The Grace of God and Gifts Under Pews

How does a salad say grace? “Lettuce pray.” I know, I know, that’s an old dad joke, but I’m an old dad, so I get to say that. Come on, some of you have already decided to tell that one. You’re welcome!

Plus, I couldn’t think of another way to introduce a post about grace.

What is grace? The Greek word the New Testament translates as “grace” is charis, which usually refers to favor, graciousness, or goodwill. While the meaning of grace in the Bible goes much deeper, for this study we’ll define grace as “undeserved favor.” 

Specifically, we’re talking about God’s undeserved offer of forgiveness for our sins. Sin has separated us from God, but he shows grace by providing a way for us to be made right with him. 

Before we can truly appreciate grace, though, we must understand two other things: God’s holiness and our sinfulness.

I wrote about God’s holiness previously, and here’s an excerpt:

What does “holy” mean? It means “set apart” or “separate.” God is separate from everything else in all of creation. He is completely other. There is no one like him in existence. He’s the eternally existing, perfect Creator. He’s supreme in greatness and beyond the confines of time and space. There is nothing in all of creation that is anything like God.

As part of his “otherness,” God is also free from anything evil or wicked. He is perfectly pure in his morals. God is not only great, he’s also good. And his goodness isn’t something he has to work at; it’s who he is. God’s goodness is so beyond anything else in creation that, compared to everything else, God is the only one who is good. That’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18).

That’s a tiny look at the massive topic of the holiness of God. God’s holiness includes his righteousness, his perfect goodness. Because God is perfectly good and pure, he must condemn anything that is not perfectly good and pure. He must condemn sin. God wouldn’t be righteous if he didn’t condemn sin. 

Every single one of us has sinned. We’ve said, thought, or done something that was outside of God’s will and God’s standard. Or we’ve failed to say, think, or do something that God wanted for us. Our sin has separated us from the holy, perfect God. 

Our sin not only separates us from God, but we are under God’s wrath:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Romans 1:18)

As sinners, we are under the holy wrath of a holy God. God, in his holiness, must and should feel wrath toward the ugliness of sin. 

The problem is that we can’t do anything to overcome God’s wrath. We can’t earn our way back onto God’s good side. Entire religions have been created by people trying to get right with God. It’s impossible.

But God is more than holy — God is also love. In his love, God, in eternity past, decided to provide a way for sinful man to be made right with him.

Paul wrote about this in Romans, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified (made right with God) in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now…” (Romans 3:20-21a, italics mine).

“But now.” Meditate on those two words. While we could do absolutely nothing to overcome his wrath, God acted! When there was no way, God chose to make a way! And that way is by grace. 

Christianity isn’t about trying to make God happy with us or working hard to lessen his wrath. Christianity is about God, from a heart filled with love and compassion, graciously providing a way for us to be made right with him. Grace is God choosing to give us something we can never earn or deserve — his forgiveness.

Years ago, I was speaking at a church on the topic of grace, and before the service, I placed an envelope underneath a pew, and inside the envelope was a $5 Starbucks gift card. I asked everyone to feel under their seat for something besides gum, and a high school student who had never been to our church pulled out the envelope and got a free Starbucks gift card. What an awesome surprise!

Then I asked the audience, “Did she deserve this gift?” No, she just happened to sit in the right spot. I also pointed out that some people there that day were jealous. “I’ve been coming here for years. This is her first day!” “I change diapers in the nursery every Sunday, and she strolls in and gets a gift card!”

But that’s grace. 

Grace isn’t earned or deserved. By grace, that girl received a gift card. She didn’t pay for it. She didn’t deserve it. She simply accepted it.

God is love, and in his love, he created a way for us to be made right with him. We didn’t deserve his grace, but God chose to give it. All we have to do is accept it. 

If you’ve never done that, why not accept his gift right now? There’s no magic prayer or formula. Talk to God and admit that you’ve sinned and deserve his judgment. Ask for his forgiveness. Believe and trust that Jesus paid the penalty for your sins by dying on the cross, and believe that he rose from the dead and is alive today, having conquered both sin and death. Believe that by accepting his forgiveness you will be his child for all eternity. Thank him for his gift of grace. Out of gratitude and love for Jesus, commit your life to follow his leadership, surrendering all to him.

If you sincerely had that conversation with God, you are now his child and will be for all eternity. Welcome to God’s family! I’m proud to be your brother.

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