Christian Theism works IF and ONLY IF it is about the grace of God -- unmerited favor offered to undeserving recipients.
Christianity
Christendom
Christian schools
Local churches
Bible study
Sermons
Christian literature
Christian music
Christian programs
Christians . . .
Grace.
Unless grace is the rudder, our Christian boat runs the danger of sinking under the torrents of preference and morality.
Preference and morality agents struggle to find a consensus. Some find me too conservative; others deem me too liberal. Some call me too predictable; others label me too elusive. Some find my choice to observe Lent offensive and untrue to my Baptist roots; others say that it lacks too many traditional elements. Some find me kind; to others, I appear unkind because I state my beliefs unequivocally.
The list goes on and on, day in and day out -- not just for me, as it turns out.
Some say they'd join that church if . . .
. . . the pastor was more hip
. . . the music was softer
. . . the music was livelier
. . . the sermons were longer
. . . the sermons were shorter
. . . the church members were holier
. . . the church members were more fun
Others say they'd buy that resource if . . .
. . . the author was not Catholic
. . . the singer didn't have a tattoo on his arm
. . . the artist had not revealed his alcohol addiction
. . . the band wasn't peppered with religious charismatics
Still others say they'd invite this coworker to their church if . . .
. . . he wasn't quite so gay
. . . she didn't smoke quite so much
. . . he had much nicer clothes to wear
Such misconstrued thinking/judging lamentably leaves a sour taste in people's mouths. It purports that self-professed followers of Christ are to find no flaws within themselves and can only associate with flawless individuals.
And flawlessness is an impossibility for us to achieve -- "To err is human," as the saying goes.
It goes without saying that such erroneous thinking is lethal.
It repels people.
It keeps strugglers at arms' length, causing too many of us to say,
"I'd share my story with others if . . .
. . . I could clean up my act
. . . I didn't struggle with suicidal thoughts
. . . I didn't have a porn addiction
. . . I was a better Christian"
So, we keep our mouths shut and forget to join David in pleading, "O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare Your praise" (Psalm 51:15, NIV).
How can we praise the Lord for redeeming us unless we fully see our heart's mess and our insensate folly apart from Him? How can we thank Christ for the gift of His righteousness unless we come face to face with our vile, wretched, miserable, and blind selves?
Grace comes to our rescue. It posits that Christ came to meet our warts, flaws, blemishes, and failures with His beauty, perfection, adornment, and victory. It teaches that the Father "demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV).
Grace.
What a beautiful gift!
I needed it before.
I need it this morning.
I will need it tomorrow and forever.
I need it intensely because I err so easily and readily.
I sin.
I soil.
I stray.
I stumble.
I see days of trouble and faint, forgetting such days are divine invitations for me to enter the holy of holies and pray. I hear reports of deaths, illnesses, or sorrows and totter, not remembering that even in them the steadfast love of the Almighty never ceases. Indeed, I need grace to remember that all days -- days of joy, days of sorrow, days of gladness, days of sadness -- are designed as days of prayer and praise.
At times, God seems to have withdrawn from me. I need grace to lead me home to Him, to guide my heart to seek Him till I find Him, to draw me into His holiness.
I need grace to sing . . .
"Whatever my lot
(peace like a river,
elation like a fountain,
turmoil like thunder,
terror like that of a tornado)
Thou hast taught me to say:
It is well, it is well with my soul."
In days of dread, I need grace not to run after the diversion of busy-ness or the distraction of cheap entertainment, but instead to wait patiently for God and His favor.
In seasons when I am under trouble of mind or filled with heartaches, I need the grace of perspective, not allowing the memory of lost comforts to render me ungrateful for the divine joys that are still left for me to experience.
In moments when unbelief is working in my soul, heart, and body, I need grace to suppress its risings and learn to believe in the One whom the Father has sent.
In times when disobedience enters the members of my body, I need grace to acquire the fullness of a godly sorrow that trembles and totters yet continues to trust and love the Man of sorrows; I need grace to weep salty tears of repentance in order to come and find rest at the foot of the Cross.
I need grace.
I surrender my striving to earn status, salvation, or satisfaction in any place other than the blood of Christ.
I need grace.
Don't you need grace?
Come.
Come to the mirror.
Let the mirror of God's Word reveal to you the flaws -- all of your failures -- for which Christ died on your behalf. Once revealed, surrender each blemish to Christ and refuse to let anyone (including yourself) hang your flaws over your head. Christ has already paid for them in full with His blood; please, do not insult Him with inadequate, self-righteous payment plans.
You and I are accepted, loved, cherished, and embraced -- warts and all -- because when the Father looks at us, He sees the work of His perfect Son on the cursed, yet life-giving, tree.
Indeed, grace is the divine gift of salvation, redemption, and freedom to flawed individuals who learn to embrace a lifestyle of pure and unadulterated reliance on the finished work of Christ.
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