This is part 5 of my grace blog series.
Check out part 1 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved
Check out part 2 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : condemnation (2)
Check out part 3 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : self-righteousness (3)
Check out part 4 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : shift (4)
Before we get to what a proper understanding of life under grace looks like, let's talk about one more lifestyle that comes from an improper understanding of the relationship between grace and the law. The last two lifestyles we talked about came out of a focus on personal action rather than on God's action in us. We can get so obsessed with fixing ourselves or become so blind to our own sin and satisfied with our own merits that we lose sight of our desperate need for Jesus to be our righteousness.
This next lifestyle happens when we become so comfortable in the freedom God's grace gives us that we chase freedom rather than the God who freed us. Maybe that sounds a little cryptic. Plainly, as Paul states it, we sin so that grace abounds all the more. We push the boundaries so far that eventually our boundaries are so blurred we don't even know where they are. We take part in that gossip or make that bad decision or go to that place we know we shouldn't go, thinking, "God will forgive me. I won't do it again (yeah, right). Just this once." We knowingly sin because we know that our sins are forgiven.
Just as trying to earn our salvation by keeping the law (impossible!) shows disregard for Jesus's death and resurrection, sinning intentionally with the mindset that we are already forgiven shows that God's grace has not transformed us. Tullian Tchividjian writes, "Grace inspires what the law demands." God's grace is completely free. We don't do anything to earn it. However, once we truly receive his gift of salvation by grace through faith, our lives can't look like they did before. Get this, God's grace doesn't have stipulations. It is truly one way love. It is truly free. It is always undeserved. It's not, "Promise me you'll change your life, and I'll save you." It is, "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Our salvation is secure when we call on his name. However, doesn't this free gift stir something up in you? Like, if somebody gave me a billion dollars today for no reason and with no stipulations, I probably wouldn't go spend it all in one place. Out of respect and gratefulness, I would do something good with that money. Even more, the holy God sacrifices his only Son, saving his enemies (us!--Romans 5:10) from hell, and gives us eternal life. Out of gratefulness and a desire to know him more, I live according to his Word.
In One Way Love, Tullian Tchividjian makes a good point. People often define two types of ways to misunderstand grace--legalism and licentiousness. One puts too little emphasis on grace, and the other puts too much emphasis on grace. We either try to gain salvation through the law, or we break the law because we already have salvation. However, Tullian writes that actually both of these are legalism. In one case, we make rules for salvation; in the other, we break rules for salvation. Both misconceptions come from relying on rules (rather making or breaking them) for salvation. There's no such thing as "too much grace." There's no "proper balance" of grace and law. Salvation is all grace. However, our lives are a reflection of how well we understand the grace we've received. Living a lifestyle of legalism or licentiousness after receiving grace is evidence of a disconnect between what we think we know in our heads and what we believe in our hearts.
A speaker at a conference I attended once used a fantastic analogy. Encountering God is like getting slammed by an eighteen-wheeler. You don't go away from that unchanged. In fact, your life is most likely forever changed. In the same way, encountering the free grace of God leaves us no choice but to live differently. Grace inspires what the law demands. Let's live out of inspiration, not out of obligation.
I pray that God's unbelievable grace captivates your attention, transforms your thinking, and changes your life from the inside out. We'll talk about what that looks like next time. Blessings to you!
Check out part 1 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved
Check out part 2 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : condemnation (2)
Check out part 3 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : self-righteousness (3)
Check out part 4 here: desperately wicked // unbelievably loved : shift (4)
Before we get to what a proper understanding of life under grace looks like, let's talk about one more lifestyle that comes from an improper understanding of the relationship between grace and the law. The last two lifestyles we talked about came out of a focus on personal action rather than on God's action in us. We can get so obsessed with fixing ourselves or become so blind to our own sin and satisfied with our own merits that we lose sight of our desperate need for Jesus to be our righteousness.
This next lifestyle happens when we become so comfortable in the freedom God's grace gives us that we chase freedom rather than the God who freed us. Maybe that sounds a little cryptic. Plainly, as Paul states it, we sin so that grace abounds all the more. We push the boundaries so far that eventually our boundaries are so blurred we don't even know where they are. We take part in that gossip or make that bad decision or go to that place we know we shouldn't go, thinking, "God will forgive me. I won't do it again (yeah, right). Just this once." We knowingly sin because we know that our sins are forgiven.
Just as trying to earn our salvation by keeping the law (impossible!) shows disregard for Jesus's death and resurrection, sinning intentionally with the mindset that we are already forgiven shows that God's grace has not transformed us. Tullian Tchividjian writes, "Grace inspires what the law demands." God's grace is completely free. We don't do anything to earn it. However, once we truly receive his gift of salvation by grace through faith, our lives can't look like they did before. Get this, God's grace doesn't have stipulations. It is truly one way love. It is truly free. It is always undeserved. It's not, "Promise me you'll change your life, and I'll save you." It is, "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Our salvation is secure when we call on his name. However, doesn't this free gift stir something up in you? Like, if somebody gave me a billion dollars today for no reason and with no stipulations, I probably wouldn't go spend it all in one place. Out of respect and gratefulness, I would do something good with that money. Even more, the holy God sacrifices his only Son, saving his enemies (us!--Romans 5:10) from hell, and gives us eternal life. Out of gratefulness and a desire to know him more, I live according to his Word.
In One Way Love, Tullian Tchividjian makes a good point. People often define two types of ways to misunderstand grace--legalism and licentiousness. One puts too little emphasis on grace, and the other puts too much emphasis on grace. We either try to gain salvation through the law, or we break the law because we already have salvation. However, Tullian writes that actually both of these are legalism. In one case, we make rules for salvation; in the other, we break rules for salvation. Both misconceptions come from relying on rules (rather making or breaking them) for salvation. There's no such thing as "too much grace." There's no "proper balance" of grace and law. Salvation is all grace. However, our lives are a reflection of how well we understand the grace we've received. Living a lifestyle of legalism or licentiousness after receiving grace is evidence of a disconnect between what we think we know in our heads and what we believe in our hearts.
A speaker at a conference I attended once used a fantastic analogy. Encountering God is like getting slammed by an eighteen-wheeler. You don't go away from that unchanged. In fact, your life is most likely forever changed. In the same way, encountering the free grace of God leaves us no choice but to live differently. Grace inspires what the law demands. Let's live out of inspiration, not out of obligation.
I pray that God's unbelievable grace captivates your attention, transforms your thinking, and changes your life from the inside out. We'll talk about what that looks like next time. Blessings to you!
No comments:
Post a Comment