What do I mean by "we are hellbent on earning the grace which god gives us?"
We all know what grace is, we've been taught about grace since the day we walked into a bible school or the meeting of our local church. If not on the first day it would have been by the end of the first month.
You see, I believe that grace is really important. It is my belief that without grace nothing would have been accomplished on the cross. Jesus could have died for us on the cross but. Let me emphasize that but, BUT if God had not forgiven us then we would still be lost. If God, the creator of everything, had not given us his grace, when Jesus was dying for us then you and I would still be in our sins.
If Jesus had decided, while in the heavenly places, that he might nip down to earth and save those wretched people, because he had nothing better to do. Then you and I would still be living with the weight of sin on our shoulders.
Grace is the important thing. Grace is behind Jesus dying on the cross. Grace is behind our forgiveness. You see, It wouldn't matter how sincere Jesus was, It is Gods attitude of Grace that reconciled us to him.
Do you get the picture yet?
Now you might hear people say "I got a free gift in the post this morning". Well I'm here to tell you that you can't get a 'free gift". Because the gift by its' very nature is free. If I offer you a gift the assumption is, is that it is free. In other words you are receiving it with no expectations, no obligations and no thought of repayment.
You wish!
When we give gifts, except in some rare instances, it's because we like the person or they have done something for us. Or we hope they will do something for us or for someone else. We give gifts because it's expected of us ie Christmas, birthdays etc.. All these things are not gifts. Oh yes they are being given. But, except in some rare occasions, there is a reason for the giving and it is usually by way of some reward for the giver. We might call them wages or rewards for a job well done
God does not give Grace in that way. When God gave us his grace it was with no strings attached. Now you may find this hard to grasp that God gave us grace with no expectations. Grace is free.
If grace is free then what can we do to earn it?
The simple and the only answer is NOTHING, NADA, and all those other words that mean NOTHING.
We can do nothing to earn Grace. We can't gamble for it. We can't do an odd job here or there for it. We can't starve ourselves for it. We can't do good for it. Are you getting the picture? We can't earn grace.
Now this next statement will raise a few eyebrows. We have grace whether we believe in God or not, whether we want it or not. Whether we are Muslim or Catholic, Church of England, Church of Australia, Assemblies of God, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormon, that new sect down the road that believes that space ships are coming back to pick up the remnant of Israel, whatever our belief we cannot escape the grace of God. I can hear people diving for their bibles and turning to such passages as John 3:16 & 36 but I say to you read it with this in mind that Jesus wasn't sent to the Gentiles but only to the Jews and he came to the Jews with the news that they had failed as Gods people and were about to be destroyed as a nation. Matt 15:24. If you want to take on that mantle then be my guest.
Gods' grace is not meant for a few baptized believers. Now I'm not saying that everyone is going to be comfortably tucked into bed when they arrive in the after life. They, as are we, are going to live forever. How and where and in what condition is up to the only righteous judge, Jehovah God. Not us.
Yet our Church language is riddled with the idea that we can earn grace. Or that we can pay God back for what he's done for us.
One thing that lingers on in the tithing Churches and in the churches of Christ, which is where I learned it, is that we give back to God a little or in the case of the tithing community 10% of what we earn.
Sometimes nullifying Gods grace is couched in terms that make it sound right. "We should go and do such and such to show God our gratitude."
Prayer is used to nullify Grace. "Let's all thank God for the grace he has given us."
What about "God wants us to worship him."
Then the insidious "If you loved God you would be in this place whenever the doors are open." That one is not for God's benefit but for the benefit of the speaker.
Grace is free.
There are no strings attached. God expects nothing from us. Read your New Testament from cover to cover if you don't believe me.
No! I mean it. If you think differently then do as I did. Suspend all your beliefs until you have read the book which you call your guide book or your manual for living at least 3 times (not a magic number) and watch all the doctrines of man fall away.
Take notice from today onward of the things that we say which help our minds get rid of the power of grace.
2 comments:
Terry,
I won't get into the "grace for all" thing except to say that whilst your statement may be technically correct, it is, at the very least, overly simplistic.
As far as earning grace goes, I completely agree. The Bible is very clear: grace is completely and utterly free.
However, I cannot agree that this should have no consequence for the way we live our lives. The New Testament constantly challenges us to live differently (Romans 6, 1 Peter 1 & 2 to pick just a few chapters at random). And Paul actually explicitly says grace had a direct effect on the way he lived his life (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
I believe that part of the change that grace brings about is desire to meet with God's people (go to church), give money to the support of the church and mission work, &c. If such things are not a part of someone's life, then it calls into question to what extent that person has received the grace of God, and, ultimately, whether you are saved or not.
Does that mena you have to go to church 3 times a week? No. Will you go to hell if you don't go at all? Not necessarily. And the same goes for all the other trappings of the Christian life: giving money, praying, sharing your faith, reading the Bible, &c.
None of these is obligatory, but the presence or lack of them in our lives is, nonetheless, a clear "grace barometer".
To close with an Old Testament example:
* When did God save the Israelites during the exodus?
* Were they given the law before or after they were saved?
* My understanding is that it was after.
* So what purpose did (does) the law serve?
* It's a bunch of directions for how God expects His (saved) people to behave.
* God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so nothing has changed.
Hi Stephen, An interesting reply to my blog on Grace. How can grace be oversimplistic.? or How can my thoughts on Grace be oversimplistic? You write "As far as earning grace goes, I completely agree. The Bible is very clear: grace is completely and utterly free. " Then immediately after saying that you appear to contradict it by saying "However, I cannot agree that this should have no consequence for the way we live our lives."
So there is an expectation but it's not God's expectation it's mans'. You say "None of these is obligatory, but the presence or lack of them in our lives is, nonetheless, a clear "grace barometer". And how do we apply this Barometer? Where is the cut off point?
Grace is either free or it isn't grace. No strings attached. You see if God has any, ANY expectation on man then what we have is not grace.
At the end of your answer you ask some questions and they worry me a little.
To close with an Old Testament example:
* When did God save the Israelites during the exodus?
* Were they given the law before or after they were saved?
* My understanding is that it was after.
* So what purpose did (does) the law serve?
* It's a bunch of directions for how God expects His (saved) people to behave.
* God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so nothing has changed.
God never "SAVED" the Israelites. Please read Malachi. Does this sound like a God who has saved the Israelites. Nobody was saved until the Grace of God came on the cross. Then ALL mankind were saved.
And one cannot compare the law given to a nation who God knew could not keep those laws with the Grace which was given to all by necessity .
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