Today, I’d like to look at the implications of one of the quotations that I pulled from R.C. Sproul’s book The Holiness of God the other day: “Grace no longer amazes us. We have grown used to it; we take it for granted.” This statement is a staggering one to consider when you consider the enormous price and the power of God’s grace.
The Bible, especially the New Testament and the Apostle Paul’s writings, has a lot to say about grace, but I’d like to examine what Sproul said through the prism of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s grace and the idea of common grace and how the world misunderstands, mistakes and misuses it to the point where it no longer amazes us and drives us to our knees in thankfulness to the One who bestows us with it.
First, the world misunderstands God’s grace as something that is deserved for everybody who dwells under God’s rule. The Bible very plainly makes it clear: everyone – past, present and future – is a sinner (Romans 3:23). Now, this is not a popular concept nor is it a comfortable thought, but it’s the truth and no matter how unpopular or uncomfortable truth is, it is real and part of reality and cannot be changed just like gravity is real and cannot be changed.
The Bible very plainly makes it clear: everyone is a sinner.
A sinner can easily be defined as someone who falls short of God’s perfection. We all have done something, regardless of how big or small, that runs contrary to God’s perfect holiness. Because He created us, God owns us and – as uncomfortable as this fact is – He does have the right to do whatever He wants with us, just like we have the right to do whatever we want with all the creations that we make ourselves.
So, through our actions, we are made imperfect and a perfect being cannot accept ANY imperfections for doing so will render that being imperfect as well. Being His creation, God has every right to eliminate us or shun us or render to us whatever justice He deems appropriate. Fortunately, this is not what God does. Sproul says it best, “God’s usual course of action is one of grace.” God has decided rather than meting out justice that separates us from our Creator, He will extend grace to all sinners who have not earned it. He will unite us to Him.
Listen to me carefully. In today’s world where entitlement has run rampant, we are not entitled to God’s grace any more than we are entitled to our neighbor’s possessions. Grace is something that is freely gifted to undeserving people like you and I. It is not earned by doing favors for God, nor does it happen by any of our doing. Waking up in the morning? That’s God’s grace gifted to you. A meal that fills your belly? That’s God’s grace gifted to you. The oxygen you’re currently breathing in? You get the hint. Everything that is good for us is part of God’s grace. This gift should have us amazed and thankful!
Second, the world mistakes God’s grace by thinking it’s free. It’s not. Not by a long shot. It may be freely given, but it’s not free. Think about how we in America say that freedom is not free. Instead it’s been paid for by the blood of countless men and women in our armed forces who gave their lives during wars to ensure that the world remained free from tyranny. Likewise, God’s grace was paid for by something even more precious than all the servicemen and women’s lives combined: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s very own son.
We are not entitled to God’s grace any more than we are entitled to our neighbor’s possessions.
Many theology thesis papers have been written about the human incarnation of God, something that this blog will explore in depth in the future, but the gist of it is this: Jesus lived a human life perfectly and that made him the perfect person to atone for our sins. Being human is not what makes us sinners; it does not separate us from God. Rather, it is our actions and what’s in our hearts that causes us to be sinners.
Why did he have to die, though? What’s the point of his blood being shed? The Bible says that the penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all will die because we all are sinners. There’s no getting around this truth; it is as real as gravity. This is why animal blood sacrifices were necessary in the Old Testament. Leviticus 17:11 is critical in understanding this. Blood is life, and Jesus paid for us with his blood. This is why theologians say that we are doubly-owned by God. We were created by Him so He owns us (as I outlined above) and Jesus bought us to redeem us from eternal death with his blood.
One key difference between Jesus’ blood and all the animal blood that was sacrificed on the altars in the Old Testament is the infinity of its reach. Think about it this way. Through the virgin birth, Jesus was born human but with all the attributes of God. God’s infinity coursed through him, including his blood. In living a perfect life, Jesus’ blood was not tainted by sin. Therefore, when his blood was spilled on the altar of the cross, it was enough to cover all the sin of those who had come before him and those who came after him, for as long as time stretches backwards and forwards. (Infinity is a really long time.)
The precious blood of God spilled on the cross in one of the most humble, horrific and humiliating way possible just so we can have grace and draw near to God, our Creator? This gift of grace should have us amazed and thankful!
Finally, the world misuses God’s grace by thinking it is limitless. This is an easy trap to fall in, especially if we’re used to thinking of God in infinite terms: eternal life, omniscient, omnipotent, and so forth. But just because God is limitless does not mean that He doesn’t have limits. There are certainly examples in the Bible when God’s patience runs out and His wrath swift and merciless.
Just because God is limitless does not mean that He doesn’t have limits.
We are fortunate to be living in a world with common grace present. Common grace is God’s grace that is freely given to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike. Just because we live and breathe it every day doesn’t mean that there won’t be a time when God’s grace runs out. It may be at the time of our death when we are brought before God to answer for our life, or it may be at the time when God decrees that all things in this current world end.
Just because we currently have it, it does not mean that grace is a license to get away with anything. Don’t test God and His patience. (See Psalm 38.) I think if one were to deeply think through the price and how gracious God is with His grace, we would not want to misuse or abuse it. We would cherish it and be thankful and amazed at God’s mercy. We would not get used to it and take it for granted.
It is my prayer that God’s grace always remain precious and amazing to us wretches. May it be a sweet sound and lead us home.
amazing gracebloodcrucifixionEphesianseternalGodgraceinfinityJesusLeviticusPsalmRomanssinnerSproul
Amazing Grace No Longer
January 28, 2015
Devotionals
Comments Off on Amazing Grace No Longer
Matt
Today, I’d like to look at the implications of one of the quotations that I pulled from R.C. Sproul’s book The Holiness of God the other day: “Grace no longer amazes us. We have grown used to it; we take it for granted.” This statement is a staggering one to consider when you consider the enormous price and the power of God’s grace.
The Bible, especially the New Testament and the Apostle Paul’s writings, has a lot to say about grace, but I’d like to examine what Sproul said through the prism of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s grace and the idea of common grace and how the world misunderstands, mistakes and misuses it to the point where it no longer amazes us and drives us to our knees in thankfulness to the One who bestows us with it.
First, the world misunderstands God’s grace as something that is deserved for everybody who dwells under God’s rule. The Bible very plainly makes it clear: everyone – past, present and future – is a sinner (Romans 3:23). Now, this is not a popular concept nor is it a comfortable thought, but it’s the truth and no matter how unpopular or uncomfortable truth is, it is real and part of reality and cannot be changed just like gravity is real and cannot be changed.
A sinner can easily be defined as someone who falls short of God’s perfection. We all have done something, regardless of how big or small, that runs contrary to God’s perfect holiness. Because He created us, God owns us and – as uncomfortable as this fact is – He does have the right to do whatever He wants with us, just like we have the right to do whatever we want with all the creations that we make ourselves.
So, through our actions, we are made imperfect and a perfect being cannot accept ANY imperfections for doing so will render that being imperfect as well. Being His creation, God has every right to eliminate us or shun us or render to us whatever justice He deems appropriate. Fortunately, this is not what God does. Sproul says it best, “God’s usual course of action is one of grace.” God has decided rather than meting out justice that separates us from our Creator, He will extend grace to all sinners who have not earned it. He will unite us to Him.
Listen to me carefully. In today’s world where entitlement has run rampant, we are not entitled to God’s grace any more than we are entitled to our neighbor’s possessions. Grace is something that is freely gifted to undeserving people like you and I. It is not earned by doing favors for God, nor does it happen by any of our doing. Waking up in the morning? That’s God’s grace gifted to you. A meal that fills your belly? That’s God’s grace gifted to you. The oxygen you’re currently breathing in? You get the hint. Everything that is good for us is part of God’s grace. This gift should have us amazed and thankful!
Second, the world mistakes God’s grace by thinking it’s free. It’s not. Not by a long shot. It may be freely given, but it’s not free. Think about how we in America say that freedom is not free. Instead it’s been paid for by the blood of countless men and women in our armed forces who gave their lives during wars to ensure that the world remained free from tyranny. Likewise, God’s grace was paid for by something even more precious than all the servicemen and women’s lives combined: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s very own son.
Many theology thesis papers have been written about the human incarnation of God, something that this blog will explore in depth in the future, but the gist of it is this: Jesus lived a human life perfectly and that made him the perfect person to atone for our sins. Being human is not what makes us sinners; it does not separate us from God. Rather, it is our actions and what’s in our hearts that causes us to be sinners.
Why did he have to die, though? What’s the point of his blood being shed? The Bible says that the penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all will die because we all are sinners. There’s no getting around this truth; it is as real as gravity. This is why animal blood sacrifices were necessary in the Old Testament. Leviticus 17:11 is critical in understanding this. Blood is life, and Jesus paid for us with his blood. This is why theologians say that we are doubly-owned by God. We were created by Him so He owns us (as I outlined above) and Jesus bought us to redeem us from eternal death with his blood.
One key difference between Jesus’ blood and all the animal blood that was sacrificed on the altars in the Old Testament is the infinity of its reach. Think about it this way. Through the virgin birth, Jesus was born human but with all the attributes of God. God’s infinity coursed through him, including his blood. In living a perfect life, Jesus’ blood was not tainted by sin. Therefore, when his blood was spilled on the altar of the cross, it was enough to cover all the sin of those who had come before him and those who came after him, for as long as time stretches backwards and forwards. (Infinity is a really long time.)
The precious blood of God spilled on the cross in one of the most humble, horrific and humiliating way possible just so we can have grace and draw near to God, our Creator? This gift of grace should have us amazed and thankful!
Finally, the world misuses God’s grace by thinking it is limitless. This is an easy trap to fall in, especially if we’re used to thinking of God in infinite terms: eternal life, omniscient, omnipotent, and so forth. But just because God is limitless does not mean that He doesn’t have limits. There are certainly examples in the Bible when God’s patience runs out and His wrath swift and merciless.
We are fortunate to be living in a world with common grace present. Common grace is God’s grace that is freely given to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike. Just because we live and breathe it every day doesn’t mean that there won’t be a time when God’s grace runs out. It may be at the time of our death when we are brought before God to answer for our life, or it may be at the time when God decrees that all things in this current world end.
Just because we currently have it, it does not mean that grace is a license to get away with anything. Don’t test God and His patience. (See Psalm 38.) I think if one were to deeply think through the price and how gracious God is with His grace, we would not want to misuse or abuse it. We would cherish it and be thankful and amazed at God’s mercy. We would not get used to it and take it for granted.
It is my prayer that God’s grace always remain precious and amazing to us wretches. May it be a sweet sound and lead us home.
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amazing gracebloodcrucifixionEphesianseternalGodgraceinfinityJesusLeviticusPsalmRomanssinnerSproul