Grace That Transforms: God’s Work in Us

[Elijah7777]

Grace is often described as God’s unmerited favor—something credited to our account, a covering for our sin. But I believe that’s only part of the story. Grace isn’t just a transaction—it’s a transformation. It’s not merely what God does for us, but what He does in us.

We say we’re “born again” or “a new creation in Christ,” but what does that mean if our lives remain unchanged? Grace is the power that reshapes our hearts, renews our minds, and enables us to walk in righteousness. It’s not passive—it’s active. It’s the Spirit of God working within us to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Paul said, “His grace toward me was not in vain. I worked harder than any of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) That’s grace as fuel, not just forgiveness.

Justice and grace aren’t opposites. Justice is the plumb line of truth; grace is the strength to walk it. The cross didn’t cancel justice—it fulfilled it, so grace could flow freely, not just to us, but through us.

I’m sharing this because I believe we need to recover the full meaning of grace—not just as pardon, but as power. Has anyone else wrestled with this? How do you see grace working in your life—not just to forgive, but to transform?

 

[Elijah7777]

I want to repeat that even the desire to do the will of God is a work of the Grace of God in us. When we purify our heart before Him as David did.

Acts 13:22 “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”
1 Samuel 16:7 “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” When David was chosen God saw something deeper—faithfulness, humility, and potential.

 

[for_his_glory]

GRACE - undeserved, unmerited favor, Gods willingness to give us His power and ability even though we do not deserve it

Jesus came to show us how to overcome the sin nature of the world by teaching us how to live a moral life compatible with the word of God. Jesus gave of himself for all of us and redeemed us from the curse of sin by taking all our sin upon him becoming the final blood sacrifice for his love towards everyone who will believe on his name. When we come to Jesus it is Gods grace that forgives our sins and remembers them no more. Sin will always be present with us because the flesh will always sin for that is its nature, but when we ask Jesus into our hearts we also receive at that same moment the gift of the Holy Spirit which teaches us how to separate ourselves from the ungodliness and lusts of this world. We may have to live in this world, but as a child of God we are not part of this world because our inner man, or heart, has now become renewed in the Spirit of God and is sinless through the grace of God.

Titus 2:11 for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

 

[Elijah7777]

GRACE - undeserved, unmerited favor, Gods willingness to give us His power and ability even though we do not deserve it

The Grace of God transforms us so that we become righteous before God. This is one of the most difficult things that people have to understand. They do not realize that we need to be JUST before God and that is a work that He does in us. Justice Holds Us Accountable to the Law. Paul uses the Greek word dikaiosynē, which means both justice and righteousness. He talks about this in Romans. He says: "It is written" which means we have to go back and look at what David said because Paul is teaching us what he learned from David.

Matthew 7 22 "And then I will declare unto them, 'I never knew you; depart you from Me, those working lawlessness.'"

 

[for_his_glory]

Justice Holds Us Accountable to the Law.

Are you speaking about all the 613 laws, or just the moral parts of the laws we are to continue in until Christ returns.

 

[Elijah7777]

Are you speaking about all the 613 laws, or just the moral parts of the laws we are to continue in until Christ returns.

What David said: Psam 40 6 "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."

In the same way many of the 613 laws are a vessel to teach others. We are to be a living sacrifice before God. But absolutely we are to keep all of the law because that is the example that Jesus set for us to follow.

He Did Not Abolish the Law—He Fulfilled It

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” —Matthew 5:17

I pray for God's help to live my life in a way that He is pleased with. AS Wesley said what are we NOT able to do?

 

[for_his_glory]

What David said: Psam 40 6 "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."

In the same way many of the 613 laws are a vessel to teach others. We are to be a living sacrifice before God. But absolutely we are to keep all of the law because that is the example that Jesus set for us to follow.

He Did Not Abolish the Law—He Fulfilled It


I pray for God's help to live my life in a way that He is pleased with. AS Wesley said what are we NOT able to do?

There are laws (commandments) of God that were especially written just for the Hebrews pertaining to the rituals of the Temple, sacrifices, festivals, Torah, Kohanim and Levites, the King and the Nazarite. Then there are the existing moral laws (commandments) for all of us to still follow as in prayers and blessings, love and brotherhood. The poor and unfortunate, treatment of the Gentiles, Marriage, divorce and family. Forbidden sexual relations, business practices, employees and servants. Vows, oaths, swearing, Court and Judicial procedures. Injuries and damages, property and property rights, criminal laws. Prophecy, idolatry and all its practices as the moral laws (commandments) keep us in line with the will of God.

We need to present ourselves a vessel of honor that God delights in as we allow the light of Christ shine in us and through us. This is a testimony of Gods grace and mercy as it is not ourselves that do any good thing, but Gods Spirit working in us and through us as we surrender our will to that of Gods will to be done.

Morality in God is His greatest commandment of love as we treat others as we want others to treat us. God is love and wants us to love and treat others as He loves and treats us.

Matthew 22:
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[Blain DeCastro]

How many times I have counted his grace for my life and my person, knowing I desire to do what is right but do not do as I desire. Falling short at seemingly every turn lacking and found wanting yet his love and grace surpasses all this and I thank God for his mercy and understanding

The law and Grace are two widely accepted topics but to truly understand them we must not only be self aware of our need for it but for our need for it to transform us

 

[Bruce Leiter]

Grace is often described as God’s unmerited favor—something credited to our account, a covering for our sin. But I believe that’s only part of the story. Grace isn’t just a transaction—it’s a transformation. It’s not merely what God does for us, but what He does in us.

We say we’re “born again” or “a new creation in Christ,” but what does that mean if our lives remain unchanged? Grace is the power that reshapes our hearts, renews our minds, and enables us to walk in righteousness. It’s not passive—it’s active. It’s the Spirit of God working within us to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Paul said, “His grace toward me was not in vain. I worked harder than any of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) That’s grace as fuel, not just forgiveness.

Justice and grace aren’t opposites. Justice is the plumb line of truth; grace is the strength to walk it. The cross didn’t cancel justice—it fulfilled it, so grace could flow freely, not just to us, but through us.

I’m sharing this because I believe we need to recover the full meaning of grace—not just as pardon, but as power. Has anyone else wrestled with this? How do you see grace working in your life—not just to forgive, but to transform?

I agree with you, Elijah7777, but I would add that our good works AFTER we are transformed by the new birth are also because of God's grace operating in us, and the rewards in heaven that we will experience there and on the new earth are also gifts of God's great grace. Therefore, all of our salvation into eternity are from God's grace 100%, and none of it is to our credit, as Paul says clearly,

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

[Elijah7777]

the rewards in heaven

That is the amazing part. We do so little for God and He does so much for us.
Ephesians 2:8–9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 

[NSH01]

I wrote a worship song with the phrase: 'Your grace is holding me higher' because to me, there is the aspect of being helped and held above the weight and darkness of the world. Grace is like God's arm holding me up, even though I'm not doing anything to deserve that help. I agree with these posts that grace has an active component in it, it is God's spirit moving in us that acts out grace in our lives as we are transformed.

The song passage goes like this:

Your grace is holding me higher
Your power is making me stronger
Your blood is making me cleaner
Your life is taking me deeper!

All my days
I will walk with Jesus!
All my days
I will walk with Jesus!

The song link is here:

 

[Hidden In Him]

I wrote a worship song with the phrase: 'Your grace is holding me higher' because to me, there is the aspect of being helped and held above the weight and darkness of the world. Grace is like God's arm holding me up, even though I'm not doing anything to deserve that help. I agree with these posts that grace has an active component in it, it is God's spirit moving in us that acts out grace in our lives as we are transformed.

The song passage goes like this:


The song link is here:

This is very nice. I loved it.

You did the keyboards on this? Those are some nice chords.

 

[NSH01]

This is very nice. I loved it.

You did the keyboards on this? Those are some nice chords.

Yes, the actual songwriting of the chords took a while, over the course of weeks and months. I typically play by ear when composing so at some point I will need to transcribe it to make real sheet music and reveal to myself what I actually played Thanks for the positive comment!

 

[Hidden In Him]

I typically play by ear when composing so at some point I will need to transcribe it to make real sheet music and reveal to myself what I actually played

LoL! I used to play acoustic - well, I played bass, but I was like the minister of music and would transpose the songs they wanted into the proper keys for the vocalists. But that would force me to get creative with the chords sometimes to do it. I would start finding stuff I had no idea how to identify in notation, LoL.

They're beautiful chords, though. You did well. The doubling over on the vocal lines is nice too. Thanks for posting!

 

[GodsGrace]

Grace is often described as God’s unmerited favor—something credited to our account, a covering for our sin. But I believe that’s only part of the story. Grace isn’t just a transaction—it’s a transformation. It’s not merely what God does for us, but what He does in us.

We say we’re “born again” or “a new creation in Christ,” but what does that mean if our lives remain unchanged? Grace is the power that reshapes our hearts, renews our minds, and enables us to walk in righteousness. It’s not passive—it’s active. It’s the Spirit of God working within us to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Paul said, “His grace toward me was not in vain. I worked harder than any of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) That’s grace as fuel, not just forgiveness.

Justice and grace aren’t opposites. Justice is the plumb line of truth; grace is the strength to walk it. The cross didn’t cancel justice—it fulfilled it, so grace could flow freely, not just to us, but through us.

I’m sharing this because I believe we need to recover the full meaning of grace—not just as pardon, but as power. Has anyone else wrestled with this? How do you see grace working in your life—not just to forgive, but to transform?

Grace is a big topic and one we don't discuss enough.
What is grace?

Justice is getting what we deserve.
Mercy is not getting what we deserve.
Grace is getting what we don't deserve.

And in God we see all of the above as is taught in the bible.

We don't deserve anything that we get from God...
We get what God gives to us because of His love for us...His most loved creation.
When God created everything in getting ready for mankind...
He said it was Good.
When God created man he said it was Very Good.

In trying to live a life that would please God, we are, in effect, thanking Him for this grace.
And no way we live our life could be fully pleasing to a most holy God...so we thank our Savior
Jesus for allowing us to be In Him.

It is God's grace that saves us through our faith in Him...
It is God's grace that empowers us as we face hardships and temptations and are able to
keep close to God instead of abandoning Him.

Finding myself rather very sad at the death of a very promising young man,
Charlie Kirk, killed by the bullet of a madman at his event in Utah...I found your OP
very uplifting and let us all thank God for loving us and for keeping us with His grace.

 

[follower]

I’m sharing this because I believe we need to recover the full meaning of grace—not just as pardon, but as power. Has anyone else wrestled with this? How do you see grace working in your life—not just to forgive, but to transform?

That is the amazing part. We do so little for God and He does so much for us.
Ephesians 2:8–9

Watch a small or large herd of sheep with a shepherd.
See how they run. See how they walk. See how they dance for joy!
See how they trust the shepherd.
As long as they can hear the shepherd, they are peaceful, restful, not even nervous.
Do they build buildings ? no.
Do they proselytize ? no.
Do they vote ? no.
Do they grind flour, or plow fields, or sow seed or water dry soil ? no.
Do they follow the shepherd wherever He goes ? yes!
Do they appear online ? No, not when they lay down in greep pastures that is.
Do they watch tv or media ? No, not when they are at rest beside still waters that is.
Do they read endless books.... No, not in place of listening to the good shepherd.
Do they study carnal activities (law, education, finance, bad religion, movies) ? No.
Who protects them? Who directs them? Who heals them? Who feeds them? Who waters them? ....
...
...
guess.

 

[GodsGrace]

Watch a small or large herd of sheep with a shepherd.
See how they run. See how they walk. See how they dance for joy!
See how they trust the shepherd.
As long as they can hear the shepherd, they are peaceful, restful, not even nervous.
Do they build buildings ? no.
Do they proselytize ? no.
Do they vote ? no.
Do they grind flour, or plow fields, or sow seed or water dry soil ? no.
Do they follow the shepherd wherever He goes ? yes!
Do they appear online ? No, not when they lay down in greep pastures that is.
Do they watch tv or media ? No, not when they are at rest beside still waters that is.
Do they read endless books.... No, not in place of listening to the good shepherd.
Do they study carnal activities (law, education, finance, bad religion, movies) ? No.
Who protects them? Who directs them? Who heals them? Who feeds them? Who waters them? ....
...
...
guess.

It sounds very idyllic.
Have you actually seen a shepherd with sheep?
Do any of the sheep ever wander away from the shepherd?
Do most of them get found again or do some become lost forever --- dead.
Does the shepherd use any help...like a dog, for instance?
They do not always follow the shepherd wherever he goes.
At times a few of them wander off.
But they do tend to obey the shepherd.

 

[Bruce Leiter]

Elijah7777, in my Bible studies and surveys, I use the definition of "grace" as "God's free acceptance" of us. That acceptance transforms our lives. I wonder what forum members think of that short definition in quotes.

 

[GodsGrace]

Elijah7777, in my Bible studies and surveys, I use the definition of "grace" as "God's free acceptance" of us. That acceptance transforms our lives. I wonder what forum members think of that short definition in quotes.

I've never heard of this definition.
Of course God accepts us....
He accepts us BECAUSE He gave us grace to become saved.

I've always read that grace is something that God GIVES to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9a
12But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
Ephesians 2:8
8For by grace you have been saved through faith.
Romans 6:4
4For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.


etc.

 

[follower]

It sounds very idyllic.

What does this for instance sound like:
Free unlimited overflowing fullness of joy.
Free unearned unlimited unshakeable peace.
Free priceless spotless shining in glory righteousness.