Skip to main content

Love, Mercy, Life, and Grace


           But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

          The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

          Having spent yesterday talking about the fact that there are two trinities, and two groups, today’s passage may sound unfair. God has great love for us, shows us mercy, gives us grace, but they get nothing. Except, that’s not true. They are granted physical existence, and the common grace involved in their not watching their Christian neighbors get needed rain, sunshine, oxygen, food, wealth, wisdom, knowledge, health, etc. In fact, sometimes it seems as if those who have rejected God get more common grace than those who accept Him, meaning that God gives those who reject Him as much love, mercy, life, and grace as they 1) need in order to exist apart from him, and 2) are willing to accept, within the parameters of their rejection. He treats them like visiting children, which means that, yes, sometimes, He disciplines them, but the punishment is sending them back to their trinity of parents: the Devil, the flesh, and the world.
          We also need to keep the second passage in mind. It isn’t God’s goal for anyone to end up in Hell. He’d rather everyone be saved. He’s willing to pay for that with the life of His Son (who volunteered for the job), but it’s not that He won’t give up His Godhood. God isn’t being mean, He’s being real. He can’t make someone else God any more than you or I can - not a real God, anyway. 
          God’s love for us is not that kind of love. It is like the love of a parent. That often means less of something things, more of others. We get more love, more mercy, life, and grace than they do because we get the kind that comes with God, the kind that lasts forever, and sometimes, when we look at what the guests get, it doesn’t seem as good… but it’s better because it’s a parent’s love, not a neighbor’s, and we get it forever.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more