For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
- Titus 2:11-14
Paul’s words to Titus here are a great summary of the gospel. God’s grace is not only about forgiveness but also about transformation. Grace appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Grace teaches us how to live. Grace shapes us into a people eager for good works. In today’s society, it is easy to reduce grace to a ticket to heaven or to sentimental comfort. Yet Paul insists that grace is power. It redeems, purifies, and trains.
Paul begins in verse 11 with a declaration: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Grace is not an abstract idea but a historical event. The “appearing” points to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again, grace became visible. The invisible mercy of God took on flesh and blood. Our faith is not built on concepts or feelings but on God’s decisive action in history. Grace is embodied in Jesus.
Grace brings salvation “to all people.” This does not mean everyone will automatically be saved, but that the offer of salvation is extended to all. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free—all have access. Grace demolishes dividing walls and invites all to participate.
Then Paul goes further by saying that grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (verse 12). Grace is not just for the forgiveness of our sins, but it also instructs. The word “teaches” carries the sense of discipline and training. Grace is like a coach shaping us into maturity. We are not saved by our own effort, nor does this mean we can live however we want.
Grace enables us to reject ungodliness and worldly passions. Ungodliness means living as though God does not exist. Worldly passions include greed, lust, envy, and the relentless pursuit of pleasure and status – all things that go against God. Through following God, we get trained to resist these temptations.
Not only are we trained against the negative things through grace, but also toward the positive things. We learn self-control, upright behavior, and how to walk with God in our daily lives. Our whole person should be shaped by the grace that we have received from God.
Paul continues in verse 13: “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Christian living is forward-looking. We live in “this present age,” but our eyes are on the next. We are focused on our present situations, but we need to maintain an eternal perspective as well. The “blessed hope” is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation that Christ will return in glory. Paul calls Jesus “our great God and Savior,” which is one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s divinity in the New Testament. The One who appeared and brought us grace will appear again in glory.
Our modern church often loses sight of eternity. We tend to focus on the short-term of building programs, social influence, or personal success. Yet Paul reminds us that the ultimate hope is not in cultural relevance or political victories but in Christ’s ultimate return. Churches must cultivate an eternal perspective. Preaching should remind believers that this world is temporary. Worship should point forward to the second coming of Christ and His eternal victory. Pastoral care should anchor people’s hope not in circumstances but in Christ’s promised coming.
Finally, Paul explains why Christ came: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (verse 14). The cross of Christ is not only about forgiveness of guilt but deliverance from slavery. Christ gave himself to free us from the power of sin. This means the church cannot settle for superficial Christianity. Salvation is not just a ticket to heaven but liberation from our captivity to sin.
Grace should not produce passive Christians but zealous ones. The natural response to redemption should be eagerness to glorify the God who redeemed us. For believers today, this means discipleship must overflow into mission. A grace-shaped community cannot be apathetic. We must be eager to serve God and embody what He calls us to do in every sphere of life.
Churches must avoid reducing grace to mere comfort or forgiveness. Grace is past (Christ appeared), present (training us), and future (Christ’s return). Grace trains us, but training requires intentionality. Churches must build structures for spiritual growth: mentoring, Bible study, accountability groups, and spiritual disciplines. We need communities where believers are equipped to resist worldly passions.
Holiness matters. In an age of compromise, the church must be marked by purity, love, and humility. This is not about moral superiority but about belonging to Christ. Good works are not optional extras. They are the fruit of redemption. Whether through acts of compassion, integrity in business, or sacrificial service, followers of Christ must be known for doing good as a result of God’s grace.
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At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me — a foreigner?”
Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband —how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
“May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
- Ruth 2:10-13
In this section of the narrative, we witness an exchange between Ruth and Boaz that not only moves the story forward but also serves as a reflection of God’s unwavering love and provision for His people. We saw their first dialogue in the previous section, where Boaz initially expressed unexpected kindness to Ruth, and that continues here.
In verse 10, Ruth’s immediate response to Boaz’s kindness is striking. She bows with her face to the ground, a posture of deep humility and gratitude. Her question, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” reveals her awareness of her social position as a Moabite in Bethlehem, a place where her status as a foreigner could easily subject her to rejection or abuse.
This moment is significant because it showcases Ruth’s humility. Despite her rights under the Mosaic law to glean in the fields (Leviticus 19:9-10), Ruth does not demand kindness; instead, she receives it with a grateful and humble heart. Her question is not one of entitlement but of genuine wonder at the grace shown to her.
Boaz’s response to Ruth’s question in verse 11 is profound. Rather than addressing her status as a Moabite or a widow, he focuses on her character and the sacrifices she made for Naomi. His words, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law,” reflect a heart that values faithfulness, loyalty, and courage over nationality or past circumstances.
Boaz’s recognition of Ruth’s actions reveals an essential truth: God often works through those who, despite their marginalized status, display extraordinary faith and commitment. Boaz, a man of standing in Bethlehem, sees Ruth not as a foreigner but as a woman of noble character. This perspective mirrors how God sees us—not defined by our past or where we come from but by our faith and the condition of our hearts.
Boaz’s blessing over Ruth in verse 12 is powerful: “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” The imagery of taking refuge under God’s wings evokes a sense of safety, warmth, and divine protection, echoing passages like Psalm 91:4: “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” Boaz acknowledges that Ruth’s journey to Bethlehem was more than an act of loyalty—it was a step of faith, trusting in the God of Israel for provision and protection.
This blessing is also prophetic. Ruth, who came to Bethlehem empty, would soon be filled beyond measure—not just with grain but with a new family, a legacy, and a place in the lineage of King David and ultimately, Jesus Christ. It highlights a profound truth: God sees the sacrifices made in faith and rewards them abundantly, often in ways far beyond our expectations.
Ruth’s reply to Boaz in verse 13 is both gracious and humble: “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.” Despite Boaz’s words of honor and blessing, Ruth maintains a posture of humility. She acknowledges her unworthiness not as self-deprecation but as an honest assessment of her status compared to Boaz’s other servants. Her gratitude for Boaz’s kindness reveals a heart at rest, one that has found peace in the face of uncertainty.
This interaction paints a beautiful picture of grace. Boaz’s kindness and Ruth’s humble reception of it reflect how God’s grace works in our lives—freely given and gratefully received. Ruth’s willingness to accept Boaz’s kindness also emphasizes the importance of embracing the grace extended to us by God and others, rather than pushing it away out of a sense of unworthiness.
Ruth’s humility made her receptive to Boaz’s kindness, much like how a humble heart opens us to God’s grace. In return, Boaz’s actions reflect God’s care for Ruth, showing how God often provides for us through others. He recognized Ruth’s loyalty, showing how he valued her character.
Just as Boaz extended kindness to Ruth without regard for her status, we are called to show unconditional love to others. In turn, when that love is shown to us, we should humbly accept it and not become entitled, expecting others to love in that way.
The interaction between Ruth and Boaz is a living illustration of God’s redemptive love. Ruth’s journey from being a foreigner gleaning in the fields to becoming part of the lineage of Christ shows the transformative power of grace and faith. Boaz, as a kinsman-redeemer, foreshadows Christ, who redeems us despite our unworthiness.
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So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16-19
In the previous section of this letter, Paul discussed his motivation for being a servant of Jesus Christ – a reverent fear of God, a heart-centered faith, and the compelling love of Christ. Here, he elaborates on the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection and what it means for the lives of Christ's followers. Just before this, Paul emphasized Jesus’ death and resurrection, which are for everyone.
Verse 16 starts out with “so,” which could also be translated as “therefore;” this shows that Paul is building on his previous thoughts to make a point. His point is that because of the transformative power of Christ’s death and resurrection, we are to change the way we view others. He speaks against the worldly perspective, which often values people based on external factors such as status, wealth, or appearance. Instead, Paul calls for a spiritual perspective that sees people as new creations in Christ.
Paul admits that he once viewed Christ from a worldly point of view, likely referring to his time before conversion when he persecuted Christians. This acknowledgment serves as a powerful testimony of the transformative power of encountering Christ. Just as Paul's view of Christ changed, so should our view of others change. We are to see them through the lens of God's redemptive work in Christ, recognizing their potential for transformation and reconciliation.
Verse 17 is one of the most celebrated declarations in the New Testament. It explains the essence of what it means to be a Christian – being "in Christ" signifies a profound union with Him, resulting in a complete renewal of one's identity. The phrase "new creation" suggests a radical transformation that goes beyond mere moral improvement.
The old life, characterized by sin and separation from God, is gone. In its place, a new life has emerged, which is defined by the indwelling presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This transformation is not just an individual experience but also a communal reality. As members of the body of Christ, believers collectively embody this new creation, witnessing to the world the power of God's redemptive work
But it is important to keep reading into the next verse, where Paul emphasizes that this transformation and reconciliation are entirely God's work in verse 18. Human effort has no part in this divine act. God is the initiator and sustainer of the reconciliation process, and Christ is the means through which it is accomplished.
Having been reconciled to God, believers are now entrusted with the "ministry of reconciliation." This ministry involves more than just proclaiming the message of reconciliation; it also entails living out its reality in relationships with others. Christians are called to be agents of reconciliation in a broken and divided world, embodying the peace and unity that come from being reconciled with God.
In verse 19, Paul expands on the nature of God's reconciliation. Through Christ, God is reconciling the entire world to Himself. This global scope underscores the inclusivity of God's redemptive plan. The phrase "not counting people’s sins against them" highlights the gracious and merciful aspect of reconciliation. In Christ, God offers forgiveness and a fresh start, breaking the cycle of sin and condemnation.
The message of reconciliation is entrusted to believers, making us ambassadors of Christ. This responsibility involves proclaiming the good news of God's forgiveness and actively participating in the ministry of reconciliation. As bearers of this message, Christians are called to reflect God's love and grace in their interactions, helping others to understand and experience the reconciliation that God offers through Christ.
So what is this ministry of reconciliation? It is a divine calling to proclaim the message of God’s love, mercy, and grace to a world in need of redemption. We have broken our relationships with God and with others due to our sinfulness, and those relationships must be repaired. This ministry of reconciliation is based on God’s love and mercy to us; we do not deserve it, but He is merciful and shows us His love in this way. The message through which reconciliation happens is the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This reconciliation is not just about individuals being reconciled to God, but it is God’s desire to reconcile His relationship with all of humanity.
In this passage, we see the core message of the Christian faith. Through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, believers are reconciled to God and called to live transformed lives. This transformation involves a shift from self-centered living to Christ-centered living, viewing others through the lens of God’s redemptive work, and participating in the ministry of reconciliation.
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Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them —yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
As we begin this new year of 2024, we’re continuing going through the book of 1 Corinthians, but we start a new section here. Paul spent the last few chapters discussing the body of Christ and how we should interact in worship services. While those things are important to the lives of Christians, both in first-century Corinth and the world today, he now turns back to a very key topic for our faith: the resurrection of the dead in general and of Jesus Christ.
After all that discussion on gifts, worship, etc., Paul brings them back to what’s really important in verses 1-2. The gospel that he preached to them and the gospel that gives them salvation is what truly matters and why they even gather as believers and the body of Christ at all. It is all about the gospel message! They have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ, and that needed to be a firm decision that they would stick to. In the first century, there was much persecution for the Christian faith; there could not be a wishy-washy Christian, an occasional Christian, or a Christian in name only. They must hold firmly to that gospel message that Paul shared with them; that is the only way to be assured of salvation and make their faith and potential persecution in this world worthwhile.
In verses 3-4, Paul gives them the highlights of that gospel message. Jesus died, was buried (to show that He really died), and He was raised. Paul says “according to the Scriptures” twice to show that Jesus is the Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament. The Scriptures said that Jesus would come, and He did. The Scriptures said that Jesus would die for our sins and that He would be raised again, and He did.
But what the Scriptures say is just half of the proof that Paul provides. In verses 5-8, Paul lists many people and groups to whom Jesus appeared in His resurrected form. Paul lists Cephas (who we commonly know as Peter), the twelve disciples, more than 500 others, James, all the apostles, and then Paul himself. Paul shares that he was “one abnormally born,” referring to his unique conversion to the faith, as recorded in Acts 9.
Note that in verse 6 when Paul mentioned the 500 brothers and sisters to whom Jesus appeared, he says that most of them are still alive, though some of them have died. If the Corinthians needed further proof of Jesus’ resurrection, they could ask actual eyewitnesses to it! They could actually track down people who saw Jesus on earth in His resurrected form to further corroborate what Paul is telling them.
Paul gives the early people of Corinth multiple ways to prove that the gospel message is true. They could see it throughout the Scriptures, they could ask these people he named to them specifically, or they could find any of the more than 500 others who would testify to the risen Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus is a key point of the Christian faith, and Paul knew that all of the early believers would need to be completely certain in the faith if it was to spread and be sustained.
To build on the concept of Paul’s “abnormal birth” into being a follower of Jesus Christ, he shares with his readers how he persecuted the church of God (verse 9). Paul knows that because of his actions, he is not worthy to be the one God chose to spread this supremely important message of the gospel. While he calls himself an apostle, he realizes that he is not as worthy of that title as the other apostles are. He did not follow Jesus while He was on earth, and he actively sought to kill those who did.
But in verse 10, Paul shares how God was the one who brought him to faith and gave him this calling. Paul has his identity only by the grace of God! While Paul did his part to be obedient to that calling God placed on his life, he acknowledges that it was only through God’s power that he is what he is – an apostle who is called to preach the gospel message.
Paul gets back to the point in verse 11: it does not matter who God calls to share the gospel message but simply that it is shared. Whether Paul shared that message with them or someone else, whether they believe because of what Paul says or what another witness says, the key fact is the gospel message itself and how the people believed it. God can and does work through different people and different circumstances for that message to be proclaimed.
As we begin this new year, be reminded of the gospel message that Jesus Christ came to earth, died for our sins, and was raised to life again. There are so many other things in this world that we can focus on, but that truth should be central to our lives as believers. While we are not able to physically locate and ask eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus to share their experience with us, we have the entire history of the Church to prove that Jesus was a real person who died and was resurrected. Jesus was not simply resuscitated and brought back to life to die again later on, but He continues to live today.
I pray that we would all keep this gospel message as our focus in 2024 and beyond!
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Dealing with sin requires multiple steps, and the order is not always the same, though it all goes together holistically. Last week, I wrote about clothing and the covering of sin, but covering should only taken place when repentance is clearly demonstrated or in process. This week’s post is about repentance, a word that has nearly gone taboo in modern American Christendom. If a preacher actually calls for repentance from the pulpit, one of two things are going to happen: the church will drive him out, or the church will dwindle to the few people that actually want to hear truth. It is extremely rare for a church to exceed a couple hundred people when a pastor actually teaches Biblical repentance from sin these days. We have a hard enough time getting them to teach on sin properly, let alone repentance. Today, we deal with repentance.
There is a huge debate in the church as to what repentance is. The main debate is whether repentance is a work or a fruit. I believe the answer is both. Repentance is something we have to do. It is a command we are given, and it is the primary message Jesus gave during His ministry. However, it is not a “work” in the sense that if we repent, then God will owe us salvation. It does not merit us salvation, but it is something we must do upon realizing the weight of our sin. Nineveh realized their sin had brought their doom upon them with Jonah’s preaching, and they repented. God spared them because He longs to save rather than give judgment.
Repentance is also a fruit. It comes out of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives when He transforms us from a sinful, defiant person into a righteous person through the process of sanctification. I will cover how all that works next week. When God works the process of changing our dreams, desires, interests and drives from serving self to serving God, repentance from serving self tends to fade on its own. That’s how repentance is a fruit of the work of God.
But there is a third aspect that is often missed. It is a gift, and I never noticed this until I wrote my apologetics series last year with a big emphasis on 2 Timothy 2:24-26. Repentance has to be granted. The servant of the Lord has to be kind and gentle, able to teach, and correcting every false way in gentleness and humility so that God can grant them repentance. And from there, they may know the truth, come to their senses, and be freed from the traps of the devil. Repentance has to be given by God because man in his sinful, rebellious state is never going to turn to God on his own. Remember, man will only come to the Father if the Father draws him. Man won’t do it out of our own desire because that desire is not there in the sinful person.
Repentance involves three things: change of mind, change of action, and change of will. Most people only understand it as a change of action. We were going one direction, we turn around, and we go another direction. That is the elementary level of repentance we are most familiar with. But it is much more of that. It is a change of mind on the issue; we change how we view and understand things. Instead of how the natural man understands things, we now start to see things from the spiritual side and by how God sees it. We will never be on His level, but in the level we can, we start seeing things God’s way instead of by man’s ways. And this is a big thing – the will. We intentionally choose to cease the old lifestyle and choose to go God’s ways. Again, we will not make this choice on our own but only through the drawing of the Holy Spirit.
But there are people who profess the name of Christ and have not repented. To repent means you need to abandon the old view entirely and move on to the new view. While this happens in stages and usually not instantaneously, there has to be a process that is clearly seen. But instead, people merely add Jesus to their lives as an accessory or as an add-on when they are forced to admit that God is indeed real. And the majority in Christendom does this because that is the only “gospel” they have ever heard based on “modern evangelism.” It goes like this: “Come to Jesus who can give you love, joy, peace, happiness and complete your life.” Or it goes like: “You are so special in God’s eyes. He has a wonderful plan for your life and wants to give you your dreams and desires. Give your life to Christ and He’ll give you what you have been looking for.” That’s not merely Word of Faith people; that is the EXTREME majority of church evangelism today regardless of what kind of denomination or group they are part of. If you look at most Gospel presentations today, so little time is spent on actually addressing sin. Sometimes it is mentioned, but mostly glossed over to “get to the good news.” But that’s not how good news works. You need to make sure the bad news is well understood and grips the person so that when the good news is given, you need little time and they want it. So what does this false evangelism and false repentance look like?
Hugh Ross is a “Progressive Creation” teacher who used to be an atheist, and then he realized God existed and became a “Christian.” However, in all I have heard, while he can proclaim the general Gospel message, I have yet to see or read anything coming out of his mouth that indicates genuine repentance. He never left the atheistic ideas he believed prior to becoming a Christian. He still believes in the Big Bang theory, just as he did as an atheist. He still believes the earth is millions of years old, just as he did as an atheist. He apparently rejects Darwinian Evolution of gradual changes but still embraces a doctored form of punctuated equilibrium, which is still Evolution. He teaches that God created the creatures in distinct sets, modifying and changing them with each set. That’s still Evolution. He didn’t repent; he just added “God” to his already established models. That is extremely dangerous. Then, instead of submitting to Scripture, he twists Scripture and reinterprets it to make it fit his models. That is not repentance, and it is evidence he may not actually be saved but just found religion.
Todd White is another one. He is a “pastor” and street evangelist that is extremely known for “faith healing” namely with a “leg lengthening” parlor magic trick that has been easily refuted and exposed as just being a trick. A couple years ago, he preached a very strange sermon for him in which he discovered Spurgeon and Ray Comfort and realized that for 16 years he had been preaching the Gospel wrong. Those were his words. He admitted publicly that he had been doing it wrong this whole time and that he repents of that. Keep in mind, he has said that for the whole time he has been a Christian he has never sinned and boasts how he lives with him as evidence. The next week, he doubled down on everything he had been doing and preached the most self-centered and narcissistic message I have ever heard. He never truly repented. Instead, if he has changed anything at all, he has merely added “the law” to his message and just tweaked what he did instead of actually leaving the old way behind and putting on the new way. That is not repentance.
The extreme danger of supporting an unrepentant person is showcased in the account of Absalom. David’s third son murdered his own brother as revenge for the rape of his sister. David brought him back, but Absalom never repented of his issues, and for a couple years, he plotted a coup that came within a few inches of succeeding. We have to be careful about who we let have places of influence in our lives. Some of them may be genuinely saved, and they still have the old system still dominating. That may be evidence of a novice, not someone qualified for leadership. But it also may be evidence they never got saved to begin with. One of the clearest marks of a born-again believer is a lifestyle of repentance and a push and desire to abandon and leave the old worldly, sinful lifestyles and embrace the new one with Christ. If this is not evident in a person’s life, then we have good reason to question if they were saved. It may not happen all at once, but there should be direction and that is called sanctification, which is next week’s topic.
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This is the second of the “Five Solas” of the Christian faith. Sola Gratia is Latin for “Grace Alone.” Our salvation is by grace alone. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn it. When Martin Luther coined this phrase, it was in response to the Roman Catholic Church selling indulgences as a fundraiser for the Sistine Chapel and other things. By buying an indulgence, someone could “pay for their sin” in advance and not have to worry about confession. When Luther saw what the Scriptures actually taught, it infuriated him because the RCC was teaching a completely false doctrine.
Before I can move on, I have to deal with a lingering question: What is grace? Many people confuse this term with mercy. In the simplest form, mercy is the withholding of judgment which is due. Grace is unmerited favor. I want to emphasize on these two words: “unmerited” and “favor.”
“Unmerited” means you don’t deserve it. It is not owed to you. You have no right to claim it. You have it for only one reason: someone chose to give it to you. It is not because you were a good person. It is not because you did some heroic deed. It is not even because you restrained yourself from doing an evil deed. It is a gift completely by the will of the person who gave it without regard for what you have done.
“Favor” is along the lines of “pleasure.” When Nehemiah approached the king with his wish to deal with Jerusalem, he had the king’s favor. When Esther approached the king to expose Haman and save the Jews, she found the king’s favor. If you have the “favor” of someone, it means you are on their good side and they will do something for you. It’s not necessarily because you earn it or deserve it but because that person is pleased with you. Likewise, when we have God’s favor, it’s not because we are special. It’s because God is pleased with us.
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU! I’ll emphasize this point more when I address “Sola Gloria Deus,” but this is about God and not about us. God doesn’t offer us salvation because of anything special about us. He offers it because HE gets the glory out of it. He grants us favor because it pleases Him that mankind might be saved. Now, don’t get me wrong; it also glorifies God to punish sinful, wicked humans. He has no obligation to grant us favor or to give us grace. Every single one of us have sinned and we all deserve death. The only thing we are ‘owed’ is death, and we must understand this if we are to understand the Gospel. Our salvation is a gift of the grace of God, not by our own works, lest any of us boast.
Now grace is something more than just a free gift. It’s also an empowerment. God doesn’t just offer salvation as a free gift; He also offers us the empowerment to actually live and walk in salvation. We all have our owns sins we constantly deal with. We know our propensities, but the grace of God is not merely about saving us from those sins. It is about giving us the power and ability to walk free of them. Now, I’ll be dead honest here. This is a truth I know but I haven’t yet fully grasped. There are areas of my life where I can definitely say I am not walking in freedom from sin. And I’m not talking about perfection here. And it’s going to be one of those things that when I ‘get it,’ I will be like, “It was that easy?” And the answer will be: “Yes.” And here’s why.
It’s not in our doing. All we have to do is receive and believe. It is a gift from God, and He does not desire that we walk lost in sin. He wants us to walk in freedom. The gift is there for us. But we have to receive it. This is a work we do, but not a wage-earning work. This is not a job that we do to where God owes us. When we work a job, we put in so many hours and our managers and bosses owe us the money that is agreed to in our contract. That is a works-based wages. We get paid for doing a job. But salvation is not works-based. There is no contract. It is a gift of God. But that gift is applied through the vehicle of faith. (I’ll address that more next week.) Any “work” we do is an outflow of the actual work that Christ did in us.
God’s grace is also a protection. This one we really don’t understand until we’ve been around the block a few times and have learned what is out there. God has protected me from many things in which I look back and I realize I shouldn’t still be here. I can picture two occasions where a stranger drove up and asked me for personal information about where I lived or directions, and being as clueless as I was then, I gave it. Looking back, those could have been people who’d have kidnapped me and done unspeakable things to me. I also know how God has protected me from letting my sinful side turn loose. Let me make this clear: it is God who restrains the sinful nature in man, not man’s self-control. And more and more, God has been releasing His hand of restraint in society, turning society loose. It is the grace of God that enables life and it’s also grace that protects.
Don’t confuse grace-empowered works with man’s works. John MacArthur in an interview with Todd Friel some years back was discussing MacArthur’s book The Truth War. In the interview, MacArthur mentioned how he spoke with the Mormon head honchos at Brigham Young University about salvation by grace. The Mormons agreed that salvation was by grace. MacArthur then asked how it worked and the Mormons said, “Well, it’s salvation by works, but isn’t it gracious of God to let us do it.” I see this issue FREQUENTLY. We use the same terms and same vocabulary, but when it comes to how it plays out and how it is practiced, obviously we aren’t using the same dictionaries. So be watchful that when someone proclaims the same creeds of historical Christianity, he/she may not be thinking the same thing we are. So, ask them what they mean and how it works. If they know the real thing, they’ll reveal the real thing. If not, they won’t.
Next week, I’ll examine the vehicle by how the grace of God is delivered and received: the vehicle of faith.
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A few weeks ago, I wrote about preparing to suffer. The context was getting ready for persecution. As I am writing about an objection against God asking why God doesn’t heal amputees, I am going to look at suffering from a different angle: a necessity for growth.
We in America are such spoiled brats, it’s rather embarrassing. In 2011, El Paso, TX was slammed with the harshest winter storm we’d ever seen. Not much for snow and wind, but for the first time in recorded history, El Paso was below freezing for over 72 hours, much of it below 15°F. Now I know most people who are from up north are laughing about this. I grew up in Colorado, so I know cold, but the northern mid-west still has me beat on that one, too. But El Paso is not built for cold. While we do often see temps fall into the teens, it’s only for a few hours and the daytime is above freezing. We had never experienced 2-3 straight days where the high never got above freezing. What happened?
The pipes froze and burst in many homes and buildings. City water pipes also burst, forcing us to be on a one-week “boil water” order, because dirt had leaked into the main water lines. The generators also froze which meant they could not pump water. The city lost 90% of its water, and we had to maintain rolling black outs because we couldn’t produce enough electricity because everything was frozen over. But how did the people respond?
The residents of El Paso whined and complained. They demanded of the mayor and city government to fix the issues immediately, and they put the blame on them for not being prepared. Who living in El Paso would ever think that kind of cold would hit us? How could they be prepared? El Paso citizens were comfortable in our comforts, and when those comforts were taken away even for a couple of days, sin rose up in the forms of selfishness and pride. Just on the other side of the river, Juarez, Mexico had the exact same problems but they had a very different response.
In Juarez, most people were used to suffering so when their pipes burst, they simply went about their business and fixed it. They didn’t whine or complain. No riots. No public protests against the short comings of the government. They just went about their business, dealt with the situation, didn’t whine about it, and basically treated it as just a new obstacle for that day. After all, when you live in homes built with pallets and your doors and walls are blankets and curtains, and the cold wind of winter or the searing sun scorches you anyway, what’s a lack of water for a day or two in which you really only have a barrel of water for everything anyway going to do? The people of Mexico, living in the colonias in third-world settings didn’t bother whining about the cold temps. They were used to being in it anyway. They had been hardened by suffering and so this Deep Freeze event didn’t even bother them.
The same issue applies to us as Christians. There is a satanic doctrine in many American churches that says that “suffering cannot be from God.” The notion of “brokenness” is virtually anathema in many Christian circles (check out this sermon by Voddie Baucham on the value of brokenness). They teach that if we are suffering, it must be because we have sinned or don’t have an enough faith. (Perhaps these people need to read and study the book of Job, because that book specifically refutes such a notion.) So, when people pray for a miracle to answer the suffering and then whine to God because the pain didn’t go away, that’s a problem. Now, no one likes suffering. I’m not suggesting that we should like it. However, our response to suffering should not be “God, please remove this.” Our response should be, “God, what do you need to teach me through this?”
A man caught cancer and asked his pastor to come pray for him to heal him of the cancer. The pastor said, “I will not pray for God to heal your cancer, because this cancer has brought you closer to God than 40 years of my preaching. But I will pray that this cancer cannot take another cell of your body without express permission from God.” What was happening? When we suffer, the natural instinct is to turn to God to appeal to His grace and mercy to get us through it. Nowadays, many people have so seared their conscious that they no longer seek after God but after whatever drug they have found that can dull the pain. Russel Berger was a spokesperson for CrossFit and both he and his wife were exceptional athletes. Yet his wife had a genetic disorder that completely sapped her strength and has forced her to live on oxygen, among other issues. But she came to know Christ through the suffering and gladly suffers as long as she gets to be with Christ. Their story can be found on the “American Gospel: Christ Alone” documentary.
Many of us love a good story of a hero rising up to face a great evil and overcoming that evil. We love to watch in the distance from our armchairs because the hero goes through immense suffering, and it is in that suffering that he gains the character and strength needed to face his nemesis and gain victory. Those of us who want to be like the heroes tend to go for the admirable qualities and the action but are not willing to face the suffering from the training or the losses that are required to go there. Eric Ludy preached on Richard Wurmbrand one time and said he admired and wanted the love Wurmbrand had for the Communists who tortured him. God reminded him, “Do you want to go through what he did to get that (14 years of brutal torture in prison)?” Ludy had second thoughts. I greatly admire Ray Comfort for his genuine love for the lost, but what has he had to go through to get that love? He became known as the “Banana Man” and is the center of ridicule for many atheists. Yet through that suffering, he has had the opportunity to witness to so many people including Lawrence Krauss and Penn Jillette. But it took suffering to reach that point.
Suffering is really the only way God can work sin out of our lives without destroying us in the process. When we suffer, it forces us to depend upon God, because we naturally will not do it on our own when we are comfortable. God never calls for His people to be comfortable, because only when we are not comfortable do we actually depend upon His strength instead of our own.
But we must also remember that the suffering we must face in this world is only temporary. Our lives in our sin-cursed bodies will end, and for those of us who are born again, we will be resurrected with a new body, one that is not cursed of sin but rather one that is glorified. Revelation describes how there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more death when God brings it all to a close. We will instead truly have that “they lived happily ever after” ending. The suffering we face is temporary. Let us keep that in mind as we pray and as we address the answer to why God allows suffering in this world.
The suffering we face in this world will end. Those who have put their faith in Christ will receive glorified bodies that will have their full function, without pain or suffering. Yet, those who think the suffering is bad in this world now and don’t receive the free gift of Christ, this is as good as you will get. We deal with the cards we are given and many of us have been dealt a difficult hand. We can whine about it, or we can make the best of it. But if you haven’t noticed in my posts lately, there is a common message: those who know how to handle suffering well tend to be the happiest and most content people alive. Trouble comes their way and it’s just water off a duck’s back. That doesn’t make it any less painful or real, but it doesn’t bring them down. It just makes them stronger. We as Christians in America need to learn how to suffer well, because the end result will be more of Christ and a greater longing to spend eternity with Him. I look forward to that day. Nineteen years ago today, 9/11 happened. We suffered. Only a few people learned from it. We are far worse today than we were 20 years ago. What’s it going to take?
So to wrap up my study on why God doesn’t heal amputees, I’m not going to defend God before a scoffer. I’m not going to put God through a “test.” I’m going to expose what the real issue is, and the real issue is not about not having prayers answered or not having evidence of the supernatural. The real issue is about a sinful heart that is looking for a reason to reject God. We are to give a defense for why we believe what we believe, but God can defend himself just fine. I will say that God is God, and we are not. He is in charge. We are not. He is the standard; we are not. We answer to Him; He doesn’t answer to us. Some will call Him cruel. I’d tell them to look in the mirror first. God’s grace is sufficient for us. Be grateful you get any at all.
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Do you believe that humans are inherently good, or inherently evil? While I’d like to believe we’re all inherently good, I know that humans are full of sin ever since the Fall. As Psalm 14:1-3 tells us (also quoted by Paul in Romans 3:10-12), there is no one good in this world. It is only through God working through our lives that we’re able to do good.
The Teacher of Ecclesiastes looks at this idea too in today’s passage of Ecclesiastes 8:11-17. In verse 11, we see the idea of being willing to commit crimes if we can get away with it, which clearly shows the sinful and rebellious nature of humankind. If we’re not punished for our crimes, why not just go ahead and commit them? Verse 12 continues that idea, with those who are of God knowing that the evil people in this world will often escape punishment - at least temporarily. We see in verses 12-13 how at that time, they compared long life to being blessed by God.
In verse 14, the Teacher says, “There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.” The opening and closing of this verse with the idea of meaninglessness places extra emphasis on it, and shows just how disturbed the Teacher is by this concept. It seems in life that bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. In spite of knowing that God is just, injustice clearly exists in this world.
It’s hard for our minds to reconcile this concept, of the just God allowing so much injustice in this world. Why are there so many people starving in this world? Why are so many struggling to survive? Why is there so much abuse that happens? Why are there natural disasters and diseases that kill so many? It all seems so unfair in light of a loving God. But the fact of the matter is that God is perfect, and this world (and all of us who live in it) are not. We are sinful human beings, and when the first humans sinned, all of creation was also thrown into sin. Our bad choices often cause evil in this world. When there seems to be no direct choice linked to something evil happening, it’s because all of creation is fallen. But, God is still just! Even if we don’t see His justice playing out in this world, we will see it on Judgment Day.
Fortunately for us, God’s justice also includes His grace. We often think in the context of someone who has wronged us deserving punishment and hoping that they get their just desserts. But have you thought about what it would be like if someone is thinking that about you? There could be someone who is hoping to see you get punished for a sin that you have committed. We like to think of God’s grace for ourselves, but we need to remember that God’s grace is available to all - even to someone who has sinned against you or who you wish would get punished for something they’ve done. Read the story of Jonah (especially the end) to see how God’s grace can play out, and how we often react to His grace being shown to others.
What should we do when we’re struggling to understand the injustice that exists in this world? Enjoy life! “So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun” (verse 15). We should experience pleasure in the good things of life, like eating and drinking, but we should also experience pleasure in the work that we have been given to do, simply because that is what God has ordained for us. God has not created us to be depressed, bogged down by the heavy burdens of this life, but He has created us to experience joy in Him and in the good things He has created for us to enjoy.
Verses 16-17 go on to explain how we cannot understand the ways of God: “When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth —people getting no sleep day or night— then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.” The Teacher is actively applying his mind to understand how things work in this world, even to the point of losing sleep over it. But, he comes to the conclusion that the human mind cannot understand the things of God. If anyone who claims to know the mind of God, we know they are not being truthful as no human can know God fully. If we could, then He wouldn’t be God anymore; we would be.
We will never be able to understand the things of God, except maybe when we get to heaven with Him. But even then, God will still be greater than us, and He will still deserve all of our worship and praise for all eternity. We humans may be inherently evil because of the sinful world we live in, but everything about God is good and just. That is one thing that we truly need to understand and take to heart. No matter what happens with people in this world, no matter what we can fully understand or not, God is good!
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by Logan Ames
There are certain television commercials that will always be remembered. You probably have your favorite that comes to mind right now. For me, I’ll never forget one that came out right around the Super Bowl way back in 1996. It was an ad for Pepsi and you can find it here. A man who is obviously employed by Coca-Cola goes into a store to fill the fridge with the product. There is a hidden camera on him the entire time and Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin Heart” is playing in the background of the commercial. While doing his job, the Coca-Cola employee notices a fridge stocked full of Pepsi cans. Fearing he will be caught “cheating” on his current employer, he looks around several times to see if anyone can see him before choosing to grab a can of Pepsi from the fridge. As soon as he removes it, hundreds of other Pepsi cans come crashing out of the fridge and onto the floor. The avalanche causes shoppers in the store to come running to see what the commotion is all about. The man then places the Pepsi can back on the rack in the fridge in an effort to hide what was already out in the open - his infidelity toward Coca-Cola.
As silly as it sounds that a person who works for Coca-Cola would be fraternizing with the product of its biggest rival while on duty, Christians are guilty of cheating that is a million times more egregious. Once we come to know Jesus as our Savior and Lord and understand the extent to which He went to proclaim His love for us, we willfully enter into a relationship with Him. The New Testament identifies the church as “the bride” of Christ in multiple places, Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 19:7 just to name a couple. Yet, we still seem to always have our eyes on whatever other “partners” are flaunting themselves in front of us. We cheat on the Lord with money, sex, popularity, fun, food, alcohol, and many other things. These things tempt us and tell us we can have a better life with them. We often fall for the deception even when we know that nothing and no one ever has or ever will love us like God does.
This problem that all believers have is why James had to use strong language when addressing it in James 4:4-5. He addresses the believers in the early church to whom he is writing by saying, “You adulterous people." This moniker may seem shocking to us and it is certainly intended to get the attention of not only those to whom James wrote, but also those who read it. That being said, most of the believers in the early church, which was comprised of mainly Jews, would’ve understood the reference fully. They were certainly familiar with Old Testament passages that identified the nation of Israel as an adulteress. In Jeremiah 3:6-9, the Lord speaks to the prophet and mentions the adultery of Israel and Judah (they were still split into two kingdoms at that point) three different times, also declaring that they “had no fear” of the Lord and that “immorality mattered so little to her." The nation of God’s chosen people committed this adultery by worshiping “stone and wood."
The prophet Hosea was probably most known for exposing Israel’s adultery. He recorded in Hosea 3:1, “The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.’" Now, I have no clue what the “sacred raisin cakes” are and that was always a source of laughter for my friends and I in high school youth group when we would read that passage. We’d wonder what was wrong with those dopes. How could they cheat on God with SACRED RAISIN CAKES of all things? But, for those who truly love the Lord with all their heart, our spiritual adultery is probably just as deserving of ridicule. They’d look at us and wonder how we could exchange our relationship with God for the pursuit of the almighty dollar, or for ideas that are popular but don’t align with His Word.
Hosea would’ve been considered a fool by many for continuing to love his wife who cheated on him over and over again. The kind of love that is foolish in the world’s eyes is exactly what God offers us over and over despite our adulteries. In fact, our continued spiritual infidelity shows that we either don’t care or don’t understand how much it hurts God. We are so used to offending Him and still receiving His unconditional love that it’s almost like we don’t even realize we’re doing it. The early church had the same issue, so James called it out. He asks a rhetorical question to remind them that we cannot be friends with both God and the world. Yet again, James is echoing his older brother, Jesus, who said that “no one can serve two masters” and that we “cannot love both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). In James 4:4, the Greek word for friendship is philia, which comes from the same root word as one of the ancient Greek words for “love." So, what James is describing is not simply having friends that are worldly or enjoying some secular things. He’s talking about believers who long for that which is worldly and has nothing to do with eternal life. Just a bit earlier in his letter, he talked about the difference between wisdom that focuses solely on earthly and unspiritual things and that which comes from heaven (James 3:13-17). What we long for and value in life will be directly related to the type of wisdom we possess.
James adds that if we long for the things of this fallen world, the end result will be enmity between us and God. The word “enmity” is a strong word that can also be translated “hostility” or “hatred." In other words, it’s impossible to be neutral or indifferent towards God. That would be like trying to be neutral or indifferent towards your spouse, while occasionally pursuing other love interests. It doesn’t work for a marriage and cannot work in our relationship with the God who “jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us” (James 4:5). God is not a big fan of being spurned or having His unconditional love rejected by those who have claimed to know and love Him back.
Friends, you’ll never find anything more satisfying in life than entering into a relationship with the living God who created the entire universe but decided He wanted one of YOU here so that He could lavish His love on you (1 John 3:1). God is certainly more like a gentleman and will not force you to love Him back, but He doesn’t hide His longing for you or His intense pain when you reject Him in favor of something that He knows cannot fulfill you. I urge you to take a look at your life and be honest with yourself about the ways you have been cheating on God. He will let you come back to Him and will not hold your past sins against you if you’re truly repentant. But, there will come a day when you no longer have the opportunity to repent because your time has run out. For that reason, it makes sense to turn back to Him now, before the consequences of your infidelity catch up to you.
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by Logan Ames
How many judgments have you made about other people already today? I’m serious. Just take a moment to stop and think about it. Even if you haven’t left your house yet or truly interacted with anyone else in person, chances are you've already seen something on Facebook, some other social media outlet, or even the news for which you’ve judged the participants. This happens even when we don’t even know the people, and I’d argue it happens especially then. A few months ago, someone close to my family experienced one of the worst tragedies imaginable with the accidental death of their child. It was ruled accidental by the coroner, investigated by the police, and confirmed that no one was negligent or at fault. Yet, as soon as the story hit the news media and was subsequently shared on Facebook, everybody and their brother had an opinion about what the parents should have done differently or how they could have prevented the tragedy. Truth be told, I’ve probably had those similar thoughts about people in those circumstances in the past. I’ve made judgments based on seeing a very little part of the picture. But when I was on the other side and KNEW that the people didn’t deserve what was being said about them, it was easy for me to see how quickly most of us make judgments.
In the Bible, James understood that the Christians who were part of the early Church were susceptible to the same faulty thinking that they could accurately judge others with such a small portion of the big picture that God sees. In James 2:1, he writes, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism." So, he’s talking about not only making a judgment but also choosing to treat others based on the judgment that is made. But there are a couple important things to point out here. James uses the phrase “glorious Lord Jesus Christ” to remind these earliest Christians that the one they follow is actually the glory of God himself who came down and revealed himself in the flesh. It was a clear reminder that they are not following or worshiping a mere prophet or great human teacher, but the One who WAS actually God (John 1:1).
It’s also gigantic that James reminds these people that favoritism, or partiality, cannot co-exist with faith in Jesus as God. Jesus often spoke to and welcomed those who were outcasts in the eyes of everyone else, such as “tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:9-10). The reason James brings it up is because he wrote to a largely partial audience that had no problem favoring some over others. We know this by following the steps of the early apostles through the Book of Acts. Peter was one of the leaders and he was certainly born again and sold out for Christ. Then, all of a sudden one day, he is praying to God and falls into a trance, during which God challenges his long-held convictions regarding what is “clean” versus “unclean." After that, he meets a man named Cornelius who, though a Gentile and unclean in the eyes of Jews, is a devout, God-fearing man (Acts 10:2). Peter, having had his world of fake religion completely shattered, enters Cornelius’ home and reminds everyone that Jewish law prohibits from him associating with Gentiles, but that he is doing so because God had shown him that he cannot pre-judge anyone to be impure or unclean (Acts 10:28). After he hears Cornelius’ testimony of how God has been speaking to him, Peter declares, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). This chapter is known as “the conversion of Cornelius," but many people realize that Peter also experienced a conversion here. He was no longer at odds with his faith, showing favoritism toward Jews over Gentiles, yet claiming to follow a God who welcomes all who are truly seeking Him.
At this point, Peter had already been on fire for Jesus. He had performed miracles by the name and power of Jesus. He had urged the Jewish leaders to repent and be baptized, and he preached a sermon that led to some 3,000 people believing in Jesus. He spoke the gospel boldly and even experienced flogging for his efforts. Yet, despite all of this, he still couldn’t see MEAT through God’s eyes, let alone other human beings that were Gentiles. Before the Church could really begin to grow and spread out from Jerusalem, any seeds of favoritism within the apostles and other early Christians had to be dug up and destroyed. James knew this was the crowd he was writing to in his letter.
Then, he gives them a perfect example of how they might show favoritism without even realizing it. In James 2:2-4, he explains that when they all meet together and they offer a wealthy person a much better seat than an obviously poor person, they “become judges with evil thoughts." We see more evidence that James is talking to mainly Jews here when we look at the Greek word for “meeting," which happens to be sunagogen, which happens to be where we get the word “synagogue." Even if they had to meet in houses due to lack of buildings, they still referred to their gathering as the synagogue. Apparently, in those days paying more attention to the wealthy than the poor was quite common. But who are we kidding? It’s common now too, especially in churches. I once had a pastor tell me that we SHOULD treat those who give a lot of money to the church with greater respect than others. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But I’m sure that is a temptation for many pastors as we are all human. I have to work hard to make sure my mind doesn’t start playing those games.
Ultimately, the reason many Jews treated the rich better than the poor is the same reason so many Americans treat the rich better - we might get something from them. Chances are, there’s nothing an extremely poor person can give back to you. John Bunyon once said, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." This is one of the true marks of following Jesus. He never focused on getting paid back, He never avoided Gentiles, strangers, or unclean people, and He didn’t show favoritism toward the rich.
The reason we all fall into the traps like the earliest church did is because we judge based only on what we can SEE, not the eternal work that God is doing. We have a hard time seeing the big picture like God does, and we focus way too much on what we can evaluate based on the outward appearance. Well, in the Old Testament, the prophet Samuel had to learn that lesson too. He was told, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The bottom line for any of us who claim to follow Jesus is that we MUST learn to see past what’s right in front of us and trust in God’s big picture and His perfect plan. We MUST ask God to give us clarity and wisdom as people come into our lives. We must seek Him and ask Him to help us see others through His eyes rather than our own warped, incomplete view of things. If you reflect on this and find that you have been unintentionally treating someone poorly according to the ways you have already judged their outward appearance, ask God to destroy seeds of favoritism and prejudice in your heart and plant seeds of love and a welcome spirit to all who seek Him.
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This is one of those posts where I simply want to write: “What does the Bible say about grace? See: entire Bible.” The entire Bible is full of the overarching story of God’s grace toward humanity, told through the stories of individuals or nations and through the life of Jesus Himself. But in this blog post, I’ll try and highlight a few passages that speak specifically to God’s grace and what it is.
One of my first few blog posts for Worldview Warriors back in 2011 was titled “Grace,” and we as a ministry have written numerous other posts on that same topic. We touch on God’s grace in many of our writings, since it’s such a primary focus of our Christian faith.
So what is grace? Simply put, it’s undeserved favor. We have sinned and don’t deserve to even be in relationship with God, much less be saved by Him, so it’s only through His grace that we can receive that salvation. This is closely related with God’s mercy, which I wrote about last week.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of the primary passages that explains salvation through God’s grace: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (I’d encourage you to read the whole chapter of Ephesians 2 to get an even better picture of God’s grace.) Similarly, Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” Grace means we do nothing to earn it; it’s not based at all on our works.
Titus 2:11-14 speaks of the effects of God’s grace in our lives: “ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Receiving God’s grace should not cause us to sin more because we know we’ll receive it. Romans 6:1-2 says, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” For more on that, check out this post.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:8-10).
I encourage you this week to live out God’s grace in our life, the favor He gives you that you don’t deserve at all. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV).
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by Nathan Buck
We finally got to see Black Panther this past weekend and get caught up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The whole movie was well done and there is plenty to appreciate throughout (even seeing Smeagol from Lord of the Rings as a buff bad guy was quirky and fun). But I want to write about one specific scene at the end, as it relates to my previous post. Spoiler alert: if you don't want to know how the movie ends, wait till you see the movie to continue.
The final battle between King T'Challa and his cousin Erik Killmonger is a profound interplay of good vs evil vs history vs healing and hope. When T'Challa learns the truth of how his father handled the rebellion of his uncle and how Erik was abandoned to grow up an orphan in the streets and completely separated from Wakanda, he realizes this was a huge mistake and created a far worse problem. T'Challa is motivated by compassion for Erik, even as he fights to regain his throne from him.
In the final scene between them, T'Challa carries Erik out to see the sunset in Wakanda - a sight Erik's father had told him about. As they kneel together, exhausted from battle and Erik with a spear through his chest, T'Challa says, "Perhaps we can still heal you." This was clearly a reference to the physical wound about to end Erik's life, but also a more profound reference to restoring Erik as a person and as a citizen of Wakanda. It's a palpable moment of grace and compassion, where we see T'Challa's integrity and we are hoping for Erik to accept.
Erik says, "Why, so you can lock me up?" He references the slave trade in Africa, and how many Africans would jump overboard rather than be sold in the Americas as slaves. He says, "They knew death was better than bondage." Then he pulls the spear out of his chest, which was preventing him from bleeding internally. He collapses and dies next to T'Challa.
I was moved deeply by this moment. Grace and healing are offered, but the assumption of consequence and the inability to see a future different than his past prevented Erik from accepting the hope T'Challa offered. The pain, the wounds of the world's tribalism and tyranny, blinded Erik to the potential of a future without those things.
The movies ends with T'Challa making a statement to the UN that Wakanda will no longer be hidden and will help the world with its technology and culture. He says, "We are ONE tribe."
I cannot help but hear the echo of Galatians 3:26-29 as I consider where the movie landed. As Paul writes to the Galatians, he is addressing their divisions and their choices to live according to the desires of the flesh and legalisms of their religious history. Prompted by the influence of Judaisers (religious Jews who tried to force early Christians to keep all of Jewish customs), the church at Galatia was being pressured to not only follow Jesus by grace through faith, but to also live under all the ceremonial and religious practices of Jewish law. Paul reasons with them at length that Jesus' death and resurrection satisfies the religious law and freed them from trying to EARN God's favor through religious works. In this section, Paul is trying to help them see that the distinctiveness of Jewish customs and laws are ultimately meaningless in Jesus. The playing field has been leveled and everyone has opportunity for God's love and grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. And it's not just an issue of race, but of gender, class, and circumstance.
In Jesus, no one is above or below anyone else, and no one has to earn it by being indoctrinated into becoming a different tribe. We have been made into ONE tribe, God's tribe through Jesus Christ. And every follower of Jesus is a citizen of that tribe, regardless of race, age, gender, economic status, etc.
The real question for us in Western culture today is, are we able to see and accept that grace, or are we stuck in the pain and experience of our past? Will we be like Erik and die rather than experience the grace being offered, because we fear there is some bondage or trick behind it? Or are we able to forge a new path together in the opportunities for grace and understanding? Are we committed to being ONE tribe, in the Kingdom of God? Or are we still holding on to our worldly tribalism, demanding our place and expressing our will to power?
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To catch you up in case you missed them, here is a summary of part 1 and part 2 of this series.
Long dead lay the world, enticed to dark appetites by the ruler of this present age. Humanity was hopelessly plunged into rebellion and disobedience toward God. Each person lived to establish his or her own sense of what was right, but they ceased to recognize that the standard of right and wrong was permanently affixed to God's unchanging holiness. Because of this, the world was plunged into anarchy from God. Moreover, these sins and transgressions created a cycle of sin and death from which no person could escape. Somehow, someone from outside had to break in and bring deliverance.
Though God owed nothing but judgment and damnation to these rebels, He graciously opened a way of salvation to them that they might have opportunity to escape. He did this by virtue of Christ's merit applied to those who received His gracious gift by faith in order to blot out all the traces of rebellion and shame from those who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This act of God was based solely on His own mercy, since it could not be earned by anyone.
God made believers alive in Christ. He gave them a completely new identity, gave them victory over the ruler of the spirit of the air, gave them a new position in realized eschatology all to showcase his great kindness and grace. None of these things were earned by the recipients of grace, so that none of us can boast like we did something great to earn our place with God.
This offer from God to be made alive in Christ has to be received as a gift, and it has life-altering and everlasting consequences. Since each believer has been identified by the resurrection of Christ, each one must embrace the judgment satisfied in Christ and the gift of new life substitutionally, that is we trade places with Christ. He takes our sin and endures our judgement on the cross and in return gives us His righteousness and His place in the family of God. Each one now has the obligation to live out a life that reflects Christ' s values.
This is the essence of resurrected life.
Not only do we have an individual salvation, but there is also corporate element which is fulfilled in each believer’s participation in the church. God places "good works" upon the whole church as a command for the body of believers to perform. God is making a new society, the church, which is based on individual and corporate fidelity to Christ. The Christian life begins with individual salvation, but Jesus is accomplishing His mission on earth through the local church.
God's mercy and love are still expressed in Christ. His offer of justification still stands. God calls out to all on the earth to repent and believe the good news that we may escape the world, the flesh, and the devil. We can be transferred out from under the dominion of the devil and into the kingdom of God through divine grace.
Once having believed, each of us are built into a corporate body of believers wherein we are responsible to love and serve as Christ commands us. And even though we cannot hope to earn or deserve this status and position that we have been given, we are to "live up" to our high calling through faithfully working the works that God has prepared in advance. This is merely “our reasonable act of worship” and does not constitute meritorious action toward our standing in salvation that God has lavished upon us.
God's new society, the church, stands in utter juxtaposition of the ruler of the kingdom of the air and the sons of disobedience. It is marked by God's character and resurrection power. By this means, God shows His incomparably great power toward us and to all others who observe His grace in operation to save us poor sinners and give us a new destiny and purpose. Our good works testify of God's love to the world and call everyone to glorify and honor God for his kindness.
Ephesians 2:1-10 says: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Last week, constant reader, I delivered three observations on the human plight: 1) The dead condition we live in is universal. 2) All of humanity is complicit in this deadness; that is, it does not fight against the deadness of it all, but rather humanity has gotten used to it, perhaps even likes it. 3) This death is total. It is idiotic to ask how fatal this death is; there are no degrees of fatality.
All this being true, I touched only briefly last week on God’s solution to humanity’s problem. This week I would like to give a fuller treatment.
Ephesians 2:1-3 describes the macabre plight of humanity: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among them we all also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
But then Paul takes a sharp turn in verses 4-7: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Paul begins verse 4 with a deep contrast between the state of humanity (its inability to change, its selfish desires, and its expectation of God’s wrath) and God’s righteous character (His desire for humanity to live and His generous mercy). In these verses we see that God is active in giving life, but humanity is lazy, weak, and passive in death.
Humankind, having chosen to live according to Satan’s will and the unction of the flesh, are left in a shameful state, deserving only judgment and wrath. A false parable says, “God is voting for you, Satan is voting against you, wherever you cast your vote decides if you’re elected.” This is patently false. It should be changed to this: “Satan is voting against you, you have voted against you, but it is only God’s vote that creates an option for life.” Only the divine initiative could change the trajectory of the human plight.
God is obligated only to pay out the judgment due humanity for the transgressions and sins that they have committed against him. He will reward each one according to his works. The depth of God’s love offers another chance. The amazing aspect of the plight of humanity is that it does not end in the total annihilation of the human race. Rather, God has broken into this dead human condition and opened a way of mercy in Christ, which He was not obligated to do.
God has made Christ the focal point of his mercy and grace. Humanity has earned death, but God offers life through Christ. His kindness is expressed in Christ (Ephesians 2:7). God’s grace is bestowed regardless of the utter lack of human merit. This mercy comes from the riches of his grace.
The “formerly-now” comparisons run throughout Ephesians (2:2, 11, 13, 19; 5:8). They describe a change in identity as a result of God’s gracious salvation. This is one reason why Christians should not engage in identity politics. “Formerly” we were many things, but now we are Christians, which is to say that the defining thing about us is Jesus has reconciled us to God.
God has made three significant status changes to those who are “in Christ.” God has given believers life with Christ, raised them up with Christ, and seated them with Christ in the heavenly realms. Hence, the believer’s identity is directly linked to Christ’s identity. By the mercy of God, the fate of Christ has become the fate of the believer.
Being alive “in Christ” is the indication that the divine life of Christ is now in operation in the believer. God has reversed the state of being dead in transgressions and sins. He has done this through the merit of Christ. This is a transference from death to life, from bondage to freedom, from the power and dominion of the “ruler of the world” to the kingdom of God.
In every way this is a change in status from shame to honor. Paul establishes the honor of Christ in Ephesians 1:15-23 and contrasts it with the believer’s pre-conversion shame. According to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), believers may have been drunkards, they may have performed homosexual acts or submitted to homosexual acts, or they may have been adulterers or thieves, but now they take part in the same honor as Jesus, having participated with Christ in his death, resurrection, and ascension.
Paul prayed that the believers would know the hope, the riches, and the incomparably great power for believers (1:18-19). “This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (1:20). The new status of being raised with Christ and seated with him puts believers above the dominion of the evil one and energizes them with a new power to live in Christ. Moreover, God exercised this tremendous power to illustrate his own grace in Christ; it is for purposes of God’s own glory, internal to his own honor that He has worked this tremendous strength in resurrecting dead humanity, and giving them a victorious place with Christ.
This realized eschatology wherein believers are “already” seated with Christ and raised with him is contrasted by the reality that Satan can still very much harass the body of believers (hence, the need for the armor of God in chapter 6). The believers live with a new kind of “resurrection” power in their daily lives (2:10) which Paul further detailed in Romans 6.
God has given us everything we need to now follow him. Whether or not we still struggle with sin, we have a new identity. God has given us a new ability through His grace in Christ.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
