Bible Basics: Grace (part 5)
As we continue our discussion on grace, let me first say that this blog or discussion about grace does not and cannot do justice to the rich concept of God’s grace. It has been my effort to introduce grace so that you might begin a life journey of living in God’s grace and understanding God’s grace.
Remember, one of the key concepts discussed was that God does not love us because of who we are; He loves us because of who He is. God is a merciful God who loves His creation simply because He is that way. It might help to visualize this if we consider the love a new mother or father feels in their heart when they see their newborn child. We might even say this is part of the legacy God has given us when He made us in His image. God has given us the ability to love like him.
When we ponder who God is and what God is like, we need to realize that there are other qualities that also make God who He is. God describes Himself as not only a God of love and mercy but also a God of perfection and holiness. God is a being who cannot tolerate sin or unrighteousness. While God does love us, He calls us to come to Him and make Him our master. It is only proper for God to do this because we are His creation. God owns everything. He is the master of all, and to have a master means that we need to live in submission to our master.
The issue of submission is a difficult one. Our selfish inner nature rebels against submission and authority. In this regard, Satan has brainwashed humanity. People often refuse to relinquish their “seat of power” (the throne of their heart) to God. This is the crux of our problems. While God loves us, He cannot overlook our rebellion and lawlessness. God wants to show us grace, forgiveness, and love, but He insists on being the master of our lives. If a person chooses to say, "I will not make God my master,” then God replies, "Your will be done.” While it breaks God’s heart to see people on the road to destruction and judgment, God honors their free will and their choices.
To receive God’s mercy, God says that we must submit. This is easily seen in the statement by Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25>> ”Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (NIV) God does not expect us to earn our salvation, God simply wants us to trust and submit to Him. God desires a relationship with His creation — with us. God clearly and simply states that we must follow Him and love Him. This submission relationship is seen when we have faith in God. This faith in God is observed by others as we change how we live. When we change masters (for we all have some sort of master, whether we like to admit it or not), we show our faith in God. This change of masters, this change of thinking, is called repentance. When we are willing to have faith in God and repent of our lawless ways, then the Bible states that we must be baptized into Christ.
Join me next week as we investigate what God has said about this thing called baptism. We will investigate how baptism is an essential part of receiving God’s grace. Keep looking up!