As you begin your day today, you have a choice to make as to how you are going to think and treat people. Will it be law or grace today?
Let me explain what I mean.
God Treats Us under Grace, Not the Law
When Jesus Christ came and delivered us from our sin debt, God demonstrated His great grace toward us. He placed our sin burden on Jesus, allowing us to live as if we were free (2 Cor 5:21). This story marks the greatest grace and love the world has ever known.
Paul explains that the law judges. Unless a person fulfills the law in every place, the person is guilty under the law. And, if guilty, also will be judged by the law (Rom 2:11-13). In other words, the law requires perfection and judges where perfection is not. It is a works-based way of seeking righteousness.
However, because of the life and work of Jesus, God does not judge us under the law but under grace.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:20-21)
Whereas the law pointed out our offenses; grace in Jesus Christ provides a way for eternal life.
Take a moment sometime today and read through Ephesians 2:1-10 where you can read of the richness of God’s grace. The story of grace over law through Jesus Christ is the Gospel, the story of the Bible.
God treats us by and under grace. Mercy means He does not give us what we deserve. Grace means He gives us so much more than we deserve.
Will it be law or grace today?
How will you handle the people around you today? Will you treat them out of an abundance of grace where you engage them through the lens of the Gospel? Or, will you treat them under the law?
The law treats people by performance. It demands perfection, insists on works, and enacts punishment. Whereas, grace recognizes the mercy and grace extended to each one of us through Jesus Christ and applies that lens to those around us.
Your spouse, child, friend, employer, employee, or whomever cannot live up to your demands under your law. Instead, we each must engage them out of grace.
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Image Credit Marl Clevenger
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
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