Good morning. I think that it is strange that the acceptance of God’s free grace is such a difficult thing. What is so hard about the idea of being saved by grace?
Perhaps we struggle because we live in a world that has taught us with cliches and axioms like “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” and “Nothing worth having comes easy.” One of my personal favorites: “If something seems too good to be true…it is.”
We typically carry those worldly lessons and concerns with us as we approach the arms of God. He offers us grace, which by definition is a gift without strings; unmerited favor; an undeserved blessing. We are not always comfortable with such an offer.
It is easier for us to accept something that we feel we have earned. When we have personally paid the price required, done the work that was needed, won the victory that hung in the balance, we proudly accept the prize. When the prize is offered when we know we did not earn it, could never earn it, we wonder, “What’s the catch?”
To make grace easier to accept, people create laws, systems, regulations, ceremonies, and rituals, all designed to help us feel as though we have done it. We obeyed the laws, followed the systems, took part in all of the required ceremonies and rituals….we have done it. We finally can convince ourselves that God’s grace can be ours because we deserve it. Nonsense!
None of those things are required. None of those things are sufficient. The truth is we can never earn or deserve a place with God in His glory.
So, thank God for Jesus!
Because of Jesus, who stood before God the Father as the perfect sacrifice and willingly paid the price for us, we have grace. We read in Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Thank God that free means free, no strings attached. By the grace of God our filthy rags of sin are cast aside and we “put on Christ.” In Him, we find the holiness that will put us in the arms of God with confidence rather than fear.
Vern