Grace upon Grace

Grace upon Grace

            Two years ago today, I was living in Fort Worth, attending Texas Christian University, playing collegiate golf, and just being a normal college student. On this particular Friday night, 8:33pm (that’s what time it is right now) I was probably leaving Fuzzy’s taco shop after knocking down a few cold ones, walking back to my house with a warm feeling in my face from a good buzz, walking and talking loosely, asking over and over what the plan was. I was most likely with a few of my roommates who would be laughing, talking about sports, the “crazy” things that happened the night before (Thirsty Thursday), and the potential shenanigans of the coming weekend.  I knew what the basic agenda would entail: alcohol, music, dancing, girls… the usual. It just normally manifested itself in different ways, but it was always about the same. Either a house party, or a bar, or maybe a mixer or formal. There would be a lot of people, a lot of drinks, a lot of smiles, all covering a lot of emptiness, brokenness, and discontentment. So how did my weekend turn out you might ask? Well, I honestly can’t tell you. Reasons being either A) I got too drunk to remember, or B) It wasn’t worth remembering.

             In one sense, I don’t want to remember. There are some images burned in my mind from the past that does my soul harm to think about. I still have thoughts that I have to flee from because of my previous decisions. And I’m still prone to think that disobedience to God and gratifying my flesh is better than obeying Him and refusing to look like the world. And If I were to think very long in particulars on the ugly state I was in, I’d probably end up trying to type through a well of tears.

            But in the other sense, I need to remember. I need to remember that I was once dead in trespasses in sins. I need to remember that I was once a rebel myself, with no desire to please God, and no concern for His righteousness and holiness. I need to remember that my sin was and still is a big deal and that if it were not for the grace of God, I would still be lost and doing my own thing. I need to remember that Jesus sought me when I was a stranger, wandering from His fold. And I wasn’t smart enough to turn around and go back but He picked me up, broke my legs, and nursed me back to health by His side.

            Fast forward… Things are a little different tonight. I’m finishing my last semester at Dallas Baptist University, about to complete a track in Christian Studies. I just sent an email yesterday accepting an internship to what I know will help train and equip me further for ministry. I just finished writing a research paper about Huldrych Zwingli and his contributions to the Protestant Reformation and I liked it! Hah. I’m not thinking about going to find any ladies at a bar, shacking up, or shot-gunning any beers. I’m probably going to read a little bit of my Bible, and catch some Z’s.

            So why am I saying all this? Some of you are probably thinking in your head, “ok, I get it, you were a bad person, and you changed. I’m proud of you.” Or, “there’s no need to be a drama queen, sure you made some mistakes, but you’re certainly no Hitler.”

            But if you’re a Christian and reading this, then I want you to understand something first and foremost that God has continually been teaching me. The picture of me before God opened my eyes and ears to the gospel is the same picture of every Christian before God opened his or her eyes and ears to the gospel. Maybe you had grown up in church your whole life and never tasted alcohol, or maybe you were smoking weed before you were in high school. But the fact of the matter is that all of us, every single one of us deserve God’s righteous wrath against sin, which all of us are guilty.

            Moreover, God did not give me, or you, or any of His children spiritual sight and spiritual hearing so that we can become proud. Did you catch that? God does not give His grace so that people can become proud, and He certainly does not give grace to the proud. It even says in His Word that he opposes the proud. God gives His grace so that we can be humble and thankful. There will never ever be such a thing as a proud Christian. It’s impossible. Just think with me for a second…

            Have you ever wondered why it is that you’re able to live in a free country? Have you ever wondered why you have eyes to read the things you read? Have you ever wondered where your last breath came from and if you will get your next one? Have you ever wondered why it is (if you’re a Christian) that you have a desire to obey God? Have you ever wondered how it is that you were so blessed to even hear Jesus’ name? Have you ever wondered at God in His providence, placing you to live in a place where there are Bibles at your fingertips? Have you ever wondered how lucky you are to be able to read this blog without the government kicking down your door and killing you because you’re reading about Jesus? It is all a testament to God and His grace! At the heart of the Christian faith is a self-revealing, self-giving, sovereign God. Therefore, for us to know anything about God, hear anything about God, or do anything, it has to be revealed/given to us by Him! So where is there room for boasting? NO WHERE!

            And if you are not a Christian, I want you to hear the same thing. God is gracious and merciful. He continues to shower His people and the world with gifts and blessings, yet we have all used them for our own sordid gain. We have all like sheep, gone astray, and turned to our own ways. We have turned to creation and sought after it more than the Creator. We have worshiped created things because we have despised the Creator. But God, being rich in mercy and love made a way to bring us back to Him. Yet, His perfect and righteous anger towards sin reminds us that His grace is not to be presumed upon. Just as God does not give grace to make people proud, He also does not give grace to make presumptuous sinners. His grace is given to transform people! So God makes a way. He sends His only Son Jesus to live the perfect life, in order that He might be the perfect sacrifice and bear His people’s sins, and provide a way for those who trust in Him alone for righteousness. Jesus satisfied the wrath of God against sin when He hung on that tree. There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who trust in Christ Jesus. Therefore righteousness, a right-standing with God only comes to us by what God has done. We didn’t do ANYTHING to earn it, or gain it. Righteousness comes by faith—and faith is a gift of God. Therefore we bring nothing in our hands for righteousness sake, but simply cling to the cross of Jesus for what He has freely given to His children. We get Jesus’ perfection, and Jesus got our sin.

            And yet, there is more. Three days later after taking His people’s sin, Christ rose again, defeating death, and showing that His sacrifice for His people was accepted by God, and those who trust in Christ can have assurance that they will be accepted too! Jesus ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father, continually interceding for us, and claiming us as forgiven. That is good news my friends! We are blameless because God pronounced us blameless through the faith that He gave us. That, my friends, is grace!

            So how in the world did I go from drinking my face off, chasing girls, lying, cheating, stealing, coveting, maligning, hating, being selfish, etc. to having the nerve and the gall to talk about a God who is infinitely perfect and holy? It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ—the gospel of grace. The very fact that God delights in saving sinners like myself. He delights in pulling sinners out of their filth, cleansing them, and teaching them His perfect ways. He breathes life into dead dry bones. He removes hearts of stone and gives hearts of flesh. He washes His children in the blood of Christ, and wraps them in His spotless robes so that will not be separated from Him and they can enjoy being with Him forever in eternity.

Christian, If salvation is a reality in your life, are you rejoicing in it at this moment? Because you have no reason not to.

But if you are not a Christian, I beg you, meet me in heaven! Do not go down to hell. Do not deny the free pardon from sin which God grants us through faith in Christ. Do not delay; you have had enough of resolving. Today is the day of salvation!

Remember, that salvation may be now or never…Let it be now, for it would be awful if it should be never.

 "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

 “Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."

ROMANS 11:33-36