Grace

One of the saddest situations in the church is when Christians become worried about their salvation. It's one thing if a sinner or an unbeliever starts to worry about going to hell. But it's another thing when a believer–when a Christian–actually worries about salvation.

I once did a survey in a congregation. I asked them, on a scale of 0 to 10–0 meaning "I feel utterly lost," and 10 meaning "I feel so saved, I'm so sure that I'm saved, I just can't wait until Jesus arrives"–to mark how they personally felt about their salvation. I collected the cards and went through them.

This was a large class. And you know what the average score was? These were all Christians. Every single one of them. Most had been Christians for 10, 20, even 30 years. Not new Christians.

The average score was 5. Five. Kind of, "I don't know… maybe. I think I'm going to heaven. I think I feel saved."

One of Satan's most powerful weapons is to make God's children doubt whether or not they're really going to make it. I've found that Christians who are anxious about their personal salvation usually do not have a firm grasp of what grace means in their lives–what grace means in the Bible.

That's why we're studying the topic of grace in our Sunday morning Bible class here in the auditorium. In today's lesson, I'd like to give you an overview of the subject so that the entire congregation will be up to speed on this very important biblical teaching. Some of you who are in my class may hear ideas we've already discussed. Please bear with us–we want the entire church to be up to date on the subject of grace.

What Grace Is Not

1. Grace Is Not a Dividing Line

Some think that grace is a point that divides being saved from being lost–a line right down the middle. If I'm on this side of the line, I'm under grace. If I'm on the other side, I'm out of grace.

People often use this imagery to explain I John 1:6-9. Let's look at it:

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
- I John 1:6-7

And then:

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
- I John 1:8-9

Some imagine that "walking in the light" means being on the grace side of the line. And when we sin, we step over to the wrong side. Then we confess and step back. Back and forth.

The problem with this idea is the fear it produces. What if I die while I'm on the "wrong side"? What if I'm in the middle of cursing someone who cuts me off in traffic? What if I haven't yet "taken care" of some sin in my life when death comes?

When we see how weak we are and how easily we sin, it's easy to imagine slipping onto the wrong side–even for a moment–and dying there. So we worry. We live in fear.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus did not come so that we would worry.

John is not talking about slipping back and forth across a line. He is talking about hypocrisy–about claiming fellowship with God while living in darkness.

Walking in the light does not mean being sinless. Only Jesus was sinless. "Walking" biblically refers to relationship. "Light" refers to awareness.

Walking in the light is the conscious relationship we have with God through our union with Jesus Christ–expressed in repentance, baptism, and faithfulness. It is an ongoing awareness that because we are sinners, we need Christ every single day.

Notice in verse 7: while we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Those are simultaneous realities.

John doesn't say, "If you sin." He says, "If you deny that you are a sinner." To deny our need for Christ makes us fools and liars.

So long as we acknowledge that we are sinners and trust God for ongoing mercy, we are walking in the light.

Grace is not a line.

2. Grace Is Not a Thermometer

You may be more familiar with this image. I remember sitting in a pew and watching a preacher draw a thermometer to explain grace.

It goes like this: You supply this much, and God supplies the rest. That's grace. If you supply 2%, He supplies 98%. If you supply 1%, He supplies 99%.

Sounds good–but it's based on a false premise: that we supply something in exchange for salvation and God supplies the rest.

When it comes to salvation, we provide nothing. Zero.

Our role is to accept forgiveness through faith. We don't give God something–we receive something. And that faith is expressed in repentance and baptism.

But there is no exchange happening. God gives freely and graciously 100% of our salvation. We receive it through faith.

At baptism, our association with Christ begins–and so do the blessings that flow from that association.

Christ becomes for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He bore our sins in His body on the cross. The restitution–the payback–for our sins was made entirely by Jesus Christ.

We can repay society. We can repay others. But we cannot repay God.

Only Jesus can.

Grace is not a thermometer. Jesus supplies all that is needed.

3. Grace Is Not a Free Ticket

Some think grace means a special privilege to sin without consequence. As if God is our buddy who shrugs and says, "Boys will be boys."

Paul addresses this in Romans 6:1:

"Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?"

And his answer?

"May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"

Grace is not permission to sin. It is motivation to live holy lives.

Peter writes:

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts… but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior."
- I Peter 1:14

Grace is not an excuse for lukewarmness. Not an excuse for worldliness. Not an excuse for doctrinal indifference.

Grace moves us to obedience. Law can condemn you. Only grace can motivate you.

What Grace Is

In the Old Testament, the word for grace carries the idea of stooping down–like a king lowering himself to help someone beneath him.

In the New Testament, the word refers to a cheerful, generous spirit–an attitude that expresses itself in kindness and favor.

Grace refers to:

1. God's character – He is gracious: kind, generous, joyful.
2. God's favor – Especially the favor of salvation.

God could have destroyed us. He could have required salvation by law: "Be perfect." But He didn't.

Because He is gracious, He provides salvation through our association with Jesus Christ. That is within reach for everyone.

To be saved by law is impossible.
To be saved by faith in Christ is possible–because Jesus earned our salvation.

Grace is God's favor shown to us through Christ.

Grace in Action

David and Bathsheba

David committed adultery, plotted murder, lied, and covered it up. The law said he should die. But when he repented, God forgave him (II Samuel 12:13). Did David suffer consequences? Yes. But God spared his life and forgave him. That is grace.

Paul the Apostle

Paul persecuted Christians. He dragged them to prison. He sought their deaths. After his conversion, could he undo the damage? Could he bring Stephen back? No. Nothing Paul could do would repay God. He was saved because God charged his sins to the cross of Jesus Christ. That is grace.

The Image of Grace

Colossians 2:13-14 gives us a vivid image: God took the certificate of debt against us–our sins–and nailed it to the cross. Adultery. Lying. Pride. Greed. Laziness. Impurity. He nailed them to the cross.

Don't look in your heart for your sins.
Don't look in your past.
Don't look in your future.
Look at the cross.

That's where they are.

That's why any Christian who has confessed Christ, repented, been baptized, and daily depends on His blood should score a 10.

Not because of feelings–but because our sins are nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Think of your worst sin–the one that causes you fear and pain. Picture it as a bill. Go to the cross in your mind. Take a hammer and a nail. Nail it there. Leave it there for Jesus to make restitution once and for all. And walk away. Never go back.