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Having a grace state of mind doesnt mean life automatically becomes a super-harmonious downhill slide. Embracing grace doesnt change our address from the real world to Fantasyland. Even though we, in grace, pursue righteousness and peace and joy and commit to building up one another in love, we will still face conflicts. We will still have to live with disagreements. Human nature will get in the way. Opposing opinions will surface, family members will see things differently, and coworkers will clash, even when both parties desire to do the will of God. As people of grace, our goal is not to force everyone to agree but to press on despite disagreements.

Grace comes to us in two dimensions: vertical and horizontal. Vertical grace centers on our relationships with God. Freeing sinners from the demands and the condemnation of the Mosaic law, vertical grace gives us hope by not only providing eternal life but also freeing us from any requirement to pay God back. Vertical grace is truly amazing! Horizontal grace centers on our relationships with others. Relieved from our guilt and shame, when we walk in grace, were free from the tyranny of pleasing people. Were free from their demands and expectations, and theyre free from ours. When we demonstrate horizontal grace, we accept others as they are. We have no personal agenda to make anyone be someone he or she is not. Horizontal grace is truly charming! In this lesson, lets turn our attention to that horizontal dimension and learn to help others find the same freedom God grants us as we accept them and release them to learn and grow.

Grace comes to us in two dimensions: vertical and horizontal. Vertical grace centers on our relationships with God. Freeing sinners from the demands and the condemnation of the Mosaic law, vertical grace gives us hope by not only providing eternal life but also freeing us from any requirement to pay God back. Vertical grace is truly amazing! Horizontal grace centers on our relationships with others. Relieved from our guilt and shame, when we walk in grace, were free from the tyranny of pleasing people. Were free from their demands and expectations, and theyre free from ours. When we demonstrate horizontal grace, we accept others as they are. We have no personal agenda to make anyone be someone he or she is not. Horizontal grace is truly charming! In this lesson, lets turn our attention to that horizontal dimension and learn to help others find the same freedom God grants us as we accept them and release them to learn and grow.

Grace comes to us in two dimensions: vertical and horizontal. Vertical grace centers on our relationships with God. Freeing sinners from the demands and the condemnation of the Mosaic law, vertical grace gives us hope by not only providing eternal life but also freeing us from any requirement to pay God back. Vertical grace is truly amazing! Horizontal grace centers on our relationships with others. Relieved from our guilt and shame, when we walk in grace, were free from the tyranny of pleasing people. Were free from their demands and expectations, and theyre free from ours. When we demonstrate horizontal grace, we accept others as they are. We have no personal agenda to make anyone be someone he or she is not. Horizontal grace is truly charming! In this lesson, lets turn our attention to that horizontal dimension and learn to help others find the same freedom God grants us as we accept them and release them to learn and grow.

What a liberating truth is the grace of God! Before we accepted Christ as Savior, all of us were once hopelessly and helplessly enslaved. By birth, by nature, and by choice, we were dominated by sin. Living under the control of this cruel taskmaster, we were unable, in ourselves, to break the yoke of sins reign over us. And then came Christ! In grace, He redeemed believers from the curse of the law, from obedience to sin, and from the tyranny of pleasing our own flesh. Grace freed us to serve the only good Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Regrettably, there are some who abuse this freedom. Twisting the principle of grace, they think that if grace super-abounds where sin only abounds, why not sin to the fullest? Paul the apostle addressed this directly in the last nine verses of Romans 6. All of us who are tempted to abuse the marvelous grace of God would be wise to examine and apply the guidelines set forth in this powerful paragraph from Gods inerrant Word.

What a liberating truth is the grace of God! Before we accepted Christ as Savior, all of us were once hopelessly and helplessly enslaved. By birth, by nature, and by choice, we were dominated by sin. Living under the control of this cruel taskmaster, we were unable, in ourselves, to break the yoke of sins reign over us. And then came Christ! In grace, He redeemed believers from the curse of the law, from obedience to sin, and from the tyranny of pleasing our own flesh. Grace freed us to serve the only good Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Regrettably, there are some who abuse this freedom. Twisting the principle of grace, they think that if grace super-abounds where sin only abounds, why not sin to the fullest? Paul the apostle addressed this directly in the last nine verses of Romans 6. All of us who are tempted to abuse the marvelous grace of God would be wise to examine and apply the guidelines set forth in this powerful paragraph from Gods inerrant Word.