The High Price Of Grace

Romans 3:22-26 – This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

God's agape love is abiding, steadfast, and inclusive. In love, God in Christ came into our sin-sick, war-torn, disaster-plagued, disease-ridden, self-centred, hard-hearted world to assume all that degradation on His own shoulders, to suffer and to die in our stead. "He who knew no sin became sin for us…" Then on the third day, Jesus arose victorious over sin, death and the devil and He did it for you and for me!

Grace cost Christ much. It cost Him Calvary's degradation, suffering, and shame. In order to be justified by God's grace, it is just not enough to live a good life because according to God's standards "All our righteousness is as filthy rags." We must repent — turn from the way we have always done things before, and accept what God in Christ has done for us. When we do that, God cancels our sin just as if it had never been. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, then we are justified. When we get down on our hands and knees, humble ourselves and admit we cannot of our own liberate ourselves, and then ask Jesus to be the Boss in our lives, then we are set free — but to remain free we must live the way the Scripture tells us. Jesus said: "You are my friends if you do what I command…." Obedience is the mark of a soul set free. It is the joy of the one who places infinite value on God's great grace.

Prayer: Lord God, in Jesus' name forgive me and enable me to live as you would have me live. I turn my life, my will, and my being over into your caring. I pray that I may always hold such great grace infinitely worthwhile. In Jesus' name I ask this. Amen.