by Sandy Kirby Quandt

During a recent conversation, a friend and I discussed how things we were once taught and believed about God don’t necessary hold truth anymore. There were huge gaps between what we were taught and who God truly is.

It seems the more we come to know who God is through studying the Bible, the more we see we missed out on the concept of God’s grace. Grace was not taught. Don’t know why. It just wasn’t. But it sure should have been. So, we’re trying to get it right now.

The Bible is full of examples of God’s grace, love, and mercy. What happened to make ministers think they needed to preach condemnation without showing God’s grace is also part of who he is?

Were they stuck in the Old Testament law given to Moses? Did they not know Christ came to set the captives free?

Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus didn’t demand we sinners fulfill an ever-increasingly long list of requirements to be saved. He replaced the fear of guilt with the motivation to follow him simply because we love him because he first loved us and want to obey him because of that love.

Jesus wants us to claim him as LORD because of what he did for us on the cross. Not because of any checklist we might carry in our back pocket, believing we have to earn our salvation. Salvation through Christ is a gift. It’s grace.

Look at the stories in the Bible … start in Genesis.

Adam and Eve. Kicked out of the Garden, but not abandoned.

David. Welcomed back after he repented.

Israel. Forgiven time and again for their idolatry whenever they returned to God.

Jonah. Rescued and set back on God’s path when he tried to run from God.

The woman caught in adultery. The woman at the well. Saul who met Jesus on the road to Damascus and became Paul …

Look at each and every one of us when we try to get it right; repent, turn from our sins, and fall on the grace of God and Christ Jesus’ blood for our forgiveness.

Grace. Something we don’t earn. Something we don’t deserve. Something Jesus freely gives out of the fullness of his love.

Grace. Something I’m extremely grateful for. How about you?

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And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception). John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’”  For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:14-17 (AMP)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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