Free Grace

The cheapening of God's grace is not a new phenomenon.  Just because God's grace is freely given does not mean it is cheap.  The display of Christ's love on the cross cost Him His life, and carrying our cross will always come at a cost.  If your Christianity has been obtained without cost, it is worthless.  Many people every year buy tickets to sporting events from scalpers that are fake.  Thousands of real dollars are spent on fake tickets that seem like the real thing.  But when the tickets are scanned at the turnstile, the tickets are proved worthless.  They came at a monetary cost but were not genuine.  Many people believe they have obtained salvation and entrance into heaven, but it will not be until their end when the truth is revealed.

The Pharisees spent their entire lives working to fulfill the law through keeping it as best they could.  Every aspect of daily living was carefully examined.  Years were spent reading and memorizing the Torah.  Everything revolved around public prayer, worship, sacrifice, and righteous outward conduct.  Jesus says in John 5:39:  "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."  In all of their labors the Pharisees remained filled with spiritual pride, confident that by their good deeds they would be accepted by God.  They were wrong, and Jesus told them so.  The scriptures point to Christ as Messiah and Savior.  Because all have sinned, a sinless One would be sacrificed so those who repent and trust in Him would be saved.

Look at the men and women of scripture.  David would not offer the LORD as a sacrifice what cost him nothing.  Paul was physically and verbally assaulted many times by both Jew and Gentile, having lost the respect and honor his former role as a Pharisee commanded.  Stephen was stoned to death, and James was beheaded.  "Ah, but we need not suffer like that any more," some say.  "We live in a day of tolerance and acceptance."  Perhaps that is your view, but tell that to the Christians who suffer imprisonment, torture, and death in North Korea, China, Vietnam, and practically every Muslim country.  There are many ways to suffer that do not include beheadings and imprisonment.  People are vilified in America as well as in every "free" country in this world when they speak with the authority of Jesus Christ, because they will oppose the wickedness of this age.  Careers are cut short, promotions are withheld, legal action is taken, homes and business vandalized, and many have suffered the rejection of friends and family.

So what is our payment for this grace freely given from God?  Our lives.  We will be led by God in faith to do things that are not comfortable to our flesh, because we are to deny ourselves daily and follow Christ.  In 2 Cor. 11:23-28, Paul describes sacrifice and trials which remain common to the true Christian experience:  "...in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [27] in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- [28] besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches."  Paul did not obtain grace because he endured these things.  Because he endured these things that is strong evidence he freely received the grace of God.

One of my deepest concerns for the church today is people are deceived into believing they are born again but are not.  They are comfortable with knowledge and blind to their own hypocrisy.  They live vicariously through solid preaching, inspirational stories of missionaries and martyrs, cheer those who do sacrifice for God, but would never do it themselves.  They sit on the sidelines when God has told them to get into the game.  And when their days are done God will say to them, "Depart from me, I never knew you!"  Many have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness and an excuse to do nothing.  The Pharisees were concerned about outer appearances, but God looks at the heart.  A repentant thief and murderer being strapped into an electric chair is closer to the Kingdom of God than most people who wake up early, dress in fine clothes, grab their heavily-marked Bibles, and go to church on Sunday.

At what cost have you received the grace of God?   It is freely given, but to be received comes at a price.  If it is genuine it has been costly.  If it is costly it will be precious to you.  You would never trade it for anything!  All the sacrifice in the world is simply the dust on the scale in comparison to the weighty, infinite grace of God.  God's grace is free, but not without cost.  Search me O God, and know my heart.  See if there be anything at all that will keep me from hearing you, keep me from loving you, keep me from knowing you, keep me from obeying you, keep me from serving you, dear LORD.