Lavish Grace

What’s so Amazing about Grace? As part of our HOPE curriculum we recently read Philip Yancey’s book by that title. The book was very encouraging because it helped me to better comprehend God’s truly amazing grace, love, and forgiveness. It was also very challenging because we are called to pass on God’s grace, love, and forgiveness to others.

We are called to pass them on in both word and deed. This is our job as Christ’s ambassadors. I suppose I’ve generally found it easier to explain God’s love/grace/forgiveness than to live them out. However, recently I’ve had a few conversations that have challenged this idea. I am trying to share with people who struggle to comprehend that it is truly by grace and through faith that we are saved.

Work’s based religion is a temptation for all of us, Christians and non-Christians. We want to earn and deserve God’s favor. But the Bible explains that we cannot work hard enough or become good enough to earn or deserve God’s love and forgiveness.

That is where grace comes in: God gives us better than we deserve. In salvation, forgiveness of sins, eternity with God, we are given infinitely better than we deserve. In fact, God gives us “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3) when we deserve nothing. That’s what’s so amazing about grace. It is an astonishing gift from the God who is Love. In a world full of sin and evil, it is not surprising that we have a hard time fathoming God’s grace. In some ways, I’m glad it’s hard to fathom. Most great things are.

“In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.” (Ephesians 1:7-8)