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An Oldie but a Goodie

Old things can be valuable (no, I am not just saying that because I am starting to “get up there”). Take, for example, the old idea of “God’s grace”.

By definition, “Grace” is “unmerited favor” or “unearned kindness” and it is one of the words that the New Testament writers frequently use when describing God. John 1:16 tells us that, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another”. A short list of those blessings would include things like forgiveness, salvation, new life, repentance, God’s love and Christ himself. In various scriptures, those concepts are tied to the word “grace”.

Recovering that old concept of “God’s grace” changes how we see him. Our God is not out to get us, or exclude us. In fact, God’s gracious disposition is one of the best blessings that we have.

Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The “if” in that sentence could be translated “because”. The context of the entire Roman letter indicates that God is for us. He is on our side. He has provided everything that we need for spiritual health. Through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection he has broken down the wall of sin that kept us from him (Ephesians 2:13-15). Therefore, my spiritual life does not rest on my being perfect. It rests on a God who is gracious, kind and forgiving enough to send his son to die for me, even before I knew that I needed it (Ephesians 2:1-10). All I have to do is to respond to his offer (Romans 6:1-4).

While we should take seriously our responsibility to follow God and do what he says, never forget that our hope rests in God’s grace! In fact, it is the only hope we have.

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:21)

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