Thu 5 Mar, 2009
Reason 5 – To Show the Wealth of God’s Love and Grace Towards Sinners
Comments (1) Filed under: Lent
“The measure of God’s love for us is shown by two things. One is the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sin. The other is the degree of unworthiness that we had when he saved us. We can hear the measure of his sacrifice in the words, “He gave his only son” (John 3:16). The measure of his love for us increases still more when we consider our unworthiness. I have heard it said, “God didn’t die for frogs. We are worse off than frogs. They have not sinned. They have not rebelled and treated God with the contempt of being inconsequential in their lives. God did not have to die for frogs. They aren’t bad enough. We are. Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.”
Reflecting on this quote reminds me of the futility of trying to impress God in an attempt to win favor. What separates true Christianity from other religions is not the ritual or the requirements but, in fact the lack of them. Christianity is not the religion of do’s and don’ts as some people believe or as others attempt to change it into, but a religion of God’s initiative and grace shown to sinners. I used to see God’s grace as a reward for doing what I thought was right. However, that violates the fundamental definition of grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God shown to ill-deserving people. It comes to us by the power of God, through Gospel with the purpose of saving sinners which ultimately glorifies God. God’s grace irresistibly draws, it commands, it empowers, it transforms. It creates a desire in the hearts of people to love God as more valuable than anything else. It transforms those who have no place for God or those who want to gain His attention or those who only see him as saver from hell, ticket to heaven conductor, sin forgiver, gift giver, body healer, etc into those who see him as the “pearl of great prize”. Too many times today, grace is portrayed as a sort of unending free banquet table set before gluttons. We can consume as much as we want and never have to worry about it being taken away. This is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer referred to as “cheap grace” or “God’s grace we bestow on ourselves”. However God’s value of grace is just the opposite. It’s costly. Not that we have to pay or work for it in some way but that fact that its value is of infinite value. It was earned on our behalf by the suffering and death of Jesus. Grace is costly because it cost God his Son and it’s bestowed by His hand, not ours, for His glory in the name of His Son.
Questions. Do you view yourself being worthy of grace? Do you view God’s grace a reward to you for doing something good for Him? If we had the power to do something good for God apart from His grace, what would be the value of Jesus death?
For an appreciation of grace and its cost, see Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book “The Cost of Discipleship”
Quote from “The 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die”.
Picture – The cross at Mount Erebus, Antarctica, commemorating the 1979 Air New Zealand Crash near Mount Erebus.
One of my favorite quotes: "To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have the power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ to none effect" – John Owen, English Puritan Theologian
Art says:
Excuse me for commenting on my own post but I found this press release from the Associated Press to be very applicable.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTOaErApAETxNxC2PtEnxqPtRpSQD96NCKMG1
I must ask, what does giving up something for Lent accomplish? It is clear from the comments of people in this article and others on Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other news outlets, that the reason’s are as diverse as people. If there is an official reason, clearly the people who observe Lent in this way are now aware of it.