I never get tired of writing about grace. I’ll quote from that old sage, Randy Quaid in “Christmas Vacation”, “it’s the gift that keeps on givin’.” But in all seriousness, grace really is the “free gift”, as scripture describes it, that continues to have different meanings every time that we experience it. Grace is the gift we continue to unwrap!
We tend to think of grace in general terms as something that God gives to us that we don’t deserve. Although this is true, it is a very general definition that doesn’t do God’s grace justice. As human beings we are constantly the recipients of grace from a loving God but we truly don’t know all of the ways in which our lives are impacted and upheld by this religious affection.
Did you know that there are many different kinds of grace? Most often, grace is associated with our salvation because this is the greatest grace shown to us as sinners. However, there is grace that encompasses every part of our lives. Common grace, delivering grace, the grace of longsuffering, uncomfortable grace and saving grace just to name a few. Each of these are different aspects of the over-arching grace of God.
Common grace is that which is extended to all mankind. Examples of common grace would be the ability to work and provide for one’s family, overall health, the balance of the ecosystem on planet earth to provide food and sustainable living conditions. Life in general is a common grace since God is not obligated to extend anything but death to the sinner. “Every good and every perfect gift comes down from God!”(James 1:17) So, anything good we have in life belongs to and comes directly from Him!
Next is delivering grace. We all like this kind of grace. Usually this is the grace that we ask for the most in our lives. Grace that would deliver us from our trials, temptations, hardships and overall discomfort that comes with living in a fallen world. This is what our Savior prayed for in the garden when He asked, “If it is possible, may this cup pass from me.” (Luke 22:42) If it was possible for our redemption to be secured any other way, Jesus, fully God and fully man, was asking for deliverance. As we know, it was not extended to Him. Praise God that it was not! Our salvation was bought by God the Father not extending grace to Jesus in that moment. What a lesson for us in understanding the concept of unanswered prayer and the preciousness of the grace we experience!
Longsuffering or merciful grace is that which God extends to the unrepentant sinner or the child of God who is wayward. The Bible talks about a “sin leading to death” in 1 John 5:16; although this is an often difficult passage of scripture, it tells us that God’s grace has an end. We can trample and take advantage of God’s grace to the point that He no longer extends grace but retracts it! This is what is known in scripture as “hardness of heart.” Scripture is clear that this condition not only affects unbelievers such as Pharoah but also believers like the disciples. The gospel of Mark records in 6:52 that “their [disciples] heart was hardened.” The idea here is of a stone that is not malleable. No matter how hard you try, a stone will never yield to the touch of your hand. Oh that we would be so careful not to presume upon the graciousness of the Lord!
Uncomfortable grace is a new one for me. Not new in practice but new in theory. I have most definitely experienced uncomfortable grace but was not familiar with the term until recently. Paul Tripp defines it this way, “uncomfortable grace is God putting us into situations that we would not put ourselves in so that He can work out somethings in us that we would not work out on our own.” In other words, sometimes we are comfortable with where we are in our Christian walk. We don’t want to be stretched, confronted or refined. We are happy to stay where we are but the Lord is never content with leaving us somewhat sanctified; there is no such thing! Sanctification is the process by which believers are made into the image of Christ and I have yet to meet anyone who has attained that standard! Our walk is always moving. We aren’t stopping with the Lord or moving backwards. He is about our growth and perseverance. He is for us! And “if God is for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
Lastly, the most precious of all the graces, saving grace. If you haven’t figured out by now, our God is a gracious God. It encompasses all that He does from His glory filling the earth to His concern for the smallest detail in our lives. Salvation is His crowning glory. Just as common grace is extended to saints and sinners alike, death is our just punishment in the face of a holy God. God could have chosen not to reconcile sin and leave us to die in our trespasses…and He would have been right. But in His infinite grace and His perfect wisdom He CHOSE the cross. Can you fathom that? There was no reason for Him to offer salvation. There was no reason for Jesus to endure Calvary. No other reason other than grace.
I am often reminded of the words to the hymn “Marvelous Grace”. When was the last time you marveled at the grace of God?
“Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured; there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God’s grace! Grace that will pardon and cleanse within!
Grace, grace, God’s grace! Grace that is greater than all my sin!
Is there really any better time to reflect on the grace of God than Christmas?
Christmas is the beginning of Easter, the beginning of our salvation, the point in time where all of history converged. The very purpose of all of life for every single human being from Genesis to Revelation, including you and me, is wrapped up in 33 years of God on earth…and it began with Christmas! Jesus, the baby in a manger, God incarnate is grace.
Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment