What If Grace is True?

I was encouraged to read a book lately that has really solidified my faith. The book is Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges (click here for more info). It's not the first book I have ever read on the topic of grace. In fact, I have read many books on the subject. But this is the first that really makes no apologies for God's grace. Most books on grace, even from solid evangelical Christian authors, attempt to include "disclaimers" on grace, making the reader beleive that it is grace that saves us but our own good works that keep us in such a state.

I have to admit that it is tempting for me to buy into the line of thinking that says God's grace simply makes up what I am lacking. In other words, His grace "fills in the gaps" so that I can live a life that is pleasing to him. It's tempting to think this way, but it is a lie. God doesn't fill in the gaps. He fills me up completely - top to bottom. I don't have anything to offer to God that he needs. If he had needs he wouldn't be God. So, God's grace is based on his merit, not mine. And this grace is the same grace that brings what we like to call in the evangelical world justification (or salvation), sanctification, and glorification.

Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Period. It really is that simple. No work. No toil. No offering. God saves based on the sacrifice Jesus made, not any attempt you or I my make to sacrifice ourselves. Grace is a FREE gift.

Many understand this "saving grace," but are quick to leave the entirety of grace in that state. It saves, but that is all it does. This leads many Christians to a works-based system of living. Every day is filled with "service to God" that is performed out of duty and obligation, primarily because it is thought that this is the way to "hold on" to salvation. But since you didn't earn your salvation, what makes you think you can lose it? How can you lose something that wasn't yours to begin with and wasn't given based on your ability to keep it?

Grace saves, but it also sanctifies. Sanctify is one of those "Christianese" words that sounds real fancy, but it really just means "to set apart, or consecrate." (consecrate - set apart as sacred) So, a believer in Jesus is set apart to God through faith. This is the process of transformation that takes a lifetime to work out. Many amazing things happen to us at the moment we believe in Jesus (too many for me to go into in this short article), but we also begin a process from that point of surrendering our desires and decision-making processes to God. This process is often called sanctification. And it is also where many get hung up on the works-based means of thinking that is opposed to God's grace.

Try to think about God's grace not in terms of what it "allows" you to do (such as 'getting away with sin'), but rather what his grace "affords" you to accomplish (i.e. honesty, purity, gentleness, self-control, peace, love, joy, etc.). When you begin to see grace as the fuel behind the supernatural changes that God works into your mind and behaviors it takes on a different hue. It is by grace you have been saved. Grace is powerful stuff. It isn't some weak, passive characteristic of God. It is the avenue to discovering the immeasurable riches of the Almighty.

So, what if this is really true about grace? I'd say it could change your life...

Still amazed by grace,

jonathan