Written by Dynamis Ministries | August 7, 2025
Good karma, bad karma. In today’s culture, we often hear people talk about karma. It’s the belief that what goes around comes around. Maybe you’ve been in a conversation where someone boasts that they have good karma coming their way because they’ve been trying hard to do good. On the other hand, you’ve probably heard someone being warned that karma will catch up with them because they’ve been out of sorts. The idea is that whatever someone’s karma is, it’s something they earn.
Contrary to karma, one of the most revolutionary things in the Bible is that the kingdom of God operates on grace. Grace is receiving unmerited favor for what we cannot earn. This forms the foundation of eternal salvation. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “It is by grace we have been saved, through faith—and it is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” In this way, salvation is a gift from God that we could not pay for. This is the headline of grace in God’s story, that Jesus paid it all! But grace permeates all aspects of God’s economy. Even generosity is an act of grace!
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he encourages them to give generously, and this is what he says, “But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV). Doesn’t that jump off the screen—the grace of giving!? Our generosity may be one of the most significant ways we live out the Biblical message of grace! If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of an unexpected, yet desperately needed act of generosity, you know firsthand how deeply it connects you back to God’s grace from the depths of your soul.
When we extend grace, we act in a revolutionary way. In a world driven by karma, where everyone believes they get what they deserve, we can show people the grace of unconditional love, that they are loved and accepted apart from what they do. In today’s transactional culture, how wonderful it is to know we are loved by God without having to earn it! Our generosity is a simple way to demonstrate this unmerited favor and share the powerful, much-needed message of grace. Just as Paul encouraged the Corinthians, let’s also seek to excel in the grace of giving. We’ll be spreading something far greater than good karma—we will be sharing the very grace of God!
