Amazing Grace

Romans 8: 1 “Therefore there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus..”

One of the amazing truths in the Christian faith is the abundance of God’s grace. ?This grace,?like the famous hymn,?is amazing first and foremost because it is undeserved. ? It is also amazing because it offers eternal fellowship,?sanctification and meaning to those that did nothing to merit it.? Grace is indeed an amazing thing.

Our modern culture, deep down,?seems to disagree with the theme of “Amazing Grace”. ? The idea that God saved a “wretch like me” is not a popular concept in today’s feel good about myself society.? What do you mean, we might ask,?by calling me a wretch? ? I am perfect as I am and need to be my authentic self. ? The real issue that plagues me is not my wretchedness but the fact that I don’t love myself enough.? Etc., Etc.

This cultural belief,?while perhaps designed to provide us temporal comfort and meaning,?can be nothing short of deadly.? ? And it begs a question.? If we are so wonderful, then why did Christ need to come?

Let me start by saying that we should not be in constant states of shame and guilt over our imperfection. ? Being imperfect is exactly the point.? ? Trying to take that role is, in a sense, taking the role of God himself. ? As sin and guilt have been dealt with for believers on the cross, we should walk in victory, boldness and peace. ? But to understand the beauty of grace we must truly understand why Christ had to come and die for his people.? That was to take on himself what we ourselves deserve. ? So what do we deserve?

In reading the early chapters of Romans years ago a thought came to my mind. ? It was that I really didn’t understand how seriously God takes sin. ? While I often cringed when I sinned, I came to see that God, being holy and perfect, takes sin very seriously.? ? Since the fall we are collectively a people that have a heart that “...is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…” (Jeremiah 17:9). ? This plays out in many ways in our lives and separates us from a holy and perfect God who the prophet Habakuk told “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil”. (Hab 1:13) This God who proclaims that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) looks differently on sin than we do. ? And he is one who demands justice for sin.???

Beyond our personal experience as sinful individuals we also see sin rampant throughout human history. ? In the 20th Century alone one of the greatest mass murderers in history (Mao) killed an estimated 40-45 million people.? While the numbers are unique the heart behind it is not. ? In our nature we seek power, control, money and recognition.? He was looking to satisfy his own agenda and we, on a smaller level, are as well. ? We might not murder people with guns and bombs, but we often do in our own hearts.? And as Christ says in Matthew 22 “whoever is angry with his brother in his own heart without a cause is in danger of judgment” This is the level of his perfection and holiness.??

This level of difference between man and God is disconcerting. ? And hopeless without a solution.? ? Thankfully a solution has been given. ? While God’s beautiful and terrifying perfection and holiness should drive us to a proper fear of God it also shows the amazing beauty of his grace. ? God,?who could have deservedly cast everybody into hell, displayed his lovingkindness by coming to earth in bodily form,?living the perfect life,?dying on the cross for our sin, and rising from the dead three days later as validation of his divinity. Through this amazing work he brings salvation and eternal life to people.? ? In light of his justice and his wrath for sin his grace is magnified.

In John 8 the author shares the story of a woman caught in adultery.? She is about to be stoned by a group of men for her actions. ? Christ tells the group to cast the first stone if they are without sin,?leading to them (beginning with the eldest) walking away and dropping their weapons.

Jesus then said to the woman “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?"? "No, Lord", she said.? ? And Jesus said "Neither do I.? Go and sin no more” (John 8:11)

And that is what God graciously gives. ? By realizing our sin,?turning from it and placing our trust in Christ we receive what we don’t deserve.? ? We can have the same future offered to the women caught in adultery and turn from certain death to eternal life.? We can live a life knowing that, as written in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”.? THAT is amazing grace.