God’s Unmerited Favor

Tiffany Martinez, a second year graduate of S.O.W.E.R.S.; previous W.O.W. ambassador in Memphis, TN

Sometimes I hear things from the Word over and over again yet they still do not click in my brain.  It is amazing what sorrow that can cause simply because we do not understand or believe even a single promise that came with our new birth.  For me, it was feeling unworthy.
The only thing I knew was that I was not myself, but it didn’t register why.  So it was not until one night when we were listening to a teaching totally unrelated to this that it occurred to me.  I had been afraid of things because I thought I didn’t deserve the throne of grace.  In all honesty, none of us deserve it, but the very definition of grace is unmerited favor from God.  God gives us blessings that we did nothing to deserve.  So really I never do anything to deserve God’s riches, and He gives them even though He knows that I could never hope to return the favor.  So as I was supposed to be paying attention to what I was listening to, I realized what a big thing it is that I owe nothing for my sins or my old nature.  I don’t know if you have grasped this, but I sure didn’t.  I also had no idea what a big deal it is that people understand just what it means to be redeemed and justified.  You see, I thought that I was unworthy to even ask God for anything or expect the promises that He had already given me.  I understood what it meant to have authority in Christ to heal people or whatever else would come up, but was not able to receive anything for myself.  For me, the bondage was not caused by an outside source, but it was simply because I did not understand what it meant to be “in” with God.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

I was taught this all my life.  I thought I believed this and sometimes I did, but I did not really grasp it.  I always believed that God was gracious and loving, but for some reason it did not occur to me that I should be allowed to receive things from God.  And then it all became clear.  I was listening to Dr. Wierwille teaching Romans and we were not on redemption or justification, but I realized that I am always worthy of everything God has made available because Christ accomplished that for me.
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” Romans 3:20-24

I don’t know if any of you understand what it means to me to have learned this, but it really made sense to me this time.  I could probably just copy the whole book of Romans down and post it and that would communicate what I am trying to say.  The point is that there is nothing that we could ever do, or say, or think, or feel that could ever cause God to feel disappointed or ashamed of us.  I am always worthy and even entitled to the promises that He has given to me.  So the only thing is to actually let go of the weight and cast my care upon God, for God through His grace by Christ made me worthy and He made you worthy.  I used to look at people who had these little moments with such fundamental things in the Word and think how silly it is not to understand that, but we all have these things.  The next step is to figure out what to do about this new found knowledge.  Each person has to do that in their own way that fits their relationship with God, but the idea is never to fear but only believe.  I love you all.