I’ve heard grace defined as “God’s unmerited favor,” or “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” But, these definitions come nowhere near what grace is. Grace isn’t just unmerited. It’s freedom from what we do merit. And, even that isn’t enough.
Grace is a very natural arm of God’s love nature. I’ve written about this before in here, actually on May 2nd, but it’s a large topic with many facets. In this article, we’ll look at the problem both Christians and non-Christians have with grace.
Grace is one of those things we can’t explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it. It’s like trying to describe the color blue to a woman who has been blind her whole life. In one of the early Star Trek movies, Spock had died, his body had been cloned, and his consciousness implanted into his cloned body. McCoy turns to him in one scene and asks Spock to describe what it was like to be dead. Spock says McCoy would need a common point of reference for them to discuss it at all. Grace is like that. We can only discuss it fully with someone who has experienced it.
Christians may know in their minds they have been completely forgiven of their sins. We have a clean slate. We have been justified to stand in the presence of the Great and Holy God. That’s what we “think,” but do we “feel” that is true. Have our hearts accepted it? Do we lead our lives as if God looks at us as a clean vessel? When we feel God is leading us to do something huge and exciting for Him, do we jump at the chance to serve Him, or do we listen to another spirit telling us we’re unworthy to serve? Sadly, I think the latter is very often true of our responses.
I don’t blame Christians, though. I feel the same way. I have to consciously press through it. Like you, sometimes I don’t and God raises up someone else. I’ve missed the blessing and not fulfilled my job description.
In his book, The Seven Laws of the Learner, Bruce Wilkinson tells a story of one time when he needed to fire a worker at “WalkThrough the Bible.” He thought he would just sit her down and ask her how she liked her job, and she would fire herself. To his surprise, she loved her job, and she started to describe all the things she was doing to support the ministry and to serve God. Wilkinson said when the interview was over, he felt like giving her a raise. Then it struck him. She wasn’t fulfilling her job description. One day, we will stand before God, and He will hand us two lists: a list of what He had for us to do and a second list of what we actually did. We all want those two lists to match, but our disbelief in grace may prevent that.
Grace is a problem for the non-Christian as well. It sounds too good. It isn’t reasonable, though. “But, you don’t know what I’ve done” is a common response. Grace is both the answer to the sin of the world and a major hurdle. Compared to most, I’ve lived a pretty clean life. I was in the Navy, yes, but I never went to sea, never left California for that matter. I spent most of my time off visiting my Christian girlfriend. So, my opportunities for sin were lessened. Even with that, I felt unworthy to accept God’s grace when I asked for it on Oct. 16, 1975. Other non-believers feel the same.
I’ve pressed all of God’s buttons over the years. I’ve sinned like the rest. I know how I am, and so does God. I also know enough about God that I know He wouldn’t allow someone like me in His presence . . . unless. It’s the “unless” that makes all the difference. “Unless” Someone has cleansed me so I can stand before Our Holy God without fear.
When the women went to the tomb in Matthew 28, they encountered an angel. There were also Roman guards there. What the angel said speaks clearly of grace:
Matthew 28:5 (ESV) But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
The angel didn’t tell the pagan Roman soldiers not to be afraid. He told the women. Why? Because they were seeking Jesus.
Why Is This Important?
Often we as Christians need to step out in faith and just do what God tells us without examining ourselves to see if we’re worthy. We’re not. It is Christ in us who does the work.
The rub comes when we try to explain grace to a non-believer. It’s hard for them to accept this emotionally. We need to recognize this in order to better share the gospel. The resistance we see may not be a resistance to Christ but a logical problem. Explaining that God is anxious to wipe the slate clean and start a new for them is breathtaking and difficult to accept. It will take the work of the Holy Spirit to show them.
Augustine said, “I must first believe in order to understand.” That is certainly true of God’s grace.
For us, a good exercise to better grasp God’s grace in our lives is to review the things God has done for us. David did this often, and so should we. When we remember God has brought wonderful things into our lives, spared us from certain disaster, or used us to greatly do His will, it’s easier for us to step out believing God and do what He asks no matter how difficult it may seem.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 