Grace is a gift given for our sanctification. Surprisingly, in this increasingly anti-Christian society, the dictionary still lists its religious definition first. Now that I’ve mentioned that, will word get out?
Like so many English words, its roots have their base in Latin, and further back than that, Sanskrit. The Latin gratia meant favor, charm, and thanks, or pleasing. The Sanskrit root means “he praises.”
If you haven’t already heard it in church, or in a religious education class, the dictionary defines grace in its noun usage as: 1.a. Unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. 1.b. a virtue coming from God. 1.c. a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace.

So what do we do with Grace?

Since grace is a gift given for our sanctification, one obvious point is to receive it. In case you were wondering, it is entirely possible to miss out. How? Jonah 2:8 tells us. “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” (NIV)
Like many of the spiritual gifts that connect to one another, grace is linked to faith. No one can receive true grace without first putting their faith in Jesus. People can have mere human physical grace without ever having the grace that is the favor of God. The events of their lives will give that lack away, for everyone else to see.
The next thing for a believer to do with grace is grow in it. Stephen, head deacon of the Jerusalem church in Acts, was full of grace and truth. Without the favor of God, and the confidence and sense of propriety and rightness that grace brought to him, he would not have been qualified for that position of leadership.
A third thing to do with grace is to praise it, and therefore the God who gave it.When others hear you , your praise could either prompt them to join you in making a big deal of God’s glory, or will make them curious, and desire grace for themselves. If your praise of God’s grace does neither of those things, it will stand as a testimony against those who refuse God’s gift of salvation.

How does Grace sanctify us?

Grace gives us confidence to believe that God’s plans for us are good. It also makes us confident to approach him in prayer for others and ourselves in the face of our perceived needs.
We are saved by grace, justified by it, and granted eternal life.
Grace is a gift given for our sanctification. God pours it out more and more to those who are his. It is not only sufficient to your needs and mine, but abundant.

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