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So people receive God’s promise by having faith. This happens so the promise can be a free gift. Then all of Abraham’s children can have that promise. It is not only for those who live under the law of Moses but for anyone who lives with faith like that of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Romans 4:16 (NCV)
Usually people refer to ‘Cheap Grace’ as grace the people take advantage of. A college professor once said to me, “I have no patience for people who go out and sin because ‘they can ask forgiveness later. It cheapens what Jesus did on the cross.”
I agree with him somewhat of course. Paul says ‘shall we go on sinning so grace might increase?” The answer of course is a resounding NO! As Christ-followers we would never think it’s okay to sin so that we get to ask forgiveness. That’s a preposterous idea!
But there is a more subtle way we cheapen grace. It’s seen every week in our churches, in our families, in Bible Studies, retreats and conferences across the world.
Not all of us are guilty of course, but cheap grace sneaks in the cracks when we least notice it. Grace is cheapened when we measure our Spiritual Maturity by our Spiritual Activity. It’s as though we believe that the more we read the Bible and the more we go to church or Bible Studies, the more God will love us.
Abraham was not a perfect man. He wasn’t a very good husband. He wasn’t a very good father. He wasn’t a good boss. His leadership skills were lacking overall. Still, he was God’s friend. Why? Abraham believed God and God’s promises and because of that he was considered faithful. His faith is what saved him, not his works.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s important to read and study God’s word because it contains the words of life and liberty. It’s vital that we, as Christ-followers, talk with our Heavenly Father on a regular basis. Strength in living comes as we fellowship with the body. But those activities won’t bring ‘more of grace to you’; they will simply make you more aware of the grace available to you.
There’s an old gospel chorus that goes something like this, “Every promise in the book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line. All the blessings of His love divine. Every promise in the book is mine.” Those promises don’t come because of anything I’ve done. The promises given me are completely because of what Jesus did for me on the cross.
Don’t cheapen God’s grace for you by adding all sorts of activity requirements. You have all you need in Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord I have to admit I get a little proud of myself at times. I look at all the things I do for the church, all the songs I sing to you, all the times I proclaim your word. I confess that at times I feel these actions make me more spiritual. I thank you that I have all I need in Jesus. Amen.
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, Hebrews 6:1
Ever noticed how everyone is drawn to a baby? It’s always amazed me how a little, helpless bundle of flesh can turn otherwise normal and intelligent human beings into babbling idiots! Okay, maybe that was a bit strong, but how else do you describe the antics, silly words and gestures we do to make ‘baby’ smile?
We coo and aah. We smile and make funny faces. We say senseless things like “So Big!” What does that mean? What’s the significance of a 12 pound, 25 inch, bald bundle of joy spreading his or her arms and smiling like they have a clue as what you are talking about?
Okay, I’ve ranted on long enough on that. The fact of the matter, as I’ve stated earlier, is that we all love babies. There isn’t a one of us parents that haven’t said something to the effect of “I wish they wouldn’t grow up” as they leave the toddler years and become more independent. Then, of course they become teenagers and we change our tune to “I wish they’d just grow up!”
Fact of the matter is, if a baby doesn’t grow up and become more mature physically, emotionally and intellectually they simply can’t function in society. All of life is centered on the idea of maturing, growing and becoming more independent.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. The Apostle Paul talks of the Corinthian believers as being immature children still needing milk when they should be eating steak! Peter says something similar when he tells us we should long for the milk of the word so that we can grow up!
Too many times we get hung up in our walk with Christ. We are, so to speak spiritually, developmentally delayed. We focus on our failures when we should act on our freedom. We worry when we should work. We criticize when we should cooperate. We protect the ways we always did things when we should press on to new horizons.
Our God is not a shallow God. He is not stagnant. He is unchanging in character but not in how he interacts with others. Remember that in order for relationship, any relationship to be strong it must grow deeper. A love relationship is one in which two people continue to learn more and more about each other.
The same is true with God. Don’t get hung up on your past. Don’t get hung up on your failures. Don’t allow yourself to become stagnant because you don’t have this gift, or that ability or the right amount of money or resources. Grow deep with God. Devour His word. Don’t just read a passage, study it. Mediate on it. Talk with God often. Grace teaches us that your heavenly Father wants to deepen his relationship with you so that he can show you great and mighty things.
Be willing to listen and learn. Don’t be like the infant that never grows up. The closer you walk with God the deeper and more exciting your life will be.
PRAYER: Father God. I confess to you that sometimes I act more like a spiritual two-year old than an adult because I demand my own way even if it will harm me. Other times I’m like a teenager and think I know more than you do about how things should be. I get hung up on me rather than growing in you. Empower me with your spirit to grow deeper in my understanding of you. Help me love you more so I can live in the freedom you intended. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Built with Grace 