Cheap Grace or Saving Grace?
This is based on an internet discussion in August 2000, which can be found here:
[FANDiscussion] 2000 years ago (1)
[FANDiscussion] 2000 years ago (2)
[FANDiscussion] 2000 years ago (1)
[FANDiscussion] 2000 years ago (2)
Someone once said to me, "Once we receive God's grace we have nothing else to do to earn it. It's already ours. Everything else, including obedience to God's laws, teachings, admonitions, directions, etc. have no bearing whatsoever on that gift that is already [ours]."
Is that true? Let's think about it for a moment.
God's gift of grace has infinite bearing on our obedience to God's laws, teachings, etc. What we could not do in that we are weak in the flesh, God did by sending His Son into our hearts. Therefore, the law is fulfilled in us in whom He resides. See Romans 8:3-4. As we receive God's grace, it imputes to us righteousness and forgiveness for our sin, and imparts to us power to overcome our sins.
I want to make sure you catch everything in that last sentence. Analyze it while comparing and contrasting these terms: impute/impart, righteousness/power, forgiveness/overcome, and sin/sins.
We can never do anything to earn or deserve grace, but grace in our lives will transform our lives of sin to lives of holiness. The kingdom of grace is a kingdom of infinite power. The obedience that we fail to give, therefore necessitating grace, is the obedience that ALWAYS follows the reception of grace. See Titus 2:11-14. Saving grace is forgiving grace, which is always enabling grace.
Cheap grace is like soap that you rub all over, but you come out of the shower as dirty as before. Grace that leaves the sinner as sinful as he was before receiving this so-called "grace" is cheap grace. Cheap grace is cheap, not because of a lack of conditions, but because of a lack of effect. Cheap grace is cheap, not because it costs nothing, but because it is worth nothing.
On the other hand, saving grace provides salvation from death and, despite what many teach, salvation from sin. That's God's grace. See Matthew 1:21 and Titus 2:11-14.
Is that true? Let's think about it for a moment.
God's gift of grace has infinite bearing on our obedience to God's laws, teachings, etc. What we could not do in that we are weak in the flesh, God did by sending His Son into our hearts. Therefore, the law is fulfilled in us in whom He resides. See Romans 8:3-4. As we receive God's grace, it imputes to us righteousness and forgiveness for our sin, and imparts to us power to overcome our sins.
I want to make sure you catch everything in that last sentence. Analyze it while comparing and contrasting these terms: impute/impart, righteousness/power, forgiveness/overcome, and sin/sins.
We can never do anything to earn or deserve grace, but grace in our lives will transform our lives of sin to lives of holiness. The kingdom of grace is a kingdom of infinite power. The obedience that we fail to give, therefore necessitating grace, is the obedience that ALWAYS follows the reception of grace. See Titus 2:11-14. Saving grace is forgiving grace, which is always enabling grace.
Cheap grace is like soap that you rub all over, but you come out of the shower as dirty as before. Grace that leaves the sinner as sinful as he was before receiving this so-called "grace" is cheap grace. Cheap grace is cheap, not because of a lack of conditions, but because of a lack of effect. Cheap grace is cheap, not because it costs nothing, but because it is worth nothing.
On the other hand, saving grace provides salvation from death and, despite what many teach, salvation from sin. That's God's grace. See Matthew 1:21 and Titus 2:11-14.