Because of Grace
The gospel of Salvation is like a diamond. It reflects and magnifies the resplendent glory of God. There are many facets to God’s glory. We who are born again reflect the glorious light of his gospel of truth.
There is a book by John Lynch called “The Cure.” This book describes a path with a fork in the road. One path leads to a room that says “please God.” This room is full of works based people who are trying desperately to please God. The people in this room appear to have it all together. However, everyone in this room is wearing a mask. No one reveals his true self. Everyone is on his best behavior trying to prop up his facade of self-worth. When they remove their masks they are consumed by guilt, shame, and condemnation. Finally when you “come to yourself” in frustration because of the hypocrisy, you slip out the back. The road leads back to the fork in the road. The other path leads to a room that says “Trust God.” In this room there are messy, but honest people. They know that they are sinners saved by grace. In this room they live in the Liberty wherewith Christ has set them free. In this room God says, “I love you and I even like you. When I see you I see the righteousness of my son Jesus Christ. There is nothing that you could ever do to keep me from loving you. You will learn to love me when you spend time in my presence and abide with me and within me.”
Buck Murphy started the Pennysaver and made millions as a successful businessman. He started Hume Lake ministries and changed the lives of many young people. Buck built dental offices in Southern California and decided to expand this profitable businesses into Hawaii. He bought a penthouse in Waikiki. Even though he had good intentions, he didn’t find a good Christian fellowship. He fell into a crowd who frequented nightclubs and indulged in drugs. Buck loved people and was everyone’s best friend. One man approached him and said, “Do you have any cocaine?” Buck acquired some cocaine and sold it to him as a favor. This man turned out to be a narcotics agent. Buck was convicted and sent to prison for selling cocaine even though he had no prior convictions. Buck realized that he was a sinner saved by grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is the heart of the gospel message: For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest a man should boast. Nothing that I’ve done or will ever do will warrant the gracious gift of God. That’s why salvation is a gift….we could never earn it or deserve it. Trusting God through the payment of his son, Jesus Christ is the only way to approach a holy God.
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. There is no other way. Grace is exclusive: Jesus said, I am the way, the truth ,and the life, no man cometh to the father except by me.
God’s grace is divine favor given by the one who didn’t need to give it to the ones who didn’t deserve to receive it. Grace flies in the face of human logic. Human logic says that we are all sinners and that the wages of sin is death. All are guilty before a righteous God. The logical conclusion is that I’m not wise enough, I’m not rich enough and I’m not strong enough…..I”m just not good enough. As Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall save me from this dead body?” A performance based system means that we deserve our Just Desserts: The wages of sin which is death.
Grace is the antidote to our sin nature. God chose us before we chose him. Our righteousness is not in our own goodness. As Jesus said, “there is none good no not one.” Only God is good. Salvation is not because we are good but because God is good. Salvation is because of Christ’s righteousness not mine. Acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord accomplishes both grace and justice. Justice means to be made righteous…not because of our performance but because of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. For he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
The fear of man brings a snare. False religions enslave their members through fear. Ministries that are built on men’s word and not God’s word use guilt and condemnation to subject and enslave their followers. However, according to 1 John 4:19, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear: for fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
It’s the love and grace and mercy of God that calls a man to repentance. Jesus said, “come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When we rest in him, he will give us peace. Peace is the result of reconciliation. Reconciliation means to bring together that which has been separated. Jesus redeemed us from our sins by shedding his innocent blood as full payment for our guilty blood. Therefore we have been reconciled to God. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
To give grace we must receive grace. When we’re thankful for what God did in Christ in us, then we cannot condemn others. As Paul said, “unto me who am the chief of all sinners is this grace given.” We’re saved not because we never sin but because we accepted the Saviour from sin. For in that we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. When we come to understand the magnitude of his grace and forgiveness, then we’ll gladly spread the message of the grace and goodness of the love of God.
We’ve been called to minister to those we love. God has called us to proclaim his message of grace. We’re called to sow the seed of the word of God. As Paul said, we’re called to plant and water, and God will give the increase. Then he will call laborers unto his harvest.
Grace needs an example of grace. Grace is caught and not taught. God has called us as able ministers of the New Testament of the grace of God. We are his living epistles, his love letters known and read of all men.
The book Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo is a story of grace and redemption. When Jean Valjean had been released from prison he hid in the church. In desperation he stole two precious candelabras from the sanctuary. When the law officers captured him they said to the priest, “we caught him with these candelabras and we’re going to imprison him for grand theft.” The priest showed him grace. He said to the gens d’armes, “they were a gift…he forgot to take these other two candelabras with him.” Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more.
God’s grace changed Peter. Jesus had reminded him in the upper room, Before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me thrice. Peter had said with a heart of pride, “although everyone else forsakes you I will never forsake you.” After Peter had denied Jesus the third time, Jesus and Peter locked eyes. Peter turned away, broken in shame and guilt. He went away and wept bitterly. A broken and a contrite heart God will not forsake. Jesus called Peter unto repentance and reconciliation when he said, “Peter feed my sheep.”
It’s the grace and mercy and love of God that calls a man to repentance. The key to repentance is to run to the Lord and not from the lord. The first of the Ten Commandments says, “thou shalt have no other Gods between your face and my face.” Because of God’s grace, we can approach a holy God….clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, faultless to stand before his throne. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael