Even those of us who have tasted the radical saving grace of God find it naturally difficult not to put conditions on grace (e.g., “Don’t take it too far, keep it balanced”). The truth is, however, that a “yes, grace, but” posture is the kind of posture that perpetuates slavery in our lives and in the church. Grace is radically unbalanced. It has no “but.” It’s unconditional, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and undomesticated.
As Doug Wilson put it, “Grace is wild. Grace unsettles everything. Grace overflows the banks. Grace messes up your hair. Grace is not tame…. Unless we are making the devout nervous, we are not preaching grace as we ought.” Graces scares us monumentally in every way because it wrestles control out of our hands. However much we hate of are uncomfortable with law, we are more afraid of grace.
Gerhard Forde, in his wonderful book Justification by Faith: A Matter of Death & Life, says that “the gospel of justification by faith is such a shocker, just an explosion, because it is an absolutely unconditional promise. It is not an ‘if-then’ kind of statement, but a ‘because-therefore’ pronouncement: because Jesus died and rose, your sins are forgiven and you are righteous in the sight of God!”
BOTTOM LINE:
Contrary to what we conclude naturally, the gospel is not too good to be true. It is true! No strings attached. No buts. No conditions. No need for balance. If you’re a Christian, you are right now under the completely sufficient imputed righteousness of Christ. Have you shared this good news today?
May 25 It Is Finished: 365 Days of Good News Tullian Tchividjian
NEXT UP: We’re leaving Thursday 6 AM for Amherst MA for our grandson’s second birthday returning June 10. I’m planning to do a three day post of Tom Rath’s candid & personal examination of the way we invest or steward our physical daily activities in the introduction to one of his books, Eat, Move, Sleep: How Small Choices Make a Big Difference. And, I’m not planning on including any scripture for you budding atheists, agnostics, etc, a trifled annoyed at my persistence. This blog is all purely invitational, you can unsubscribe anytime. Email me directly, if you experience difficulties unsubscribing. Or, on the hand, if you enjoy the venue and know others who may also, share the address. We’re always seeking to lengthen the table, or broaden the porch and the surrounding patio. Time is short. Focus. Blessings everyone.
PS: A few minutes ago, @4:40 AM, dailylightdevotional.org led me to Hebrews 4:11 about resting; I’d be remiss not to include this scripture as it is so appropriate for this post. As is Utmost today titled “Yes-But…! “Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it.” Also, in today’s NIV One Year Bible, the OT details events while King David is exiting the palace for Absalom, the NT details Peter’s thrice denial and Pilate’s lines “What is Truth?” and “What I have written, I have written.”
Go forth today under THE influence!
Hebrews 4:4-16 (MSG)
4. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,”
5. but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.”
6. So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient.
7. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation: Today, please listen, don’t turn a deaf ear…
8. And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.”
9. The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people.
10. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God.
11. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.
12. God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey.
13. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.
14. Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers.
15. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin.
16. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.