I feel like I didn’t do a good job of explaining this! But hopefully you get me. So don’t keep on sinning, that’s foolishness. Rather live in the grace of God, and experience the full affects of grace by your changed life! Thanks for reading, feel free to respond. Grace and Peace.