John 1:16 GRACE UPON GRACE
“ For from His FULLNESS, we have all received GRACE UPON GRACE.”
What is the FULLNESS of Jesus Christ?
In Colossians 1:19, the FULLNESS of Jesus' glory is testified; "For in Him all the FULLNESS OF GOD was pleased to dwell." God's preeminence, power, and authority are all found in Jesus Christ. Moreover His love, kindness, mercy, and faithfulness and all of God the Father's nature and character lived inside of Him. Jesus was the Word, the Word who was with God, and the Word who was God (v. 1).
Not only that Jesus Christ was God from the beginning of time, He was also fully man "who became flesh and who dwelt among us (v. 14)". And through Him, we can receive "grace upon grace." This grace is an extreme expression of love - it is the kind of love that is given to someone who is unworthy and deserving. No amount of good work or self-righteousness could ever allow us to earn this love.
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH. And this is not your doing; it is the GIFT of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
grace upon grace
What's amazing about God's grace is that it does not end there. The Bible tells us that He gives us grace upon grace. Now why is that? It is because God knows that as human beings, we are still susceptible to sins and temptations. He knows that there will be times that we forget this grace and fail to operate as if we are indeed saved. Regardless, God is so patient with us because He does not want any of us to perish (2 Peter 3:9). He gives us unlimited grace instead until we repent and give our lives back to Him.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the grace You have given me. That grace that caused You to give Your life on that cross, and that grace that allowed me to live peaceably with you. You loved me so much even when I never deserved it in the first place. And even now as I try to honor and follow You, I still stand unworthy for such love that You demonstrated for me. Lord, allow me to live according to Your love and extend grace to those who hurt me. May Your grace abound in me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.