Grace Cut to Size

I love the grace of God!

Couldn’t survive without the grace of God.

Dean Sherman, one of my favorite of all time Bible teachers, preaches about grace being real stuff, with substance, cut exactly to the size of our need in the moment.

I love that the subject of God’s grace is making a come-back, in contrast with a view of God as constantly with a frown on His face when we approach Him…that we come to Him in a crouched position ready to duck and run if He lunges at us like an abusive father.

Seeing God with a frown is a hard habit to break, especially since we are all wired to perform for the approval of others.

I am concerned, though, that in many instances the remedy has become an illness all of its own.

I have heard the statement, so often lately, in sermons and songs, that our sins are forgiven, past, present and future. That’s like the indulgences you could buy from the church in medieval times to have forgiveness in your pocket for sins you were planning on committing.

Like a lot of false doctrine, there is an element of truth in that statement about forgiveness for sin, past, present and future. But the truth is on God’s side, not ours. The once-for-all sacrifice for sin that Jesus provided us in His death and resurrection has no time limits. His forgiveness is full and free to cover our sin, past, present and future.

But that is not carte blanche for us to not worry about how we live or be concerned about sin in our lives ever again…that our sin is forgiven, past, present and future.

If that were the case the Holy Spirit would never have led the Apostle John to write, “IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).

What if God is more interested in a living, growing relationship with us than some date in time when we were forensically declared forgiven and righteous, never having to say, “I’m sorry” again?

Grace is not never having to say you’re sorry to God again.

Grace is the loving conviction of the Holy Spirit that you have just grieved Him with some word or action springing from unconfessed selfishness and residual sin in our lives.

Grace is the Holy Spirit at work in you and me when we have sinned, convincing us that a loving Father waits with His arms open wide to forgive and purify.

Residual, unconfessed sin hinders our relationship with Him and we must deal with it…not because an angry God is ready to “smite” us, but because His love, like the father in the story of the prodigal, waits for the slightest indication of a son or daughter returning and runs to meet us.

Right relationship trumps forensic declaration every day!