GOD’S GRACE AND FORGIVENESS SERIES (part-1)

GRACE-FORGIVENESS (part-1)

The Gospel Message is The Good News. Good news about what?
It is the good news of God’s grace and forgiveness. We see the word
‘grace’ used many times in scripture, but what does it mean, and
more importantly, what does it mean to us?

If it is mentioned in the Bible so often, then we should know
what it means and understand how it affects our lives, both
now and for eternity, wouldn’t you agree?

Grace is a defining part of God’s character; it is closely related
to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy. Grace can be defined as
     “God’s favor toward the unworthy”
  or
     “God’s benevolence on the undeserving”.

In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly,
in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well, or
dealt with so generously.

In order to understand and appreciate God’s grace, we need to adjust
our thinking. We live in a ‘letter of the law’ world that demands justice
for all offenses. Justice is a good thing and it helps to deter many from
criminal activities, but God’s justice is far different from man’s justice.

We don’t want to see a murderer go unpunished. We don’t want to see
a child molester wandering around in society looking for an opportunity
to destroy the life of another child. We want to see thieves incarcerated
and forced to repay their victims for what they have taken.

There is nothing wrong with those thoughts, but at the same time,
we have to ‘come to grips’ with the fact that God has a different
justice system than ours.
    “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
      ways My ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are
      higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your
      ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
      (Isaiah 55:8-9)

When we read in the Bible about a man who was an adulterer
and a murderer, we demand that he must be punished for the
things he has done. Of course, we are referring to David, and
he did suffer several consequences for his actions, but God
referred to him as…
    “a man after My own heart who will
      do everything I want him to do”
      (Acts 13:22)

How could God not only forgive his actions, but also make him King?
That’s not the justice we would expect, is it? Of course not! But we are
not God, and His ways are different from ours. It is a good example of
the grace of God. He sees the potential in others and reads the sincerity
of their repentant hearts.

We think (sometimes vehemently), “How can God call that justice?” The
short answer is, “Because He is God and we are not”. Since God created
us, He has the ‘rights’ to us, doesn’t He? Just as a potter is forgiving of
the flaws in the clay he is working with, and makes changes in order to
achieve the results he wants, God can choose to adjust our thoughts, our
words, our actions, our attitudes, etc. in order to achieve His desires for
us.
    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
    “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give
    you hope and a future.
    (Jeremiah 29:11)

    For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in
    my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and
    wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
    well.
    (Psalm 139:13-14)

    But when God, who set me apart from my
    mother’s womb and called me by his grace….
    (Galatians 1:15)

We need to be aware that before we were even born, God had a
purpose and a plan for us. How special is that? The Creator of
everything has a specific reason for the existence of each of us.
Of course, Satan will try to discourage us, but we need to seek
God’s purpose for us, to embrace it, and enjoy our relationship
and fellowship with our Heavenly Father.

There is a difference between the potter and his clay, when compared
to God and us: we have a choice of allowing God to change us, but the
clay doesn’t. We might be asking ourselves these questions:

    Why would God through His grace want
    to freely give us His gift of salvation?
    It would have to be because we are His creation, and He is our
    Father, right? Isn’t it natural for a parent to have a desire to
    give good things to their children? Even if we choose not to
    believe it, the fact remains that we are all created by God
    and so, we are His children.
        “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will
          give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will
          give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil,
          know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
          more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to
          those who ask him!”
          (Luke 11:11-13)

    Why does God want us to be the best we can be?
    Again, it can be compared to the reason we want our children
    to be the best they can be. We can see the joy available for them
    when they maximize their knowledge and abilities.

    Since God is omnipotent (knowing all things), He can see our
    potential, and especially how we can contribute to His efforts
    of reaching out to the lost souls of our world.

    Some may be given ‘high visibility’ capabilities and others less
    visible positions for serving Him, but every opportunity given
    to us by God is equally important to Him and what He is doing.
    Look at what Paul said to the church at Corinth (and to us):
        I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has
        your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
        (1 Corinthians 7:7)

        There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes
        them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
        There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in
        everyone it is the same God at work.
        (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

    God equips us to be successful in whatever area He calls us to
    serve, and it is our responsibility to answer His call. We need
    to be aware of His desire for us, and trust that He will not let
    us fail in what He has called us to do.
        And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in
        all things at all times, having all that you need, you
        will abound in every good work.
        (2 Corinthians 9:8)

    Without a doubt, some might be required to leave their
    ‘comfort zone’ in order to answer His call. He may call
    us to serve in an area that initially causes us to feel very
    uncomfortable, but before we become discouraged (either
    in our minds, or by the things others might say), we need to
    remember that our efforts to serve Him are an expression
    of our thankfulness for all God has given us.

    Of course, His greatest gift to us is salvation, which seals
    us for an eternity with our Heavenly Father who loves us.
        What, then, shall we say in response to these things?
        If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did
        not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all;
        how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give
        us all things?
        (Romans 8:31-32)

        And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with
        whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
        (Ephesians 4:30)

        And you also were included in Christ when you heard the
        message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you
        believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised
        Holy Spirit.
        (Ephesians 1:13)

(watch for part-2 of the series tomorrow….)

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