John 1:14-16
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning Him. He cries out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, [He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.] ‘From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.'”
Back in the dim dark ages of my past I recall reading or hearing the expression: “There ain’t no free lunch!” Wow! What a profound statement—even if it is not grammatically correct. This fact is true in virtually every area of our life including the spiritual realm.
In this age of quick fixes and shortcuts, it is far too easy to become takers instead of workers. It is especially sad to read in the news that lazy and worthless criminals have stolen from someone who had worked long and hard to earn the items that had been taken.
Some children (of all ages) make a habit of living off the hard work of their parents. When asked to do something in return, they are deeply offended that such a thing should be asked of them. When I hear such stories I wonder if it was a pattern that had been fostered from early childhood.
Now that I have offended both parents and children, let me redirect the focus to Christians. It becomes very easy to mistake the word “grace” as something that is free. In a way it is certainly that. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, that it is by God’s grace that we are saved: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
There is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation. We could work 24 hours a day, seven days a week trying to do good works, but it would never accomplish our salvation. It is only by the shed blood of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ that we are cleansed from our sins and become born again believers.
One of my favorite singing groups is Ponder, Harp and Jennings. One of my favorite songs is; “There’s No Other Word for Grace.” Here are the words:
“There’s No Other Word for Grace”
“Red, can’t explain the beauty of the rose;
and white can’t tell the magic in the air when it snows.
Marvelous can’t half convey, the grace of the King.
The only word for grace is amazing!
There’s no other word for grace but amazing,
no other explanation will do.
Unmerited favor the song that I sing—
no other word for grace but amazing!
The Father looked beyond the failures I had made;
He didn’t notice all the times that I had not obeyed.
He overlooked all the scars from the sin I had in me,
and the grace that He showed still amazes me.
There’s no other word for grace but amazing,
no other explanation will do.
Unmerited favor the song that I sing—
no other word for grace but amazing!”
What more can I say? The enemy of our souls tries to deceive us into thinking that there are many paths to salvation. Satan uses sincere people to preach that it really does not matter what you believe, just so long as you are sincere. It is tragic that people who buy into this lie are risking an eternity in hell by not following the only true way to salvation.
Listen to these chilling words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'”
God’s grace is amazing! It cost Jesus to become the sacrificial Lamb for our sins. It also requires being born again—from death to everlasting life! Not knowing about Him, but knowing Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil