They are godless men, who change the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 4)
When I’m reading the Bible it’s pretty easy to slip right past a verse like this – condemning an ancient heresy that is so obviously wrong we would never expect to find it in our churches. Jude condemns those who take the grace of God as license to sin, and thus deny the Lordship of Christ. Paul was accused of a similar heresy (Rom 3:7-8 and 6:1-2) when he preached about grace. I have read Romans and I understand that we obey God out of love and willing surrender even when we are no longer under condemnation. So...next verse please!
Not so fast. Am I ever guilty of treating my sin too lightly? Do I ever forget how repugnant it is to God and what it cost him to atone for it? Yes. In the Old Testament it sometimes seems like God was destroying sinners right and left. Why would he do that? He is showing us the seriousness of sin. Jude went on to make the same point in the next verse: “Though you already know this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.” (v5) Even for some seemingly minor infractions the law required a sacrifice to remind the people of the seriousness of sin.
Now I am not under the law but under grace. (Rom 6:14) I do not need to bring a sacrifice but I do need to remember the seriousness of my sin. When I sin, I must remember the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ paid an inestimably high price to buy my salvation. Lord, forgive me for the many times I take my sin lightly. I dismiss it with a quick, casual prayer of repentance, and then I do the same thing again a few hours later. I don’t ever want to take grace as a license to sin. Convict me, and remind me of the gravity of my sin. Remind me of the cross, where you bore my sin in agony and desolation. Remind me of the cross, where you purchased my freedom. Amen.
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Hammer of Grace
About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. (Acts 22:6)
When God decides it is time to get your attention, he will do whatever it takes to accomplish the job. Saul needed a hammer; some need only a feather. But all of us need God to take the first step. Saul seemed as unlikely a convert as one could imagine. Going from city to city persecuting the Christians, how many deaths must he have been responsible for? I wonder how many of them were praying for Saul’s salvation. God heard their prayers.
Forty years ago God got my attention, too. There were no bright lights or voices that day, but it took more than a feather to get my attention. I felt the powerful, tangible presence of God and knew in an instant that he is real and Jesus is Lord. Many people were praying for me that day, as well. Thank you, Lord, for your incredible mercy. I pray that you would have mercy on those who are precious to me who don't know you. Make your presence real to them. Touch their hearts so they know you love them and accept them by the blood of Jesus. Please do whatever it takes to get their attention, and soften their hearts to receive you. Amen.
When God decides it is time to get your attention, he will do whatever it takes to accomplish the job. Saul needed a hammer; some need only a feather. But all of us need God to take the first step. Saul seemed as unlikely a convert as one could imagine. Going from city to city persecuting the Christians, how many deaths must he have been responsible for? I wonder how many of them were praying for Saul’s salvation. God heard their prayers.
Forty years ago God got my attention, too. There were no bright lights or voices that day, but it took more than a feather to get my attention. I felt the powerful, tangible presence of God and knew in an instant that he is real and Jesus is Lord. Many people were praying for me that day, as well. Thank you, Lord, for your incredible mercy. I pray that you would have mercy on those who are precious to me who don't know you. Make your presence real to them. Touch their hearts so they know you love them and accept them by the blood of Jesus. Please do whatever it takes to get their attention, and soften their hearts to receive you. Amen.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Whosoever Will
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Rev 22:17)
What could be sweeter, or what could set the heart more at ease than this? The free, simple, open invitation to come and enjoy the blessings of God forever and ever! The hard work has been done; all debts have been paid. Jesus has made a way for us to freely enter God’s presence with everlasting joy. What madness causes men to cling to their pride and fail to enter in? There is no greater evidence of the depravity of sin than for a man to turn down such a gift! Dear Lord, thank you that you broke through all my pride and my stubborn skepticism nearly 40 years ago so that I could see the light. It was all your doing. You saved me; I did not save myself. Thank you that I will enjoy the blessings of your Kingdom forever and ever. You paid the price. You made the offer. All I had to do was open my hand to receive it. Can it really be that simple? Yes!!
What could be sweeter, or what could set the heart more at ease than this? The free, simple, open invitation to come and enjoy the blessings of God forever and ever! The hard work has been done; all debts have been paid. Jesus has made a way for us to freely enter God’s presence with everlasting joy. What madness causes men to cling to their pride and fail to enter in? There is no greater evidence of the depravity of sin than for a man to turn down such a gift! Dear Lord, thank you that you broke through all my pride and my stubborn skepticism nearly 40 years ago so that I could see the light. It was all your doing. You saved me; I did not save myself. Thank you that I will enjoy the blessings of your Kingdom forever and ever. You paid the price. You made the offer. All I had to do was open my hand to receive it. Can it really be that simple? Yes!!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Law vs. Grace
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu…offered unauthorized fire before the Lord…and they died before the Lord. (Lev 10:1-2)
Aaron and his four sons have not even finished their seven day ordination process when two of them overstep the bounds of their office and are struck dead by fire from the Lord. Later in that same week Moses was angry to discover that Aaron’s other two sons had broken another rule of the new sacrificial system (v16-20). But this time the error was not intentional so they were not punished. These two incidents, taken together, show both the extreme seriousness with which God viewed the laws he gave Moses, and the extreme difficulty of fully abiding by all of them. The Israelites thought that God had given them a means by which they could ensure the operation of God’s grace: "Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them." (Lev 18:5) But God had a different idea, which Paul understood: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we became conscious of sin.” (Rom 3:20) God’s standard of perfection is far beyond our poor ability to comply. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord, for the cross!
Aaron and his four sons have not even finished their seven day ordination process when two of them overstep the bounds of their office and are struck dead by fire from the Lord. Later in that same week Moses was angry to discover that Aaron’s other two sons had broken another rule of the new sacrificial system (v16-20). But this time the error was not intentional so they were not punished. These two incidents, taken together, show both the extreme seriousness with which God viewed the laws he gave Moses, and the extreme difficulty of fully abiding by all of them. The Israelites thought that God had given them a means by which they could ensure the operation of God’s grace: "Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them." (Lev 18:5) But God had a different idea, which Paul understood: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we became conscious of sin.” (Rom 3:20) God’s standard of perfection is far beyond our poor ability to comply. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord, for the cross!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Grace for the World
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? (I Cor 5:12)
Within the church, among those who have acknowledged God and his rule over their lives, we must bring discipline to those who willfully defy God’s commandments. But to those outside the faith our message must be one of grace, not judgment. In no way must we deny the fact that God has set a clear moral standard for all. But rather than judge those who fall short we must offer the grace of Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. It is not our place to condemn them, even as we proclaim God’s truth.
Within the church, among those who have acknowledged God and his rule over their lives, we must bring discipline to those who willfully defy God’s commandments. But to those outside the faith our message must be one of grace, not judgment. In no way must we deny the fact that God has set a clear moral standard for all. But rather than judge those who fall short we must offer the grace of Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. It is not our place to condemn them, even as we proclaim God’s truth.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Never Stop Growing
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen! (2 Pet 3:18)
This is Peter’s charge at the close of his second epistle. He charges us to grow. Living things are never wholly static. If they are not growing they are dead. In the same way, our faith is a living faith and it must be growing. Healthy relationships grow, too. So must our relationship with God. We are to grow in grace and knowledge. I think growing in grace means to be living out God’s love toward others “in ever increasing measure.” We do that by knowing him closer and better. If we truly know him then we love one another.
This is Peter’s charge at the close of his second epistle. He charges us to grow. Living things are never wholly static. If they are not growing they are dead. In the same way, our faith is a living faith and it must be growing. Healthy relationships grow, too. So must our relationship with God. We are to grow in grace and knowledge. I think growing in grace means to be living out God’s love toward others “in ever increasing measure.” We do that by knowing him closer and better. If we truly know him then we love one another.
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