Receiving an Abundance of Grace

There's a lot of fuss over the resurgence of the Gospel of Grace these days.  Titles such as "Radical Grace," "Hyper Grace," "Greasy Grace," and "Sloppy Agape" have been assigned to the Grace message to warn people of the danger...well, I have some opinions on this topic, but instead of refuting the message of Grace (I'll leave that to the Apostle Paul, which you can find in the book of Galatians;) I want to share with you how Abundant Grace has transformed my thinking and how I will never be the same because of it.

A verse I am keeping ever before me in this current season of life is Romans 5:17, let's take a look at it:

"For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who RECEIVE ABUNDANCE of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." (emphasis mine)

There's much going on this verse, but for today I want to focus on the word "abundance."  Let's look at this word in the Greek.  It is the Greek word "perisseia" pronounced "per-is-si'-ah."  

According to AMG Publishers "Hebrew-Greek Study Bible" this word is defined as "super abundance, abundance, superfluity."  One of the synonyms for the word is defined as "huperbole" where we get the word "hyper" from.  It is defined as a "throwing beyond others, supereminence, pre-eminently-abundance (far more) exceeding, excellency, more excellent, beyond (out of) measure."

I don't know about you, but sign me up for hyper Grace!  

The other word that is standing out to me in Romans 5:17 is "receive."  Now, I could list the definition of the word in the Greek, but it's lengthy...for the purpose of this post let's leave it as "to take."  

I am absolutely UNDONE at the revelation in this verse...if we want to reign in life we are to RECEIVE ABUNDANT GRACE!!!  It's not something I do, or you do; it's something Jesus already did on our behalf!!!

You know what else Jesus took care of on our behalf?  Sin.  Yet, we still struggle, don't we?  I'm currently struggling with the sins of worry and fear.  What replaces fear?  Perfect love.  Who is perfect love?  Jesus.  So, let's filter that through Romans 5:17.  What is my position in order to reign in life?  Receive abundance of His Grace and in my particular situation, His perfect love.

I love the late Dallas Willard's definition of Grace.  He says, "Grace is God acting in our lives to accomplish what we cannot do on our own."  Here's another Willard definition of Grace, "Grace is the personal presence of Jesus, enabling or empowering you to be and to do-All that He called you to be, All that He called you to do."

In my strength, I can strive all day long to overcome fear and it will NEVER happen...how do I know?  I've tried.  I've tried as recently as yesterday!  I come up short every time and back to where I started, actually, usually worse than when I started.

Grace doesn't just barely cover it, Grace covers it abundantly...more than enough!  He is a "more than enough" Papa!!!

Do you want to reign in life?  I do.  There's Grace for that...do you receive it?  I am convinced that right believing leads to right living.

Pray with me, "Papa, I thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus.  I thank You that because He sacrificed in my place I can reign in life.  I thank You that because of Jesus, I am righteous.  As I become more aware of this truth, I am empowered by Grace to be all that You created me to be.  I thank You for being a generous Papa, there is no lack in You.  I thank You for the divine exchange, it's more than just life for eternity, it's life here and now.  Today I choose to RECEIVE Your abundant Grace and receive the promise of reigning in life. In the name of Jesus, AMEN!"