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Education Ministry

Posted on December 9, 2004 ...

Grace – that wonderful link between God and humanity; the means by which sinners may survive the lethal holiness of God; the key to salvation. It is an underlying theme throughout the entire Bible, and a principal difference between biblical Christianity and all other belief systems. Without it, the human race would have perished long ago.

How is it then, that we have such a hard time getting our minds around such an integral component of our salvation? It is because we are residents of a society that functions according to the formula: expectations + compliance = order. Virtually every facet of life works according to this equation. Societies have laws, games have rules, companies have policies, churches have constitutions. This is necessary to maintain peace and ensure fair play. As long as we stay within these boundaries, we get along fine. Step over the line and…well, you know what happens. When order is threatened, consequences ensue. We accept this. In fact, we demand it in the name of justice. We want everyone to get exactly what they deserve – reward for maintaining the order; punishment for disrupting the order.

But there is one little problem with this system: Us. We all break the rules, or at least bend them. We all fudge a little here and there. We all color outside the lines. Face it, we are all little rebels. “None are righteous, no not one,” writes Paul. If we were to actually get what we deserve…well, you know what the wages of sin are.

It is at this point in the human dilemma that God steps in and does something so unexpected, so unfathomable, so humanly illogical. He alters the formula. He takes broken humanity, adds the sacrifice of His only Son, and creates the way to bring us back to Himself. This is saving grace. Instead of the wrath we all deserve, He offers the pardon no one deserves. And this is where we find the rub. Such unmerited favor goes against the grain of our world. In fact, society would come undone if it tried to employ God’s grace. Can you imagine the chaos if debtors were let off and hardened criminals were let out? But wait, I speak according to my human understanding. Grace is not God turning a blind eye to sin or arbitrarily canceling out my debt. Neither is grace some kind of “get out of hell free” promotion like free minutes of Internet service. Grace is God doing for me what I cannot do for myself. Grace is God sending His only Son to die in my place. Grace is a loving Father making a way for this prodigal son to come home. Grace is the manifestation of God’s love.

Yes, saving grace gets us into God’s family and ensures that we will never be tossed out. But that is only the beginning. For within God’s family there is divine order; holy expectations you might say. And His children comply, not out of fear or obligation, but for the sheer joy of pleasing the One who has adopted them. Saving Grace – that wonderful link between God and His children; the means by which diving order is being achieved; the key to holy living.