This is fabulous news:  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  (Rom. 5:1-2).  When we realize how great His grace is, we will have the desire to stay faithful to our Lord.  Those who serve God best are those who appreciate His grace the most.  Hear the words of Paul:  “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  (1 Cor. 15:10, NKJV).  His grace causes people to go to work.  His grace produces faithful Christians. 

            God’s grace toward us is designed to motivate us to live a certain way.  There is no such thing as “cheap grace” in the Bible.  God’s grace demands a response.  Our lives should reflect the fact that we have been called by God.  Titus 2:11-12 tells us that the grace of God teaches us to live godly lives:  “For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should soberly, righteously and godly in this present age.”  2 Timothy 1:9 says God saves and calls us with a holy calling.  1 Peter 1:15 admonishes, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”

            This is what we find over and over in the New Testament.  God saves, then we serve.  God rescues, we respond.  God reaches down to us, then we reach up to Him and out to others.  “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  But you have not so learned Christ,” (Eph. 4:17-20, NKJV).  Paul went to tell us to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  (Eph. 4:23-24, NKJV).