GOING OVERBOARD ON GRACE

The poet Robert Frost penned that “all you really want in the end is mercy.” I think he was spot on there with this one-liner.

As we look at our own lives, weigh our brownie points against our sin, we will definitely conclude that a fair judgment on God’s part at the end of our lives here on earth would be this—‘guilty’.

For we have all sinned and fall short of God’s standards. If not for God’s mercy, where will we be?

As Christians, we are saved by God’s grace, not by our good works, AND stay on in this journey of faith because of His grace.

Like the penitent tax collector, we constantly need God’s grace and mercy. We, in fact, need a lot of His grace and mercy.

But even a good thing such as grace can be corrupted.

Here’s why: 

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/01/save-and-secure.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/02/grace-can-we-have-too-much-of-good-thing.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/02/future-sins-automatically-forgiven.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/03/is-repentance-merely-changing-ones-mind.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/03/should-we-be-sin-conscious.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/02/no-need-to-confess-sin.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2012/04/divine-makeover.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/05/treading-less-well-beaten-path.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/04/unpalatable-truths.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/03/titanic-blunder.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2012/09/danger-of-cherry-picking.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/04/five-misconceptions-about-grace.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2012/10/truth-has-wings.html

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2013/01/transformed-by-mercy.html

The body of believers in Malaysia—and beyond—needs to know that grace can become corrupted when it is overemphasised. 

Terms such as reverential fear of God, self-denial, repentance and cost of discipleship are increasingly being watered down—to the extent they have little relevance for many believers today. In an attempt to be more “seeker sensitive”, some leaders prefer to emphasise areas that are “safe” and agreeable such as blessings, comfort and success.

If we live only to please ourselves, believing that an “indulgent” God will constantly bless and forgive us, we are deceiving ourselves. Thinking erroneously that He is always meek and mild may prove disastrous when we’re confronted by God the judge at the end of our life journey or when Christ returns (Hebrews 9:27, 1 Peter 4:7, 17).

"Faith is good only when it engages truth; when it is made to rest upon falsehood it can and often does lead to eternal tragedy." – A. W. Tozer.

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” – Soren Kierkegaard, philosopher.


RELATED POST

THE CORRUPTION OF GRACE
http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/corruption-grace/  
by Rev Dr Steven Kau