Grace only kicks in when there is sin. If a person were sinless, they would not need God's grace.
Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
If you do activities to *merit* grace, then you are expecting pay, not grace.
Romans 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eternal life in Christ is a FREE GIFT. You do not work to merit a gift. Nor do you work to merit forgiveness. Forgiveness by it's very nature is a gift freely given.
If you have to do something to merit grace, you have just nullified the whole thing and then God becomes indebted to you for the work you did or the activities you performed.
There is NOTHING we as humans can do to get God to love us any more than He already does.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
...and nothing we can do to get Him to give us the grace we need.
Throw yourself on the mercy of the court and God WILL save you and keep you saved.
All He wants is our trust and taking Him at His word. He certainly doesn't need us to DO anything for Him.
...if you use it right.
1 Timothy 1:8
Mary is FULL of grace!!