Righteous Works Are Performed By Grace

"And if by grace, then it is no longer by works, if it were, grace no longer be grace." Romans 11:6 NIV

I have always heard that grace is the unmerited favor of God. But if we look grace up in a Strong’s Concordance, number 5495, we will see that grace has a much stronger meaning for us. According to the Strong’s Concordance the grace of God affords us joy, pleasure, and delight. The grace of God means that God has exerted His influence on our souls and that He has turned us to Christ. The grace of God means that He now strengthens us, that He now keeps us, that He increases our faith, our knowledge, and our affection. And God’s grace now causes us to exercise His virtues. We cannot do these works, only God can, and God has freely bestowed His grace upon all of us who believe and are saved! “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:6

Through grace we are now accepted in Christ and since we are God will now work His virtuous works through us! Through Christ we are now strengthened to be used by God. Through Christ we now have an Author and Finisher of our faith so that we can be used by God, Through Christ we are now kept so that we can be the vessels of God’s righteous works. And through Christ we now have the love and compassion to be used by God. All of this brings praise to God and as Jesus said in John 15:8, the production of God’s fruit through us brings Him glory! But grace doesn’t just bring glory to God, the fact that God can now work through us brings us joy, pleasure, and delight!