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Defining radical grace
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I want to examine the definition of Grace from a biblical point of view. I really do not like the given definition of “unmerited favor”. I just know there is far more to Grace than unmerited favor…so let us jump right in and have a deeper look.
Jesus had a mission on earth. In John 1:14 we see His mission was two fold. In this verse He introduces Grace and Truth as a divine concept – obviously one which up until now has not been understood by the religious institution of the world. The very religion that was supposed to represent God to the world, had failed!
In verse 16 he says that in His fullness we have all received grace. In the fullness of Christ there is an overflowing Grace. Its in His very nature. If you were to take on His nature more and more, rather than your own nature, you too would be growing in this fullness of Grace. John goes onto say that the law was given through Moses, but Grace came through Christ…as did truth. Does this suggest that with the law came something other than truth? Perhaps it was the additions to the law that brought the something other than ‘truth’. When ever man adds to God’s word, we find the inevitable death coming in with deception. Deception will bring death every time.
In Acts 20:24 Paul says that he was sent to preach the Gospel of Grace of God. Paul preached the gospel of Grace, and not the gospel of Law. It was this grace that we really need to understand as a basic biblical doctrine if we as a Church are to ever become the light of the world. Truth brings light. Truth and grace go hand in hand. Sin brings death and darkness. Why would the Church want darkness?
The New Testament Grace manifests itself through the sacrificial substistutionary death of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24-26 and Hebrews 2:9. This simply means that any believer who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior, or in simpler terms accepts the sacrifice that Christ made for their sins, that the believer cannot now face death! If you have Christ as your Savior, there is no sin that is nor forgiven …already. This goes further than past tense sin…it also includes future sins.
This is part one of my series on Radical Grace. Part 2 will delve deeper in this radical concept of Grace unveiled…
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