Daily Living By The Grace Of God

Published: 23 May 2026

Source: MCBC, 21 January 2019. Speaker unknown.

Key thought

Grace is not only God’s kindness in saving us; grace is also God’s power working in us and through us, enabling us to bear fruit, do good works, and walk in obedience.

Introduction

Many Christians know that we are saved by grace, but sometimes we forget that we must also live by grace every day. Grace is not only the doorway into the Christian life; it is the pathway of the Christian life.

If we try to live the Christian life by our own strength, we will soon become proud, discouraged, or weary. But when we understand grace, we are brought low before God. Humility leads us to prayer, and faith sustains us in prayer. We come to God because we know we need Him, and we continue with God because we believe He is able.

The Christian life is not merely about what we do for God, but what God does in us and through us.

Grace teaches us this truth: without Christ, we can do nothing; but by His grace, our lives can become fruitful, useful, and obedient unto God.

1. Grace produces fruit in our lives

The first area impacted by grace is bearing fruit.

Paul says that the gospel brought forth fruit in the lives of the believers from the day they heard it and knew “the grace of God in truth.” This means true grace is never empty or inactive. When a person receives and believes the grace of God, that grace begins to produce fruit.

Fruit is not produced by human effort alone. A branch does not struggle to manufacture fruit by itself. It bears fruit because it is connected to the vine.

Grace brings us into a living relationship with Christ. We are not merely servants working at a distance; we are joined to Him.

Our relationship with the Lord is built upon grace. Grace brings us near to God, so near that Paul describes it as being “married to another,” even to Christ who is risen from the dead.

The fruit of the Christian life comes from union with Christ. We bear fruit because we belong to Him, abide in Him, and receive life from Him.

Application

• If there is little fruit in our lives, we should not first ask, “What more can I do?” but “Am I abiding in Christ?”
• Fruitfulness begins with dependence.
• Grace does not make us careless; grace makes us fruitful.
• The more we understand our need of Christ, the more we will pray and depend upon Him.

2. Grace enables good works

The second area impacted by grace is good works.

Some people think grace and good works are opposites. But the Bible teaches that grace is the source of true good works. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works.

We are “his workmanship.” That means God is the One working in us. Our good works are not for our own glory. They are the result of God’s workmanship in our lives.

The people in John 6 asked Jesus a very important question:

Jesus answered:

The foundation of all true service is faith in Christ. Before we can work rightly for God, we must believe rightly on Christ. We do not serve in order to earn grace; we serve because grace has already been given.

How did we receive Christ? By faith, through grace. How then should we walk? In the same way: by faith, through grace.

The early church is an example of this enabling grace.

The verse says “great grace was upon them all.” Grace was not only something they received in the past. It was upon them as a present power and enablement. Christ not only has a gracious heart toward us; He pours out grace as a resource for daily living and service.

Paul also reminds us:

This is enabling grace. God is able to make grace “abound” toward us so that we may “abound to every good work.” The grace of God supplies what the work of God requires.

Application

• We must not depend on our own wisdom, personality, experience, or strength.
• When God calls us to serve, He also supplies grace for the service.
• Good works should lead us to worship, not pride.
• When something is accomplished for God, the testimony should be, “Look what God has done,” not “Look what man has done.”

This is seen in Acts 14:

They were committed to the grace of God, and by that grace, the work was fulfilled, completed, and accomplished.

Notice the focus: “all that God had done with them.” They did not boast in themselves. They gave glory to God because the work was done by His grace.

3. Grace leads us into obedience

The third area impacted by grace is obedience.

Grace is sometimes misunderstood. Some may think that because we are under grace, obedience is no longer important. But biblical grace does not lead us away from obedience; it teaches us to obey God from the heart.

Grace teaches us. It teaches us to deny ungodliness. It teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly. Therefore, grace is not permission to sin; grace is power to live differently.

Jesus said:

Obedience is not merely outward duty. It flows from love for Christ. And that love is awakened by His grace.

When we consider the grace of Christ, that He became poor for our sakes, our hearts are moved to love Him, follow Him, and obey Him.

Grace humbles us because we know we did not deserve salvation. Grace strengthens us because we know God is working in us. Grace guides us because we no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who gave Himself for us.

Application

• Obedience should not be driven merely by fear, guilt, or human pressure.
• True obedience grows out of grace and love.
• We obey because Christ has loved us and given Himself for us.
• Daily obedience requires daily dependence on grace.

Conclusion

Daily living by the grace of God means we recognize that the Christian life cannot be lived by self-effort. We need Christ every moment.

• Grace produces fruit as we abide in Christ.
• Grace enables good works as God works in us and through us.
• Grace leads us into obedience as we respond to the love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Christian life begins by grace, continues by grace, and will be completed by grace.

But with His grace, God can make our lives fruitful, useful, and obedient for His glory.

Challenge

Let us examine our daily walk before the Lord.

• Are we trying to live the Christian life in our own strength?
• Are we depending on our ability more than on God’s grace?
• Are we bearing fruit because we are abiding in Christ?
• Are our good works pointing others to God or to ourselves?
• Are we obeying the Lord out of love and gratitude for His grace?

Let us come humbly before God in prayer. Let us trust Him by faith. Let us ask Him to make His grace abound toward us, so that our lives may bring forth fruit, abound in good works, and walk in obedience to His Word.

Closing prayer thought