Paul, after demonstrating that religious people are just as sinful as the lost world, answers the question, “What advantage do we have?”
Basically, “If my religion hasn’t earned me any favor with God, what was the point to that?”
Paul answers the question by stating that our advantage was that we were entrusted with the word of God, the Bible. Then, in a theological eloquence that could only be inspired by God Himself, demonstrated God’s grace and salvation of us, in spite of our sinfulness.
Amazing Grace. Grace Greater Than Our Sin.
We are saved by grace through faith. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Grace.
This word is spoken often in Christian circles, and is a key component of salvation. It’s the subject of hundreds of Christian hymns and praise songs.
But what does it mean?
If your only exposure to the word “grace” is from watching television, then no doubt you probably think it has something to do with the way Sasha Cohen provides a visual interpretation of the music she skates to during the world figure skating championships.
Or, if you were a Seinfeld fan, you probably remember that Elaine was denied a job because she lacked the “grace” of her predecessor, who happened to be Jackie Onassis.
Such is life, and such is the progression of languages. A word that meant one thing years ago no longer has the same meaning at all.
When the scripture was written, grace was more of an attitude than an action. It was a motivational factor, not the factor itself.
Grace, in Biblical terms, is defined as an “unmerited favor,” or an “unconditional love.”
Those who grant grace to others bestow upon them a love, a gift, or a pardon that is not deserved based on the actions or merits of the recipient. In terms of Biblical grace, the One who was the greatest benefactor is God.
God’s grace toward mankind, and toward us individually, is an undeserved love and an unmerited favor. We sinned against Him. We rebel against Him. We try to redefine language in the Bible to suit our tastes.
We’re selfish. We take advantage of others. We sin. From God, we deserve nothing but punishment and accountability.
Yet, God in His grace forbears. He allows us to continue, utilizing the effects of our wrong choices to teach us and correct us. He then forgives, redeems, and blesses. That’s grace.
Ultimately, the grace of God was expressed in that He sent Jesus Christ into the world to redeem us from sin by dying on the cross. That grace is expanded through His forgiveness of our sins and His willingness to give us time to learn and repent. To top it off, He blesses us as well.
We access God’s grace through our faith, our trust that He will forgive us based on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Upon accessing God’s grace, we learn just how much we have been forgiven, and thus learn to forgive ourselves, and others.
The attitude the Christian should take toward others is the attitude God takes toward them. Our desire is to see them redeemed and restored, not condemned and destroyed.
Those who have come to an understanding of God’s grace in their lives understand this concept. Those who have not walk in anger. For those, we forbear as God does, and we pray for their understanding and we minister to them, too.
Have you comprehended the grace of God?
May God bless you as you learn more of His love and grace.
In Mark 2, Jesus is in a house teaching the people about the coming Kingdom of God, their need to repent, and how salvation comes by faith. Many were bringing their sick and disabled loved ones to Jesus for healing, and a crowd had gathered to the point that no one could enter the house.
Then, four men show up carrying their friend who is “sick of the palsy.” Being unable to get him in the door, the men carry him up on the roof, break a hole in the roof, and lower him down in front of Jesus. It is at that moment that the Lord says something peculiar, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
Seeing this man disabled and in pain, the first thing Jesus said was, “Your sins are forgiven.” Why?
Photo by Rodolfo Clix on Pexels.com
Because whether or not we realize it, forgiveness of sin is our greatest need. We need forgiveness more than we need anything else. In this life, we face problems, and there are times we are not sure whether we will make it. Sometimes, our finances are in the tank. Sometimes, our relationships struggle. Sometimes, we suffer health problems. However, no cure to these problems will bring us the peace that comes through the forgiveness of sin.
If we suddenly obtain wealth, we still face the problem of future expenses. If our relationships are healed, there are still the scars of former hurt. Our health will progressively get worse as we get older. Yet, forgiveness of sin is not only an eternal blessing, it removes the fear of the next life from us. Forgiveness of sin will give us an eternal blessing that no earthly blessing can give.
Has God forgiven your sin? Has He forgiven your neighbor?
Take a listen to the above-posted sermon, and give God the glory for forgiven sin.
Have you ever lost your cool?
Or in a moment of weakness, have you ever made a decision you regretted?
If we’re to be honest, life is full of regrets. We regret the sins of our past, our bad decisions, the things that bring us shame and even the things no one knows about.
I think to a large degree this is one reason why many people skip church. Life can become one big guilt trip, and hearing a sermon about sin and impure motivations in the heart can compound that guilt.
Guilt is universal. The late Dr. J. Vernon McGee once said that he has never been the preacher, husband or father he thought he should be. A man who spent his life teaching millions of people through the Bible felt like he didn’t measure up.
And then there’s the Apostle Paul, who said in Acts 14:15, “ We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God.”
The like passions Paul experienced are the same ones Dr. McGee experienced, which are the same passions you and I experience. It’s the sin nature. It’s temptation. And all too often, we fall before it.
Yet Christianity goes beyond defining the problem of sin and temptation. Christianity teaches us about God’s grace, forgiveness and redemption from that sin and temptation.
Notice how Paul, in Acts 14:15 exhorted the people to turn from their sin to God. Obviously to please God, we must believe in Him and trust Jesus Christ as Savior. That involves the confession that sin is evil and the decision that we no longer want a part in it.
Yet, our passions pull us back in. At this point we truly see how awesome the grace of God is, because even though we continue to struggle and fall, God continually forgives us. He loves us in spite of our weaknesses and failures.
When I read Dr. McGee’s statement that he falls short, and when I read Paul’s statements about his shortcomings, and when James mentions Elijah’s passions in James 5, I am reminded that I am not alone. You are not alone. We all struggle with sin, and come short of the glory of God.
But God be praised, He loves us anyway.
Don’t let sin and shame keep you out of the Lord’s presence. He already knows all about it. Come on in, and let Him love you through it.
The Point... 