"It's all grace" - what does that mean, anyway?

Grace.


Amazing grace. How sweet the sound.


Truly.


But what is it, really, and what have we done to it?


Perhaps grace is hard to define. We try and explain it, but we can hardly understand it. So we come up with ways to help us comprehend.

God's unmerited favor.
His Love.
God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Unconditional love.


All these definitions are true. Thank God!


We cannot earn His favor. He is far more gracious than we can fathom. Far more merciful and kind and generous than anyone can ever deserve.


But I don't think that "mercy" and "forgiveness" are all there is to grace. I often hear Christ-followers excuse their behavior with "grace". And while I don't want to go back to the era of legalism that I went through (which brought not only judgment of others but especially of my own self), I fear that we are in danger of trampling upon the truth of what God's grace is.


We humans tend to such extremes. We either lean waaaaaaay far in the direction of self-sufficiency, as though we can somehow muster up enough good deeds or omit enough bad deeds that we impress God....or we camp out in the land of "it doesn't matter how I live, it's all grace anyway".


Both miss the mark of what grace is.


Yes, grace is unmerited. And absolutely there is nothing too awful to be redeemed by grace. Nothing. But let's take a look at grace to better understand what it is and how God grants it....


My favorite apologist, John Piper defines grace as " the supernatural power of God regenerating us and opening our blind eyes so that we can see Christ for who he really is." Amen.

And when we see Him, I John 3:2 tells us that we shall be like Him! Grace enables us to see the treasure of Christ, to desire Him above all this world has to offer,...and the same power that opens our eyes to that glorious truth also transforms us. Empowers us to obey Him.


So, it is the mercy of God that is willing to withhold from us the punishment we deserve and it is His grace that gives us far more than we could ever earn...but that grace includes our transformation. The power to obey Him. Yes, He lavishes acceptance and blessing and favor --- grace -- upon His people but He tells us that there is more to grace. It's not a public drinking fountain that we can visit from time to time and wash off our guilt or request special treatment.






Humility is a condition of receiving this grace. James 4:4-6 clearly explains not only that God gives grace to the humble but also that cozying up to the world puts us in opposition to God. He gives grace so that we might live according to His Spirit within us.
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
So, you might say, that says there is a condition to receiving grace! I thought God's love was unconditional! Do I have to earn it?
The grace that causes us to be chosen of God before the foundations of the earth - that is completely unconditional. We weren't even around when God us and foreordained that we would be His. He is not responding to our good behavior or our desirability in His choosing us.
But there is grace that is conditional, where He does respond to our behavior - Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ (1 Peter 5:5). God responds to humility with more grace - grace that transforms us by enabling us to obey His commands.


Let me explain a bit further -
Philippians 2:12,13 says - work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure
Yes, the work of transformation that please God is a result of His working within us...but that does not lessen our responsibility to cooperate with His power and obey His Word - to work out our salvation (not work for it, but work it out from the inside of our spirit to the outside of our soul and body)


Piper puts it this way:


I can flip a switch, but I don’t provide the electricity. I can turn on a faucet, but I can’t make the water flow. There will be no light and no liquid refreshment without someone else providing it.
And so it is, in a limited sense, for the Christian with the ongoing grace of God. His grace is essential for our spiritual lives, but we don’t control the supply. We can’t make the grace flow, but God has given us circuits to connect and pipes to open in case it’s there.
Our God is lavish in his grace, often liberally dispensing his favor without even the least bit of cooperation and preparation on our part. But he also has his regular channels. And we can routinely avail ourselves of these revealed paths of blessing, or neglect them to our detriment.


We can “fight to walk in the paths where he has promised his blessings” (John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God, 43–44


What, then, are these paths? What are the means of availing ourselves of His grace?


Basic, everyday, seemingly unglamorous Christianity - sometimes referred to as "spiritual disciplines" -
Persevering in prayer
Consistent time in His Word
Loving the fellowship of His People
Obeying what He says in His Word


My husband calls it "the blocking and tackling of following Christ".

We put ourselves in the paths of blessing, the place to receive God's favor, the avenue that takes us to a life changed into one of joy and peace and significance when we obey Him. When we respond to His commands with the humility that sees our inability to obey Him and we cry out for His enabling power - His grace.


I exhort us all, dear sisters, not to trample upon His precious grace by thinking we can live anyway our flesh desires and then just continually confess and repeat. Let us not think we can expect the grace of His blessings if we don't go where He says the blessings are to be found.

What's the big deal about JOY?

We all want joy. Joy, happiness, whatever we call it - we all want those pleasant emotions and that feeling of glad satisfaction. We not only all want it - we all seek it. Most of what we do all day every day is an attempt on some level to reach this goal. To replace the feelings of sadness, disappointment, fear, rejection, insecurity, loneliness, with more desirable ones. Gladness. Security. Acceptance. Contentment. JOY.

Yes, we all want it.

The great news is that we don't have to feel guilty about wanting to be happy!

Because that's what God wants, too!

In fact, He commands us several times to be joyful! One such occurrence in Scripture is Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!

Why does He tell us that?

In no way do I suggest that I know all His reasons but I can find some answers in His Word. I have at least three of the reasons He commands us to be joyful. And I have some insight into how we can be joyful. But before I share those reasons, let me first be perfectly clear. YES God wants us to be happy. 

IN HIM

NOT by selfish, destructive, sinful ways.    

It's very important that we get that part straight.

Now for the reasons why we should be joyful:

1. JOY strengthens us                                                                                                            Seriously, being joyful is strengthening to us. That's what Nehemiah 8:10 (Do not be grieved for the joy of the Lord is your strength) means. Sadness, discouragement, despair - these drain us of strength. But when we have joy in the Lord, we are energized, stable, strong.

2. JOY secures us                                                                                                                          That is what Philippians 3:1 teaches us - Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same thing again is no trouble to me and it is a safeguard for you.  A safeguard.  Being joyful in Christ protects me - keeps me safe! Safe from what? From trying to find joy in anything else! When I full of the joy of Jesus, I am not tempted to find it in something that cannot bring lasting joy. Something that will instead result in grief and disappointment. Or even destruction. Rejoicing in the Lord secures me.

3. JOY splashes on others                                                                                                               We must not underestimate this benefit of joy. Our joy - or lack of it! - has a definite impact on those around us. In Philippians 2:17,18, Paul conveys this truth: But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you, too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.      Joy is not meant to be hoarded but rather to be shared! Joy is one of, if not THE, greatest evangelicals tools we have. When others see our joy, they are going to want some, too!  And it is also one of the greatest sources of encouragement in the church. Our brothers and sisters in Christ need for us to be joyful. We all benefit. Not that we can't or shouldn't ever grieve. That is not true at all. But even in the midst of grief and difficulties, it is possible to still have JOY IN THE LORD.

Joy in the Lord. Gladness of Who He is and what He has done for us. What He is doing in us. And what He will do in the future. Satisfaction in Christ. Contentment with His plans and purposes for our lives. Rejoicing. In Him. Always.

Burden or blessing? Part 2

Last week, we began our exploration into what the Bible calls the Old Testament Law. We saw that the term refers to broadly, the rules and regulations God gave His people through His servant Moses and recorded them in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. We discovered in His Word that God’s purpose in giving the Law was (is) to reveal His holy perfection, enable to us realize our utter imperfection and to ultimately lead us to see our need for salvation through Christ, God’s provision for our need.

So that is how we view the Law through the advantage of this point in history. But how did the people who received the law initially and lived under the burden of trying to keep it? Certainly that was frustrating - beyond that, did they resent the Law? Did they rebel out of that resentment and frustration and ultimately dismiss it?

The Old Testament tells us exactly the opposite. Let’s take a look…

Psalm 119:147,148 -I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Thy words. My eyes anticipate the night watches that I may meditate on Thy word.

Psalm 119:165, 167: Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. My soul keeps Thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly!

Not only does the Old Testament express great love and value for the Law, it also extols its benefits. In addition to peace and stability mentioned above, this same chapter of Psalms lists other things gained through the Law:

Psalm 119:130 - The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalm 19 practically gushes about the wonderful things gained through the law: vs. 7-11 - The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by the, Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

One final thing I want to note about the view of the Law from the Old Testament lens:

God explains the goal of the Law in Leviticus 19:18. And from that, He shows that He never changes, is the same yesterday, today, and forever because Jesus tells us the same thing in Matthew 22:36-40. The goal of the Law, the greatest commandment, is that we would love God with our whole heart, soul and mind…and that we would love our neighbor as our own selves. THAT is what the Law is trying to shape us into!

And, further illustrating His consistent sameness, both the Old and the New Testament are clear about the only way this can be accomnplished:

Psalm 119:145, 146: I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord! I will observe Thy statutes. I cried to Thee; save me and I shall keep Thy testimonies. And in Romans 7:15-8:4, the apostle Paul wrestles with his desire to keep the Law and his utter inability to do so. He concludes Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who do no walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The Law. Not a burden but rather a blessing. It reveals the perfection of Almighty God and our need for a Savior. It’s the only path for salvation…Jesus. His righteousness. His grace. His love. Compels us to obey.