When we were a part of the fellowship of Redeemer Community Church, several letters were sent out by the elders to inform us, encourage us, and teach us. This letter, written by Bob Lepine, an elder and teacher at RCC, was sent to teach us how to correctly define God’s grace and how not to misuse it. I have kept this letter in hopes of sharing its’ simple message of getting law and gospel(grace) right. I hope you gain as much wisdom from it as I have. Enjoy!

Misconceptions in Defining God’s Grace

By Bob Lepine

A letter to the fellowship of
Redeemer Community Church

Hello Friends,

I’m concerned about what I believe is a serious misconception many people have about God’s grace.

Let me explain.

If I asked you to define grace, how would you define it?

Many people define grace using the letters of the word as an acronym. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Others say that grace is getting what we don’t deserve (and mercy is not getting what we do deserve).

Those may not be the best technical definitions of grace, but they are helpful ways of thinking about the basis for our salvation. We are saved by grace – we get something we don’t deserve. We get the riches of the Kingdom of God and a reconciled relationship with the King because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Now, if I asked you “what is the opposite of grace,” how would you respond?

Based on how we’ve defined grace here, the correct answer would be “merit.” Getting what we’ve earned or what we deserve. God’s riches at our own expense, on the basis of our works of righteousness.

We’re good so far. But here’s where I think the problem sometimes comes in.

Some people think that the opposite of grace is “law.” The Old Testament, they say was the time when God dealt with His people based on the law. But since the cross, they say, we live in the age of grace.

I see two problems here.

The first is the Old Testament law was never intended as a way for people to be made right with God. It was given to show us our sin and our need for some other way to be right with God.

The second problem is that some people today juxtapose grace and legalism. You’ll hear them say “I can do (insert you favorite practice here) because I’m under grace, not law.” The issue for them is not whether the practice is wise or spiritually profitable. The issue for them is simple “I can do what I want because of grace.”

And at this point, we’re over the line. We’ve moved to an understanding of grace that is not found in the Bible.

In Paul’s letter to Titus, he rejoiced that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).

But notice the very next thing the Apostle says.

“It teaches us to say ‘no’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

Grace doesn’t grant us a license to do whatever we please. It teaches us how to say “no” to those things that dishonor God and how to say “yes” to what honors Him.

“But we’re free in Christ!” someone will say. And I will say “Amen!” Galatians 5:1 teaches that very thing.

But look a few verses later. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve on another.”

You are free in Christ to say “no” to things you weren’t able to say “no” to before. You’re not free in Christ to indulge your fleshly appetites.

That’s not what grace is all about.

D.A. Carson has an accurate and convicting analysis of the human condition – the truth about you and me.

“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, and obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

Have you been looking at grace the wrong way? Has your freedom in Christ become an excuse for sin or for pursuing lesser things?

If so, the best correction I know is to stop again and to remember what God has promised to all who know Him. Consider the richness of the feast that has been spread out for us – abundance, the delight, the satisfaction, the fellowship and the joy of our salvation.

What are the lesser thins that you’ve pursued and treasured more than what God offers us in a relationship with Him?

And after you’ve considered the goodness of what God offers to His own, spend time meditating on the price that was paid “to make a wretch His treasure.”

If you do that, your response won’t be “I can live however I want because I know Christ.” Instead, your heart will swell with “amazing grace, how sweet the sound.”

Soli Deo Gloria!

Bob

Thanks Bob.