Galatians 6:1 Brothers
and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should
restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be
tempted.
This day—this very moment—millions are living their lives in
shame, fear, and intimidation who should be free, productive individuals. The
tragedy is they think it is the way they should be. They have never known the
truth that could set them free. They are victimized, existing as if living on
death row instead of enjoying the beauty and fresh air of the abundant life
Christ modeled and made possible for all of His followers to claim.
Unfortunately, most don't have a clue as to what they are missing.
That whole package, in a word, is grace. That's what is
being assaulted so continually, so violently. Those who aren't comfortable
denying it have decided to debate it. Similar to the days of the Protestant
Reformation, grace has again become a theological football kicked from one end
of the field to the other as theologians and preachers, scholars and students
argue over terms like frustrated coaches on opposite sides trying to gain
advantage over each other. It is a classic no-win debate that trivializes the
issue and leaves the masses who watch the fight from the stands confused,
polarized, or worst of all, bored. Grace was meant to be received and lived out
to the fullest, not dissected and analyzed by those who would rather argue than
eat. Enough of this! It's time for grace to be awakened and released, not
denied . . . to be enjoyed and freely given, not debated.
Grace received but unexpressed is dead grace. To spend one's
time debating how grace is received or how much commitment is necessary for
salvation, without getting into what it means to live by grace and enjoy the
magnificent freedom it provides, quickly leads to a counterproductive argument.
It becomes little more than another tedious trivial pursuit where the majority
of God's people spend days looking back and asking, "How did we receive
it?" instead of looking ahead and announcing, "Grace is ours . . . let's
live it!" Deny it or debate it and we kill it. My plea is that we claim it
and allow it to set us free. When we do, grace will become what it was meant to
be—really amazing! When that happens, our whole countenance changes.
Thought for today:
Do I fully embrace grace?
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