An unmerited favor, undeserved gifts
Gifts are a meaningful way to express gratitude and demonstrate appreciation. Similarly, a favor is a kind gesture one can extend to another, sometimes with an underlying motive. The Bible teaches the concept of giving. For instance, following the birth of Jesus, He deservedly received gifts as a sign of worship and honor, for He was ‘The Gift.' God’s gifts and favors offered to humanity have no underlying motives; they are given out of love to all who accept them.
As it is written in the Bible, man, after sinning in Eden, lost his relationship with God and fell under condemnation. God, in His love, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die to save humanity. Thanks to this sacrifice, man has the ability in Jesus to restore his relationship with God. There is nothing a person can do to justify themselves. There is no way for man to regain his place with God and benefit from eternal salvation. In Romans 3:23, it is written: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." In Ephesians 2:8-10, we read that it is not by our works so that no one can boast. Imagine for a moment that you have committed a grave offense and are forced to appear before a judge to be judged. Imagine that you do not have a lawyer to defend your case and have no competence to defend yourself. This is a situation that no sensible person would want to find themselves in, and this was the situation we found ourselves in after the fall in Eden. But God, in His love for us, not only gives us an advocate in Jesus, but Jesus takes our place. He takes the sentence for us. This is the essence of God's grace, the key to restoring our relationship with Him.
Brothering, we must live a life of gratitude in the face of this great gift, which is undeniable proof of God's love for us. We must remain humble, learn to understand, and be loving towards our neighbors. Let us remind one another that it is not our works that give us a relationship with God but His grace. In Luke 18:11-13, Jesus clearly says what can happen when we present ourselves before God relying on the weight of our works: we will not be justified. But God waits for all of us unconditionally. It is up to us to receive with humility and gratitude the gift of God. Living a life of gratitude and humility is our response to God's grace and the path to a meaningful relationship with Him, a relationship built on unmerited favor and undeserved gifts.
