Hampshire or Kent?
True story: a pastor who had worked in a church in Hampshire and also a church in Kent described the enormous difference between the two fellowships. The church in Hampshire was filled with forgiving Christians, but many in the church in Kent were unforgiving. (This is no reflection on those two fine English counties!)
And so he would ask Christians friends, "Are you a Hampshire Christian or a Kent Christian?" Meaning, do you find it easy to forgive or do you hold grudges - even to the death?
It's a good question to ask ourselves from time to time, because our attitude towards those who have sinned against us is a direct reflection of our grasp of today's "A-Z of Salvation" word, grace.
If we really have understood the grace that has been shown to us, then we will be Hampshire Christians - not woolly and half-soaked - but filled with disciplined forgiveness.
If on the other hand we have never fully grasped God's grace, then we will be Kent Christians, for ever pointing out one another's faults and remembering one another's past failings.
First Grace
G-R-A-C-E has been well-defined as "God's Riches At Christ's Expense." Grace is God pouring out his bountiful blessings upon unworthy men and women with Jesus Christ picking up the bill, so to speak.
Here's our famous verses for today:
"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." (Ephesians 2:8,9)
The essence of grace is that God saves us, puts us right with himself, without us having to lift a finger. Salvation is a totally free gift of God. That's what grace tells us about salvation. We do not contribute anything to our salvation (except our wreteched sin which made it necessary).
That's what Paul wants to remind the Ephesians and us in these verses, we have been saved by the method of grace. We have not been saved by the method of earning salvation, but by receiving salvation as a free gift.
Even the faith by which we received the gift was not from ourselves! That faith came as a gift from God.
One day we were in total darkness and then God, taking the initiative, opened our eyes to understand the Gospel, and then gave us the gift of faith by which we believed and received the Gospel.
We did NOTHING!
So, says Paul, we can never boast. No-one is going to heaven because they earned a million "brownie points" on earth, we get into heaven by receiving the totally-free gift of salvation!
Ongoing Grace
And wonderfully, this is how God continues to deal with us! He daily forgives our sins and overlooks our foibles and weaknesses and bears with us.
Grace begun, continues all our days!
Grace to others
And just as we have been forgiven, so we must also forgive. A true understanding of grace will inevitably result in a forgiving attitude towards our brothers and sisters when they sin against us. We will reason, "Since the Lord has forgiven me, I must forgive them." And more, "Since the Lord has forgiven me a billion sins, I must by God's grace find it in my heart to forgive their half-dozen offences."
"Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13).
So I ask you as I ask myself? Have I really understood God's grace to me? Free full, amazing. If so how does that work out in my Christian life? Have I forgiven that person? Am I daily giving forgiveness to this one?
May God help us to be forgiving Hampshire Christians, not the grudge-holding Kent variety!
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Amazing grace
Was blind, but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
Will be forever mine.
You are forever mine.
Listen and sing HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our always-gracious Father in heaven,
We come to you in our Saviour's name and thank you for Grace. Thank you that while we were yet sinners, powerless to respond to your love, unable to see either our own sins or your full forgiveness, you loved us, took the initiative and performed the miracle of new birth in our souls.
We thank you that we did not have to do any works for our salvation. And we thank you that your love remains free today.
Forgive us when we do not forgive others. Help us to say, every day, whenever we ask for your forgiveness, "As we forgive those who sin against us."
Help us to keep short accounts with you and a gracious spirit to all we meet.
We ask this so that the Gospel of forgiveness may more readily be seen in our lives,
In Christ's Name,
Amen
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