Do You See God as Gracious to You?

Even though we confess that we are saved by grace alone, it is still hard for us to grasp the truth that Almighty God is in Christ graciously disposed toward us all the time. We also struggle to understand how saving grace alone is the power to help us change. We at times slip into thinking that there must be something we have to do to prepare to receive God's grace or to be sure we hold on to God's grace. We confuse what God's grace does in a person's life with conditions that we must meet to receive God's grace. We sometimes think that we must have a conviction of sin, repentance, and faith to secure God's grace. In reality, it is God's grace and God's grace alone that brings conviction of sin, faith in Jesus Christ, repentance over sin and the capacity to flee to Jesus Christ. Such grace for the forgiveness of sins, justification, and restoration with God and eternal life is also graciously and freely offered to all people in the free and genuine offer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an offer that God the Father makes (2 Corinthians 5:20 see also Isaiah 55). It is an offer that Jesus Christ makes (Matthew 11:28-29). It is an offer that the Holy Spirit makes (Revelation 22:17).

We need to be careful that we do not slip into a legalistic frame of mind and heart, whereby we acknowledge that God's grace in Christ saves and keeps us, yet we still think that we must do our part to keep God from turning from us, especially when we sin. When you sin and even drift away from obeying God and away from walking with Him how do you view God at those times? Or even when you seem to be doing well, how do you see God's stance toward you? Do you see how wonderfully gracious God is toward you in Christ? We are reluctant to declare the fullness of God's grace because we still struggle with what we must do or with what our part is in the relationship. We see the New Covenant that God offers us in Christ as a contractual arrangement between us and God, whereby He promises to do His part if we will continue to do our part.

We may also be concerned not to promote the notion that because God is gracious to us we can do whatever we want even when we do what is contrary to his revealed will and because he is gracious we can get away with it. Some have indeed turned God's grace in Christ into a license for vice. What needs to be said is that both the idea that there is something still that one must do to prepare to receive God's grace or to keep God's grace and the idea that if we really say that it is by grace alone that we are saved then this promotes loose living are actually two sides of the same coin and are antithetical to the Gospel of God's grace in Christ.

In Psalm 130 we learn that God's grace in the forgiveness of sins has a purpose or intention. We might say that God who is gracious to us in forgiving us our sins intends such grace to lead us in a certain direction (See Titus 2:11-14). God's grace is the very power to lead us in that intended direction. This is brought out clearly in verse 4: "With you, there is forgiveness so that you might be feared." To fear God captures a life-changing disposition of heart that moves us to humble ourselves before God with worshiping and admiring hearts. To fear God is not a slavish dread that keeps one away from God. The fear of God is a yearning to be as close to God as one can get and to stay in His awesome and transforming presence. To fear the Lord means that you are now paying attention to Him. This motivates you to obedience and holiness of heart and life.

Now, what creates in your heart this kind of fear of God? Is it the certainty of God's judgment? Now God's judgment is a certainty and His judgment is just and holy but it is not what creates true fear in your heart. The psalmist says that it is God's grace toward you whereby he does not mark your iniquities but rather forgives you (again and again and again) that produces such godly fear. In fact the more you see God as he truly is: gracious toward the sinner, the needy, the broken, the weary, the wretched in the free offer of the Gospel and as continually gracious toward his dearly loved children who have come to believe that Gospel then the more you will fear Him. This means the more you will grow in holiness of heart and life. So if you in faith understand that God's grace is rooted in his very nature (he delights to be gracious) this frees you from the haunting notion that God is lurking around the corner waiting for you to blow it so that he can pounce on you. This also frees you from the vile notion that such teaching about grace will only promote immorality and vice. God's grace is both his comforting and restoring love that is there when we sin enabling us to renew our fellowship and walk with Him and His intimate presence with us moment by moment delighting in us as His children and leading us toward greater freedom and obedience. So do you see God as gracious toward you? Do you recognize how vital to your life it is to see God as gracious toward you?

In commenting on how grace removes the barrier of our approach to God John Calvin wrote:

"How is it possible for any man to offer himself cheerfully to God unless he relies upon his grace, and be certainly persuaded that the obedience he yields is pleasing to him? When this is not the case all men will rather shun God, and be afraid to appear in his presence and if they do not altogether turn their back upon him...in short, the sense of God's judgment, unless conjoined with the hope of forgiveness, strikes men with terror...whence it follows, that men never serve God aright unless they know that he is a gracious and merciful being."

Can we have an "Amen!" here for Mr. Calvin's words about God's grace?