The last several weeks, Pastor Mark Wright and Brandywine Church has focused on Grace, obviously from a biblical perspective. You can listen to the series on line archive in Dec. 2013 ... http://www.brandywinechurch.org/
The Term Cheap Grace has even been brought up in teaching, there is not such thing as cheap grace in God's eyes.
The price that was paid by Jesus Christ for us to have access to God's Grace, was a high price. It cost him death on a cross, that is a high price for the Son of God to pay for sinful man.
What I think people perceive as cheap grace, may be man's attempt to take grace that has not been given based on man's fleshly understanding of grace, from God and from others. We go through McDonald's and get a quick food fix, and somehow that may come into play when we are looking for our problems of life.
God's Grace is wonderful plan, receive it just as you receive him as your savior.
"Grace means to get something that you do not deserve; unmerited favor. Mercy means you do not get a punishment that you deserve; compassion, forbearance. God is abundant in grace and mercy and we can read about it in the Bible. His greatest act of grace is the gift of salvation that is available for all people through faith (Eph 2:8-9). When the gift is accepted, eternal life is promised to the recipient. This eternal life is a promise of a home one day in heaven with God. The promise to the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that one day Jesus the Christ will return to earth to claim His purchased possession (Eph 1:12-14; 4:30). Jesus purchased every sinner with His own blood on the cross at Calvary."
The above statement helps to understand where Grace comes from ... it comes from God to us, but we must accept what has been provided for us, we must accept it as part of our relationship with God. Once we accept it we then need to, in turn, understand that God desires us to give what we have received to others.
Some people find it hard to accept Grace that God gives us. Others find it hard to afford Grace to others. Neither are pleasing to God.
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. Luke 12 48 NLT
The woman at the well comes to mind, she had made may mistakes in life and Jesus knew this and she knew as well. Not only was the Woman at the well was aware of her sin, so were the others in the village where she lived. She probably came to the well in the heat of the day because she didn't want to deal with the gossip of the women as they came to get their water early in the day before the heat make the job harder.
Read the story.....
"Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.b She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
12 And
besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave
us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and
his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
14 But
those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It
becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please,
sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty
again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—
18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” John 4 NLT
She probably had not experienced grace in the community, and now she was surprised to find someone who was affording her the Grace that only God gives.
Make sure we afford others similar grace as we have been given by God, though Christ blood.
The longer I live and walk with Christ, the more I see this as a failing in my own life and others. The price we and others pay for not affording Grace is high.
Love God above all else.
Love God above all else.
