Began reading tonight in Jerry Bridges' book "Growing Your Faith". Though mainly for new believers, it is also for those who find themselves (like me) maybe dry and in need of refreshing. In the first chapter, Bridges defines for us that grace is not us trying to earn God's favor or seeking His approval but rather, it is our recognition of what He has already done for us. He defines grace as "God's favor THROUGH Christ to people who deserve His disfavor." How quickly we forget that we are sinners who deserve His wrath. Somehow, we think we deserve His grace. This definition rightly reminds us this is wrong thinking. It is through (because of; on account of) Christ and His work on the cross. He became a "curse" for us (Gal. 3:13) He bore our curse and earned our blessing (p. 19) Or, as Paul said, "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." Or as Johnny Mac says, "He became like us so that we might become like Him." Grace is what He has done for us at the cross - period. It is this grace - helps us; strengthens us; builds up; saves us.
The key to understanding this is seeing it as two bookends: Bookend 1 - the righteousness of Christ. Our standing before God is not on what we have done but what He has and is doing in us. Bookend 2 - the power of Christ. Our power to live comes not thru our efforts but His work in us - His strength. He is our power source. What brings these together? Dependence - not on self but on Him and His work on my behalf that I accept by faith.
The question is: do I really want to grow spiritually? Though I say yes - I must know that God desires me to grow as well and my growth is not dependent on my effort alone but rather my submission to Him to let Him work in and through me.
Working on being Grace - full!!
coach4christ
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