As we contemplate the wonder of the
Easter season and all that Jesus has accomplished on our behalf in His
sacrifice for us, the topic of grace can never be far from our minds. Indeed,
we would be remiss to think that Jesus died on the cross for us because He
looked through time and saw that we were such good folk, worthy of the profuse
dispersion of His life’s blood.
Yet, one would think by our actions
and attitudes that this is exactly our perspective. Many today would say,
“Surely grace means that Jesus died so that I could go on doing the things I
want to do in this life. It is, after all, my life to live. He created me to
live it. His death only enables me not to suffer after this life is over,
providing me an ever better place to retire to at the end of my days. Indeed,
Jesus is even more generous to me in some respects than the government. He
provides me “abundant life” in that I am free by His grace to live as I desire,
while insuring me “eternal life” when my final breath escapes my lips so I can truly
experience heaven forever. Mine is the ultimate “win-win” situation.”
The above paragraph does not
exhibit my beliefs at all, but, rather, is quite reflective of a vast group
within our churches today as based on a growing belief in the redefinition of
God’s grace. For them, grace is God sending Jesus to die on the cross thus
enabling them leave to continue in the sins that they so love and with which
they are so comfortable. It is a message that resonates with many today
because, not only do they not want to be accountable for their own actions,
but, in our politically correct culture, they also do not want to be offended
for actions they do not feel are wrong. We are surrounded by a society devoid
of the standard of absolute values of good and evil. This societal cancer has
grossly infected the church in America to the extent that masses can lift up
their hands and sing praise songs while at the same time lusting over sexual
images on their computers, participating in adulterous relationships, drinking themselves
into dysfunctional oblivion, etc. without feeling a modicum of guilt. Why, you
say? They believe themselves covered by the grace of God! How mistaken!
The grace of God, according to
Scripture, does not give us license to sin once we have professed our faith in
Christ nor does it provide covering for us to continue in sin. The Apostle Paul
harshly condemns such false assertions in Romans 6:1-2: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue
in sin so that grace may increase? May
it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” The
grace of God is literally His favor toward us not based on anything that we
have done to deserve it. He gives it to us simply because He wants to do so.
Our response should be one of pure gratitude and obedience. We should see the
treasure of what He has given to us and desire to be devoted to Him in
humility, love and loyalty. We should want to serve Him wholeheartedly because
of the great cost, His Son, that has gone into the placement of this grace upon
us. Thus, the result of grace in the life of a true Christian should be a life
inclined toward the pursuit of holiness. This is the essence of what the
Apostle Paul shares in Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
So, as we
recall the glory of Easter, may we do so in the light of the true meaning of
God’s grace. May we appreciate the sacrifice that God made on our behalf that
we might “have life and have it abundantly” (rf. John 10:10).
Then, as we praise the Lord, we can do it with a right spirit, knowing that our
hearts and thoughts are, in fact, Biblical and pleasing to God.
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