true grit v. amazing grace

True Grit vs Amazing Grace

The gospel blog this week is taken form a blog that was written by my first cousin's son named David Crab.  You won't believe how powerful David speaks of the gospel that we should be preaching to ourselves everyday!  Sit back and marinate as you read.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. ~Titus 2:11-12

For many years I functionally operated under the unhappy assumption that while God had miraculously and gloriously saved me by an utter act of His grace; that I was basically on my own in my spiritual growth. I had not grasped the truth of Titus 2: Christians are recipients of both saving grace and training grace. This grace teaches us to say no to sin and yes to godliness. The word used in verse 12 is pedagogue which is where we get our word pedagogy (“teaching”). In other words, grace is our tutor for the Christian life.

Now this is opposite of what we might think. We are probably inclined to think that it is not God’s grace, but his law that disciplines us. Despite the fact that we know our salvation is all of grace, it is easy for us to slip into a performance mindset that believes that God’s acceptance of me depends on my own performance. So for instance, we have the impression that God smiles or frowns on us depending on whether we have our quiet time or performed some other spiritual disciplines. This can lead to doing good things so that “nothing bad will happen to me” or so that “God will be happy with me.” But Paul makes it clear that it is God’s grace–his unmerited favor–that trains us. In all of our duty in the Christian life we must remember the overarching truth that God is dealing with us in grace.

This means that our spiritual growth does not ultimately depend on us. Of course this does not mean that we are not responsible to respond to God’s spiritual training in our lives, but it does mean that God is the one in charge of that training. He is your shepherd. He may lead some beside still waters and he may lead some through the valley of the shadow of death. But in every case, you need not fear, for he is with you. He is your shepherd and knows of what you have need.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to begin to look at the Bible as merely a big rule book–something that tells you what to do and what not to do, and expects you to perfectly meet all of God’s requirements. This is simply the law of God. It gives you no ability to obey and it only condemns you when you fail, so it can leave you feeling helpless, guilty, and utterly discouraged. As you try to live your Christian life by sheer grit and determination to do  right and please God, you bump up against an unflinching reality–the more you try, the more you fail.

But the good news of the gospel is that the grace of God actually enables us to live holy lives. As we allow the reality of what it means to be united to Christ and accepted in him to sink deep into our hearts, it gives us confidence and hope in our struggle with sin. When we get a good view of ourselves and our sinfulness and a magnificent, glorious view of the immeasurable grace of God–we can do nothing but respond in grateful joy that issues in a life of obedience. Obedience then becomes not a matter of grudging, guilty duty; but one of delight.

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, understood this. He wrote this about the difference between law and grace:

Run, John, run. The law commands

But gives me neither feet nor hands.

But better news the Gospel brings;

It bids me fly and gives me wings.

As believers clothed in the righteousness of Christ, we do not have just a bare command to do right, but we now have the enabling grace to obey the command!  We need not labor under the crushing burden of sin for the rest of our Christian lives. In Christ we are free. Grace gives us wings to fly. May we learn to trust the loving heart of our shepherd as he leads us in paths of righteousness.

Journal Time:

1.  What does life look like this week as you seek to "run" based on the Law alone without grace?

2.  As the gospel gives you wings and allows you to fly how might these situations play out differently in your heart and soul?

3.  Dress yourself this day in His righteousness through the sweet repentance prayer of how you might not be believing.

watch and pray, "God, give me wings today..."