March 8 - The Greatness of Grace

The Greatness of Grace

“So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good?” Romans 6:1-3a

In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, Philip Yancey wrote, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more-no amount of spiritual calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And, grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less- no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder.  Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love.”

Wow!  I can hardly get my arms around such a vast perspective of an unconditionally loving and gracious God.  As the old song refrains, “Hallelujah, what a Savior!” In a world of conditionality where we love people “if” they behave in a certain way, we respond “when” they measure up to our standards, and extend “as a result” of an acceptable standard that we bring whether miniscule or magnificent, I can only stand in amazement that Christ would love you and me in that way. 

It’s the difference between Christianity and every other faith.  Our culture of tolerance tends to lump all of them in the same category.  Much like a buffet line, we need only make our selection of Hindiusm, Humanism, Buddhism, Islam, Univeralism, and many others.  However, the message of Christianity is 180 degrees different.  All other faiths are about man working his way to God.  How we act, how we live, and even becoming good enough to appease a deity that seems somewhat unable to be appeased.   Christianity (and God’s grace) are different in that it is all about God working His way to man.  Realizing not matter how I act, no matter how I live, not matter how good I try to be…it will only occur when I realize it comes through Christ’s righteousness and can NEVER be gained through my own efforts.

Years ago, C.S. Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, was with a group of people when he was asked the uniqueness of Christianity from every other religion. “Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.” The room fell silent. Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love, comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. All the others move into a works mentality to pay back what was done.
                    

After a moment, someone commented that Lewis had a point.  Buddhists,                            for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride.
Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the                            world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions. Someone else observed the Jewish code of the law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him and in Islam God is a                            God of Judgment rather than a God of love. You live to appease him. 

At the end of the discussion, everyone concluded Lewis had a point. Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call “grace.” Christians boldly proclaim that grace really has precious little to do with us, our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve.   Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

Now mind you, the freeness of grace should never cause us to consider it a “Blue Light Special” in the dime-store aisle as if it can be taken for granted  and easily dispensable. Cheap grace brings a licentious and careless heart to Christianity.  No, a true understanding of grace causes us to treat it like a precious jewel with none in the world like it.  It raises us to the highest level of living.  In fact, living worthy of the price that was paid to receive it. In Romans 6:1-3, Paul states, “So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good?” In other words, that train of life has left the sin station.

Too often, we place incredible value on things that have little value and little value on the things that are incredible.  Grace makes us evaluate those things and again, return it to the top of the list.  I guess you can say, “It’s What’s So Amazing About It.”

Terry Risser

Reflections

1)    While not needing to share it, what are the worst things and the best things you’ve ever done?

2)    How does God’s grace fit into these areas of your life?  Thank Him for it today.

Consider reading the Word today: 

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser