Grace, the power against Sin

I think grace often gets confused for forgiveness in the modern American mind.  More and more I hear myself and others using the term grace when in reality I think they should use grace, and probably are having in their mind the definition of forgiveness when they use the term grace.  For example, I sin and call out to God for grace what I mean in actuality is that I desire His forgiveness.  We see this in every day life as well.  How often do we ask for grace from people, be it spouses, children, bosses, co-workers, you name it, when in reality we are asking for forgiveness for our foolishness and shortcomings.  Unfortunately, this strips grace of its power in our lives and cheapens the Grace of God to a mere "get out of jail free" card.

Grace is, by definition, the free and unmerited favor of God to those who do not deserve it.  Where we often miss the boat is that we think, either consciously or unconsciously, that we deserve it.  This, I think, is where much of the confusion comes from.  We tend to think God owes us His grace and that His grace is demonstrated to us by His forgiving our sins.  We tend to think of our sins in light of our singular offenses against other people or society, not in regard to our rebellion against God and His holy nature, and thus the whole thing becomes a jumbled, convoluted mess.  And in the process we lose sight of the fact that grace is the primary means God gives us to fight against sin (not our singular offenses, but the wicked nature that causes those singular offenses).

Paul's primary argument in Romans for Christians to live radically changed lives is that we live under the grace of God.  That statement has no effect on a heart that has never actually experienced grace but to the heart that has glimpsed its own wickedness and tasted of the grace of God, that statement causes your heart to leap in humility and joy.  That the holy God of the universe would reveal Himself to sinners is the ultimate grace, and it is that grace that allows the sinner to walk humbly with their God, not relying on their own strength or merit, but on God, and His holy nature, and His ability to call into the darkness and save unto Himself a people who delight in His presence.  The grace of God is so much more than forgiveness.  It is the weapon with which sin's power will ultimately be loosened in the life of the one who chases after Christ.