We are blessed God is good and gracious, that He is always longsuffering and kind. He is not at all like us, full of limitations, and our kindness is more of an exception rather than an unalterable rule. James wrote of God's grace to believers in in James 4:4-6: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with
the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who
dwells in us yearns jealously"? 6 But
He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the
proud, but gives grace to the
humble." Married couples who desire a monogamous relationship are not pleased or tolerant with their spouse committing adultery. To willingly enter into the covenant of marriage and then seek other lovers would rightly be seen as unacceptable. In a very direct way, James rebuked believers for their quarrels, lusts and love of the world that brought conflict in their relationships with one another and also provoked God to jealousy for their misguided affections and desires.
Jesus taught adultery is a matter of the heart the Law of Moses could not fully address. It must have shocked Jewish hearers of Jesus who were versed in the Law when He said even looking at a woman with lust was as sinful as sleeping with her! In God's eyes, adultery with the woman had already been committed because of the wayward heart. If we were to apply this principle with friendship of the world--the love of money, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life--it is apparent we have been guilty of spiritual adultery because we have not always valued or loved God as much as what we can see, obtain and experience. Yet what was God's response all those times? "But He gives more grace." Though God is righteous and jealous for our love, trust and obedience, even after knowing this we have not always responded by faithfulness to Him. We have put our trust in ourselves, in others and looked for hope in things other than God--even as an unfaithful spouse casts a wistful glance or seeks attention from others they find attractive.
God gives more grace, and He continues to be gracious despite our proclivity to unfaithfulness. Like a good shepherd cares for the sheep of his flock, God convicts of us sin, pursues us, speaks gently to us and accepts us despite our foolishness. It is important we realise grace is undeserved favour from God the humble are enabled by God to receive. God resists the proud, and this resistance is also a revelation of God's grace. God could destroy the proud without remedy in a moment, but He resists them so they might see their need for Him. He gives grace to the humble--not because they are worthy or have earned the right to such grace--but out of His goodness and kindness demonstrated to all people. Rather than being those who withhold grace from others until they show themselves worthy, let us be as God who gives more grace. And when we have given grace, let us give more grace we humbly receive by faith from the inexhaustible stores of our Father in heaven.
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