When religions show us different ways to become pleasing to God and secure our eternity, many from Christian backgrounds also assume similar ideas. They rely on their good behaviour, church attendance, Bible reading, prayer, etc., to gain credits before God. Some boast in keeping the Ten Commandments and think that since they are 'Christians' and aren't committing any serious sins, God can't refuse them admission to heaven. They get angry with those who say that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned.
Grace, as an unmerited favour shown by God towards those who actually deserve punishment in hell, is clearly unreasonable to anyone who thinks. How can He call me a sinner? How can God send 'good' people to hell? How can He ignore all the sacrifices I have made? How can it be right to say that it is by simply believing in Jesus that people can be accepted?
But look at it another way. Is there anyone in the whole world who has never done anything wrong, in deed, word or thought? When God who is holy and without sin looks at all the sins we have done, can He just overlook any of them? Don't we have to honestly admit that we too deserve punishment? So, here is the situation. The whole world deserves punishment and there is nothing anyone can do to earn forgiveness from God. But God is love, and He doesn't want to punish any of us whom He has created. In His love and wisdom, He chose to take all of our punishment on Himself so that we could be spared. That is why Jesus died on the cross, the sinless One bearing the punishment for our sins. That is grace.
This good news of grace is open to everyone. But only those who accept its terms can receive it – anyone who admits that they deserve the punishment of hell for their sins and that it is only because Jesus has died in their place that they can receive forgiveness, receives forgiveness, freely! Those who aren't sorry for their sins and who don't really want to stop sinning can't receive this gift, even though it is free!
Grace has two parts, forgiveness for the sins we have done, and help to overcome temptations in the future (He.4:16;1Jn.1:9). All who have truly come into grace get help to overcome their sinful nature in the different situations of life and become more and more godly (Ti.2:11,12).
Grace has been distorted in many ways: since grace is free, everyone will ultimately get saved; since it is a free gift from God, there is nothing we need to do from our part; since we are covered by the righteousness of Christ, God doesn't look at our actual lives; since grace covers all our sins, including the future ones, there is no need to confess our sins; there is no need to deny ourselves when we are tempted, because the Holy Spirit will fight for us; we mustn't listen to any voice that convicts us because there is no condemnation for us; our old nature has been taken away and we have only to rejoice and give thanks, etc.
Have we come to know the true grace of God?