The Wonder of God’s Grace

Being a Christian is not about what we deserve.  If it were, it would be terrifying.  The Bible and experience teach us that we’ve all shaken our fists at the Lord in stubborn rebellion (e.g., 1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:10-20, 23; 1 John 1:8, 10).  Defiance against the Holy God is an infinitely heinous crime deserving of an infinitely intense punishment.  And that is terrifying!

In our culture we’re used to operating on the basis of deserving:  the grades we get, trying out for the team, getting a pro­motion, qualifying for a loan, etc.  Even in the home (sad to say) we often practice “performance based accept­ance.”  Reward for merit is how many people think and relate to one another.

But Christianity is not about deserving—it really isn’t.  (That’s one reason it’s so hard for many to accept:  people want to work for their keep; we “don’t take handouts” but insist on the ego-boost of self-centered achievement.)  God’s mercy, in fact, is extended precisely to the undeserving:  to rebels who’ve given up the self-exalting way of duty-religion and accepted God-exalting grace!  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Good News is this:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  God loved, he gave—he saves!  Our response is simply to “believe”—that is, to come to the Lord with empty hands, trusting in his unwavering love to rescue us from our guilt and lostness, to give us eternal life, and to lead us as Lord of our lives all our days.

Are you ready to give up on deserving and rest in the strong arms of Christ?  Or do you insist on striving for merit pay?  In the economy of heaven the only currency worth anything is mercy.  And it’s free!

Will you trust Jesus today?  Will you pray to him, confessing your sin, and asking for his free gift of salvation?  Will you yield to him and welcome him to reign as the Lord of your life?

If you have questions about what it means to trust in Jesus for eternal life, please let me know—I’d love to talk!