What does it mean that "Grace has been give to each as Christ has apportioned it" in Ephesians 4:7?
Does Christ process each with different amounts of grace based on what He sees as our need for it?
Ephesians 4:7
ESV - 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
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Asked January 02 2017
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Rosemary Nord
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
James Kraft
I believe that grace is given according to our sin. First John 1:8 says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. First John 1:10 says, If we say we have not sinned, we call God a liar.
Where sin abounds grace much more abounds. Sin can no more be imputed to a saved sinner, because Jesus paid for them all. We are not to use grace for a license to sin, but when we do sin grace abounds.
We all sin and come short of the glory of God. Jesus was the only one to live a perfect sinless life. The rest of us come short. If we could have lived without sin, then Jesus died in vain.
If we could have been saved by keeping Gods laws, then Jesus died for no reason. If we could have done anything to save ourselves, then Jesus died in vain.
Once we have trusted Jesus to save us He joins His spirit to our spirit, and we are sealed unto the day of redemption. Our life is now His life to do with us what ever He wants. We are bought with a price.
He saves some to honor, and some to dishonor. He gets all the glory for saving us sinners no matter what we do. We are not saved by what we do or not do, but by the blood of Jesus that covers us from all sin.
When we accept Jesus as our only savior, He gives us His righteousness as we have no righteousness of our own. Self righteousness comes by obedience to Gods laws. Under grace we do those things in the law because we love God for saving us.
Jesus gave us two laws, to Love God and our neighbor. Those two laws will not save us, but when we are saved by faith we do those things because we love God for saving us and love God and our neighbor. Those two laws fulfill the law of Christ. Since we are still sinners, we do not judge others that sin either. It is that old thing, when we point our finger at someone else, we are pointing three back at our self.
When we judge others for what they do we are judging our self also. But grace covers us from all sin. We are to love on another and show grace to others the way God has show grace to us.
Those that have lived in great sin, can show more grace to others because they have received more grace.
Goes along with the man who could not pay his debt, but was forgiven it. But then he would not forgive the debt owed him by another. He had received grace but would not show grace to others.
The law without faith makes us prideful and self righteous. The law with faith produces the righteousness of Christ in us.