For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11).
Grace is not just a theological concept, but it is a dynamic reality. Grace is not just about climate control, saving one from hell and getting one into paradise. Grace is the life-long experience of believers which grows them into the image of Christ. It has been said that there is no teaching, only learning; people who do not want to learn cannot be taught. Not all those who want safety from hell want to learn; grace is not irresistible. But, for those who truly value and treasure God's love, God's grace will train them as they live out their lives so that they will become more and more like Jesus (See 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
The purpose of grace is not to indulge sinful behavior, it is to lead people to become more and more like Jesus.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
THOUGHTS ABOUT GRACE 2
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come . . . the king was enraged . . . Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found , both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.
But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, "Friend, how did you come in there without wedding clothes?" And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (Be sure and read all of Matthew 22:1-14).
I believe this parable illustrates both the universe and the boundaries of God's grace. God's love extends to the farthermost star in the universe and all in this world benefit from it. The invitation to the feast is open to all, the good and the bad. It is in this way that God's grace has no limits--it extends to all.
Though the text does not say it, I have been told that it was customary for a wedding feast offered by a king in these times to include the wedding garment to each guest. It sounds reasonable because the very poor would have not been able to afford dress clothes. As well, it would have established each guest as being equal in value and importance. For the person who refused the wedding garment, he might have thought that his own garment was better than the king's garment, he might have thought himself to be more important than everyone else, but in any case it was a matter of disrespect to the king and the wedding. God offers the wedding garment, Jesus Christ, to all. Will you make the decision to wear it? Or, will you reject Him?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, "Friend, how did you come in there without wedding clothes?" And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (Be sure and read all of Matthew 22:1-14).
I believe this parable illustrates both the universe and the boundaries of God's grace. God's love extends to the farthermost star in the universe and all in this world benefit from it. The invitation to the feast is open to all, the good and the bad. It is in this way that God's grace has no limits--it extends to all.
Though the text does not say it, I have been told that it was customary for a wedding feast offered by a king in these times to include the wedding garment to each guest. It sounds reasonable because the very poor would have not been able to afford dress clothes. As well, it would have established each guest as being equal in value and importance. For the person who refused the wedding garment, he might have thought that his own garment was better than the king's garment, he might have thought himself to be more important than everyone else, but in any case it was a matter of disrespect to the king and the wedding. God offers the wedding garment, Jesus Christ, to all. Will you make the decision to wear it? Or, will you reject Him?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Saturday, July 26, 2014
THOUGHTS ABOUT GRACE
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
This summer the lovely and gracious Helen and I have had the privilege of hosting an intern. Daniel is a pastoral student working with the Sutherland Church of Christ, and we are enjoying having him stay with us.
One of the things we, the church, are having Daniel do is lead a Thursday evening worship service. We believe that a Thursday evening service might be helpful with evangelism and serving those who will not be available over the weekend. Daniel's theme for these Thursday evening worship services is 'The Living Room of God's Grace.'
Daniel's preaching about grace has spurred me to do some thinking about the universe and the boundaries of God's grace. First, I am going to share some thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer, was a Lutheran pastor who was hung by the Nazis because of his vocal and active opposition to them and their policies when other Christian voices were virtually silent.
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without a cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: "my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I hope these quotes from Bonhoeffer have precipitated some thinking about grace. In the days to follow I will share some of my own thinking about grace in light of Daniel and Bonhoeffer.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
This summer the lovely and gracious Helen and I have had the privilege of hosting an intern. Daniel is a pastoral student working with the Sutherland Church of Christ, and we are enjoying having him stay with us.
One of the things we, the church, are having Daniel do is lead a Thursday evening worship service. We believe that a Thursday evening service might be helpful with evangelism and serving those who will not be available over the weekend. Daniel's theme for these Thursday evening worship services is 'The Living Room of God's Grace.'
Daniel's preaching about grace has spurred me to do some thinking about the universe and the boundaries of God's grace. First, I am going to share some thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer, was a Lutheran pastor who was hung by the Nazis because of his vocal and active opposition to them and their policies when other Christian voices were virtually silent.
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without a cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: "my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I hope these quotes from Bonhoeffer have precipitated some thinking about grace. In the days to follow I will share some of my own thinking about grace in light of Daniel and Bonhoeffer.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
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