HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH

H I S G RAC E I S E N O U G H

Yerevan, Armenia

Feb 2025

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I can’t be the only one who struggles with bringing the fast-paced demands of life into my faith. It is very easy maybe even inevitable to carry that mindset into our walk with Christ without even realizing it especially when we just can’t avoid the life demands on this side of eternity! The pressure to “do” more to “be” more whether that means finding a ministry, achieving spiritual milestones, or measuring our worth by visible impact. While these are all very important parts of our spiritual journey they often create a false impression that we are in full control of our lives! This brings me to discuss the fine line between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.

Grace and Obedience

We are predestined, as we read in Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. As we also read in Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. This does not mean determinism. We are not predetermined. In other words, we have free will to choose whether we entertain sin or righteousness! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another Galatians 5:13. God does not force anyone into faith or sin, He works through our righteous and unrighteous human choices, for His will and perfect plan, The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble Proverbs 16:4. God’s the captain of the ship, you can roam around the boat, you can choose to jump off, but you cannot change the destination that the captain has determined.

When I first learned of God’s sovereignty, satan definitely used it against me, leading me to dwell in guilt, self-pity it even shook my faith. How do you process this truth? Frankly, I almost wished I hadn’t learned it because of the confusion it caused me. However, that very confusion led me to focus on Jesus and seek Him more. In other words, God allowing my faith to be tested worked for the good of strengthening my faith by exploring God’s character. The closer we move towards God, the more we seek Him and get to know Him and His character, it is only then that we learn to trust him. Ultimately, it’s not about fully understanding it’s about believing. True peace comes from being okay with not having all the answers. Trusting in God’s character more than our ability to understand. As Paul says in Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Salvation and Discipleship

A common struggle is often the incomprehension of the correlation between faith and works. Some might fall into the trap trying to “earn God’s favor” by doing more and others into complete lack of accountability. Finding rest in faith means believing that it is only of what Jesus did and not for anything you have done or will ever do. The Bible is clear: it is faith that pleases God, not works. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” This means that before any act of obedience, or any accomplishment, our belief in Jesus and trust in His character is what matters most. Unlike what many assume, God is not a controlling force that confines us or restricts our freedom. Rather, He is the very source of true freedom. Satan deceives many into believing that sin leads to freedom, when in reality, it leads to bondage!

Understanding the gift of salvation and God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibilities. This brings us to consider a commonly misunderstood verse, James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. This verse is often explained that works allow us to “keep our salvation” followed by James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. Creating confusion between salvation and discipleship. These verses do not suggest works save us, but they remind us the importance of discipleship and living an obedient life. In other words, true faith naturally produces works. When we have genuine faith in Christ, our lives will reflect that faith through obedience, love, and service. Just as a healthy tree produces fruit, a heart transformed by Jesus will produce good works, not to earn salvation, but as evidence of it.

That is to say, our works do not sustain our faith, God’s grace does. When we truly believe, our lives will naturally reflect that faith. And even when we fall short, His grace remains enough. So instead of striving to prove our faith, let’s rest in it.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phillipians 1:6