Still Suspicious of Grace

A few months ago, I wrote a post entitled Suspicious of Grace. That phrase had struck me when my pastor used it in a sermon, and after meditating on the phrase for a while, I came to recognize both my own suspicion of grace and also the incredible power of grace in furthering the kingdom. Six months later, I am still meditating on the phrase.

Tonight, I watched a few minutes of a documentary on the life of Jesus. The discussion was on how He gathered His disciples and strategically began a religion that would change the world. It was a bit academic, but it made me think--what exactly is it about Jesus that changed the world? Why did His name expand globally with such a small initial following? What made Him stand out from all the other religions? In a word--GRACE.

He washed Judas' feet.

He healed the ear of the soldier coming to take Him to His death.

He prayed, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."

Jesus is distinctly different because He was full of grace. Ephesians 1 makes this clear. It lists the great scope of all our Father in heaven has been doing for us since before time began. And right in the middle of the discussion is the singular reason for all He has done for us--to the prasie of His glorious grace. God's glory is tied up in our understanding of and receiving of His grace.

God's glory is also tied up in our giving of grace to others.

Eph. 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6 32"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

This passage in Luke strikes me everytime I read it. Grace is God's calling card--this is what He is known for. HE IS KIND TO THE UNGRATEFUL AND EVIL. Wow!!! And if we are being conformed to His image, this is a major piece of His character we are called to reflect.

Yet I remain suspicious of grace. I would have never washed Judas' feet. I would have given him a piece of my mind for selling me out. Or maybe cried before him to let him know how much he had hurt me. Or sent him out of the room in righteous anger. He's betraying the Son of God! He deserves some righteous anger!

I'm humbled by Jesus' example on the cross. "Father, they are ignorant. They do not know what they are doing. They are caught up in the crowd. They are foolish and immature in their thought patterns. As they mock me while I am dying for them on the cross, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing. "

Why does God choose grace? I don't know! But I believe the fact that He has chosen to show His glory to us through His grace demands that we value it as He does. That we examine our lives against His example on it. That we choose it over worldly methods in conflict.

God is rooting out sin in the world and furthering His kingdom by His grace. May we believe in His chosen method and adopt it as our own. Don't be suspicious of grace--either God's grace toward you or His call for you to choose grace toward another. Give God the glory due His name by praising His glorious grace to you and demonstrating this same grace to the one who has sinned against you.

To the praise of His glorious grace.