Our relationship with God, made possible through His grace and redemptive mercy, must be ____.

• A. maintained
• B. preserved
• C. nurtured
• D. earned

Answer: (A)

Our relationship with God is entered through His grace and redemptive mercy, but it remains something we actively sustain. The idea here is an ongoing, deliberate participation in faithfulness—staying connected to God through daily trust, prayer, Bible study, repentance, worship, and obedience. Because grace has already made the relationship possible, the right word focuses on what we must continually do to keep it living and strong, not on earning it.

Choosing to emphasize maintenance highlights that this relationship isn’t a one-time event; it requires persistent care and commitment. It isn’t about earning favor, which would contradict grace, and it isn’t solely about passive preservation. It’s about actively upholding a divinely initiated relationship through ongoing faithfulness.