The two dominant men of the early followers of Jesus knew the importance of the grace of God. Paul simply stated that those who had received "abundance of grace . . . shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:17). Peter prayed that his readers would ". . . grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . ." (2 Pet. 3:16). Moreover, the original word from which grace is translated occurs over 160 times in the New Testament. They knew the challenge of their lives was not to frustrate the grace of God (Gal. 2:21).

The early followers of Jesus understood grace as the desire and the power to live their daily life. Paul stated to the Corinthians, "But by the grace of God I am what I am . . . I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." To the Colossians, he stated, "Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." Finally, he wrote to the Philippians, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."  Paul's labor was not by his effort but by the grace of God which was with him.  His striving, his labor, was according to God working in him.  Paul's desire and the power to do what he desired was not a product of his endeavoring, but it was God working in and through him.

In pure Christianity, it is God who is active in the believer producing His own will. In the final analysis, only God Himself can accomplish His will. Amazingly, the "to will" and the "to do" of God’s will are done by God Himself in and through the believer.