Left Behind

At a recent Bible Study this week, one of my brothers in Christ mentioned righteousness, and the question was mused; how are we considered righteous? One brother stated, “I never thought of myself as righteous.” Since we were studying The Book of Romans, it became apparent that the concept of a “plan” had been presented from the beginning of time. Immediately the Scriptures were sought from Genesis; God’s creating hand, and who created evil, and is this all a game (I am always quickly state, the people suffering in Hell would hardly call it a game)? God is righteous because He is holy and just. In considering God’s righteousness, which has been imputed to us through the power and blood of Christ, I find that there is something left behind (hence this article’s name), something missing. The hinge, which is missing, which is left behind, is Grace.

Now, if you are more Arminian centered (theologically), this is an eye-opener. Most “free-will” enthusiasts see grace as God’s love, but not something which is foundational regarding salvation. A free-will advocate may envision a volitional act or work of self, which brought upon God’s grace. I cannot see that anymore (I once had; but now see the arrogance in it). For if it was not for grace, none of us could ever approach the throne of Christ. Sort of like the King’s scepter being presented before one may speak. More still, had it not been for grace, God would not have drawn me closer to Him. All of the actions (works), labels (i.e. justified, righteous, etc), and words, which we associate with our salvation through Christ, are resting upon His grace. How do I make this grand assumption? First, this is not an exhaustive work on reformed theology, just the way I doctrinally see grace.

Allow me continue, another of my brothers weeks earlier (in Romans 3), stated, “How is it possible that ‘none seek after God,’ I am here in this Bible study, ain’t I.” This is when Biblical doctrine, if not closely examined can become confusing. However, when the doctrine of grace is applied to the text, we understand that Paul is describing that our sin keeps us separated from God; it is only through Christ that we are reconciled back to God. One does not “seek after God,” but God first seeks him out. It is solely by His grace that man is even contemplated by God. This is usually where the name calling and labels come in; supralapsarian, Calvinist, etc, call it what you will, God is still Sovereign, and its only logical. I see it more like Charles Spurgeon, who once said, “I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist; I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, ‘It is Jesus Christ.’”[1] Because when we delve into the Scriptures and see the principles written consistently, concerning God’s calling and election, I perceive only the person who does not leave behind the understanding of grace, gets it.

*[Scratching your head-angrily?]* Gets what?

Grace is the underpinning of salvation. Christ came to save sinners, not call the righteous. One cannot “accept” Christ, without the gift of salvation being presented. What is it presented with…grace (an unmerited act). This is why in Romans 5:7-8 Paul compares man’s finite understanding of righteousness and goodness, with a man who may even attempt to die for a righteous man, and perhaps would, for a good man. But God, through His irresistible grace saved us, while we were still sinners. Man does not think this way, only God does. A man would not lay his life down for a wretched sinner, blasphemer, and glutton. Oh, but through God’s amazing grace, He seeks after the sinner and draws him nearer to him. There is no other way theologically to look into these verses, then to understand that God has made a decision, prior to our salvation.



*[you’re thinking-aha, got ‘em now]*

Think about it…sincerely…ponder it, pray about it; did you come to know Christ out of your own volitional act. If so, how does one read Romans 3:11-12? Even if (by chance) you “made a decision,” did God not know? Did He learn something new that day (i.e. you accepted Him)? I think we sincerely ought to guard what we call our intelligence and logic, and throw them at His feet, and thank Him for His grace. We didn’t seek Him, He sought us; we were not saved by our works, but His; we are the clay and He is the Potter. So, when you think about your salvation, please, do not leave grace behind.

 
Reference
 
[1] Spurgeon, Charles. C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography Volume Two: The Full Harvest. (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1962). 34.

Gehazi Misrepresents...

How incredible God’s grace and love are, but it is amazing how we fail to recognize it in our daily lives. Upon being awoken at 3 a.m., and being flooded with the thoughts of yesterdays reading in 2 Kings 5, I went downstairs and began to ponder the misgivings and misrepresentations of God’s servants to His people, and His unfathomable love. This instilled a systematic thought within me, especially of my own servant-hood. I thought directly about how Gehazi decided to misrepresent God’s grace. He followed after riches, but what he failed to realize was that Naaman was healed from leprosy not because of his wealth, his stature, or his fame, but because (the Scripture tells us 2 Kings 5:1) God was seeking a man (Naaman) who would tell the Gentile world about a graceful and loving Sovereign God, who loved him enough to heal him. Instead Naaman paid for his healing, getting a sense of a works oriented God, one who accepts a price for grace. However, the price does not make grace more expensive, yet it cheapens grace.


In the same sense, I thought about Moses, how he was informed to “speak” to the Rock (the OT symbolic representation of Christ). The Rock was to “gush” forth with a living sustaining and refreshing water that would quench His chosen people’s thirst. Instead Moses (like us sometimes) displays the wrong behavior and he struck the Rock, which is Christ. The people were terrified of God, instead of being in love with Him. For Moses’ outburst of anger and wrongful picture of a grace-filled, righteous, and providing God; he would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land, and his body the debate of a spiritual dispute with Michael the arch-angel and Satan (Jude 9-10).

Simple accounts given to us, are easily over-looked in the Scriptures, yet in our own lives of being dads, moms, bosses, employees, or servants, we may be striking the Rock, when all God wants to do is gush forth His grace and love to an un-churched (or churched) society of people. Are we, as Gehazi, adding a price to grace? Perhaps, we as the church are not representing grace as we should?