Why some Christians 'Hate' Grace. If that doesn't sound like a contradiction of mammoth proportions then I don't know what it is! Why would I or anyone say that? Grace is what we are saved by. Grace is an extension of God's Love. Grace is God's Gift to humanity which allows salvation in Jesus and life with God forever. How could anyone 'hate' Grace?
A brief review is in order here. Jn.3:16-17, "God loved the world of humanity so much that He gave His only begotten son for the salvation of the human race." ( My personal loose translation.) All of humanity was adopted into the life of God through Jesus before the foundation or creation of the world. (Eph.1:3-14). In Adam all humanity Died, but in Jesus the same all humanity are made alive with Jesus. I Corinthians 15:22. AND, are made alive in Jesus through His resurrection and seated at the right hand of the Father WITH Jesus. Eph.2:6.
Now. With that little review there do you begin to see why some, if not many Christians, 'hate' Grace? Well, let me tell you. This Grace which saves all of us is a gift from God not based on anything we humans can do to warrant or earn it. It is a gift. Eph.2:8. And, it is a gift for ALL. The price was RIGHT. The payment has been made for the whole world. I Jn.2:2. Sin is FORGIVEN. So, Grace applies to all people of all time of all places in all circumstances...simply, ALL. IF Grace applies to all, then it applies to ALL sinners, ALL sin, ALL evil done by humans, ALL disobedience, ALL broken laws of God, ALL anything that opposes God due to our hostile hearts against the God of Love. ALL !!!!!!!!!
The Christians of whom I wrote above in their smug self-righteousness of spiritual satisfaction within themselves due to their EFFORTS to be 'good' Christians simply can not believe that all those other lawbreakers, evil people, non church going heathen could possibly be covered by God's Grace and if one were to tell them that all these perverts were just as covered as they are then their immediate response would be," If that is Grace and it covers THEM, then I 'hate' Grace. Their response would likely be, " Then how in the "hell" would evil men ever be put into our favorite place of damnation and torture, HELL FIRE ? Something has to be done with all those 'bad' people!" Oh, I can hear them now.
Above, I did not finish the quote of John 3:17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to CONDEMN the world, but to save it."
Those who want Grace for themselves and not for the Most Sinful of the world miss completely the whole purpose of Grace in the first place. For in reality, We ALL are the MOST SINFUL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. If you haven't lately, go into your house and take a long look at the person in the mirror and realize that the love of God and His Grace covers all the people in the world who look like your kind...the human kind. Humanity. God's children. The ones Jesus died for and has made all the provisions for them to live with the Father forever. I ask you the same question Jesus asked Martha in John 11, " Do you believe?" She did !!! Do you?
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blogspot.com
Madison, Alabama
256-468-8081
God Bless,
Pastor Paul
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2 comments:
I think you've pretty much nailed it, Paul - at least what you've said is a fairly good reflection of why I used to hate grace and still struggle with it sometimes!
Jonathan, I wish this were not so, but evidently it is. Our self righteous hearts and minds are so judgemental as to try and make our selves something that we are NOT. To put others down and or relegate them to the "flames of Hell" surfices to salve our darkened minds to make us feel justified and therefore in God's good graces for ourselves.
Paul
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