The Mystery Of Grace

I’m convinced I will never fully understand God’s grace.  I was born a sinner (like everyone else) it’s not like I’m perfect just because I have a blog and am talking about these things.  I’m not proud of being a sinner either.  I don’t celebrate it as some are in the habit of doing.  I try not to judge other people who are also struggling with their own sins…though I must admit that can be difficult depending on the situation, but I digress.

I’ll never understand why God continues to love me when I continue to sin.  Most often it’s the same things over and over again, and I can’t stand it when I do them.  I repent and say that it’ll never happen again…and then it does….what was the point in repenting in the first place if I was just going to fall again?

God loves me (and you) so much that he sent his only son Jesus to die (and be raised again) for all of our sins.   If God had not done that, we would not have a chance to have a restored relationship with Him.  When Jesus died it was enough to cover all of our sins.  He didn’t have to, but he volunteered.  How crazy is that?

The idea of covering for our sin goes back to Old Testament times when the Israelites had to bring sacrifices of spotless sheep or doves to the temple (or Tabernacle…depending on which part of the Old Testament you’re reading) of the Lord at different times of the year.  After Jesus died and was raised again, people did not need to do that ritual anymore because it was all paid for, everything we’ve done…and everything we will do.

However, this massive show of grace doesn’t mean we should just keep on sinning, as we grow as Christians, the Holy Spirit will work in us to change or attitudes towards sinful habits we may have previously enjoyed.  This doesn’t happen overnight though.  We must keep fighting to be free of the things that cause us to sin.

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Ephesians 2

New International Version (NIV)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

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Our default destination as people, once life is over, is Hell.  Hell is a real place and it’s not much fun from what I’ve heard.  Jesus’ offer of Salvation is open to absolutely everyone.  None of us deserve it, we can’t do anything to make Him think we deserve it.  We need to accept it and submit to his ways so that God can make us holy as He is holy.  The submitting part is easier said than done a lot of times, but that’s for another blog post.

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