The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

Grace is one of the most powerful concepts in Christianity, yet it's often misunderstood. God's grace isn't just a theological term—it's God's riches at Christ's expense, freely given to transform our lives. When we truly grasp what grace means, it brings an unburdening that can revolutionize how we live and relate to God.

What Does It Mean to Be Right About Being Righteous?

Many believers struggle with confusion about righteousness. The Bible is clear that our righteousness comes through Jesus Christ alone—His righteousness is imparted to us when we're saved. But after salvation, we can become confused about our role in living righteously.

There's a crucial difference between working toward God and working for God. When you work toward God, you're trying to earn your salvation through good deeds. When you work for God, you're serving Him because you've already been saved. One approach leads to bondage; the other leads to freedom.

The End of Law-Based Righteousness

Paul makes a staggering statement in Romans 10:4: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." This means that following the law ultimately brings you to Christ because the law shows you that you are guilty before God.

Even if you could live a perfect life from today forward, keeping every commandment flawlessly, you would still miss heaven if you're trusting in law-keeping rather than Christ. Why? Because God requires payment for what's already passed. The book of James teaches that if you fail in one point of the law, you're declared guilty of breaking the whole law.

Why Good Works Can't Save You

Your salvation doesn't rest on your human merits, works, efforts, or goodness. It rests on Christ and Christ alone. This is the foundation of the gospel that we must get right.

We often hear people say, "If anyone could make it to heaven, it would be this person," followed by a list of their good deeds. While living a good life is wonderful, that's not how salvation works. Nobody can live the kind of life that will get them to heaven based on their own efforts.

The Proper Order of Faith and Works

You don't get to heaven based on what you do—you get to heaven based on what Christ has done. However, this doesn't mean good works are unimportant. The question is about order and motivation.

Can you be converted without being changed? No. The very nature of the new birth means you're brand new. You've gone from darkness to light, received a new nature, and gained a new heavenly Father. If you've truly come to Christ, there will be evidence of change in your life.

But these works flow from your salvation, not toward it. You work from gratitude, energized by the Spirit, walking in good works that God prepared for you after you come to Christ.

Freedom from Religious Performance

Understanding grace brings freedom from religious rules, rituals, and regulations that enslave rather than liberate. Many believers develop a performance mentality where they're constantly worried about what others might think rather than listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying.

This religious mindset leads to rule-keeping and comparing ourselves to others. But the only comparison we're told to make is between who we are and who Christ is. The good news is that once you're saved, God steps in and begins conforming you into the image of His Son.

True Grace vs. Cheap Grace

Some people misunderstand grace as a license to sin freely. That's not biblical grace. True grace, as described in Titus, teaches you to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world.

You can't claim to be a "grace person" while continuing in behaviors that the Bible clearly forbids. That doesn't make sense. If you're truly in Christ, the Father will work with you to remove sinful patterns from your life, like peeling layers off an onion.

Your Identity in Christ

Paul declares in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." This isn't just theological language—it's a profound truth about your new identity.

When you place your faith in Christ, His death becomes your death, His life becomes your life, His ascension becomes your ascension. You are seated with Him at the Father's right hand. This is how God views you when you're in Christ.

The Personal Nature of Christ's Love

Paul understood that Christ's sacrifice was deeply personal: "the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." At the point of faith, it becomes personal—you realize that Jesus died for you and rose for you because He loves you.

Many believers struggle with feeling unworthy or not measuring up. They have trouble believing that they and the Lord are truly close, that they're really God's children. But Jesus suffered, bled, and died for you to have this revelation knowledge of who you are in Christ.

Avoiding Satanic Substitutes

Our culture is filled with counterfeit identities that the enemy uses to distract people from finding their true identity in Christ. People are hungry to discover who they really are, and when they're not right with God, there's a God-shaped vacuum that only He can fill.

The enemy targets this longing by offering false identities and meanings. But the truth is that people need to know who Christ is, what He's done for them, and then discover who they are in Christ when they come to Him in faith.

Life Application

This week, examine your heart honestly: Are you trying to earn God's approval through your performance, or are you resting in what Christ has already accomplished? Challenge yourself to identify any areas where you're still operating from a works-based mentality rather than from grace.

Take time to meditate on your true identity in Christ. You are forgiven, you have a new nature, you have the Holy Spirit, you've been set free from sin, and you have a purpose for your life. Let this truth transform how you think about yourself and your relationship with God.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I trusting in my good works or in Christ's finished work for my salvation?

• Do I truly believe that Christ's love for me is personal and complete?

• What religious performance mindsets do I need to surrender to experience true freedom in Christ?

• How can I live this week from my identity in Christ rather than trying to earn my identity through my actions?