The biblical concept of “grace” seems to be one of the dying doctrines of modern evangelicalism. The evidence is all too apparent to ignore while the tall and shining pillars erected by modern Christian commercialism and deep Bible Belt fundamentalism loom higher and broader enticing many beneath their towering weight.
The extremes of modern evangelicalism fail to represent the intent of the grace that comes to us through the gift of the Christ-child. A false humility induced by self-condemnation can never portray the humility modeled by Christ and recommended in the Scriptures. (Philippians 2:1-8) Equally, the arrogance and pride produced in the lives of believers who dwell in the shade and shadows of the modern prosperity movement will never reveal the true nature of the Christ who chose to set aside all the pomp and glory of his exalted position as VERY GOD HIMSELF to come to us through the door of a humble stable setting. The humble and holy Christ even chose a lowly donkey as his royal mount to carry him while the crowds shouted their hosanna’s to the King!
The concept of grace comes to light when we consider the Christ as our Sabbath Rest. (Hebrews 4:1-11) Herein we cease laboring to justify ourselves by our own works (Ephesians 2:1-9) and we reject the modern rabble taught by teachers who insist that God wants us all to drive expensive automobiles, live in expensive mansions on earth, and wear designer clothes. If salvation is the free gift of God to us through faith then how much more all the lesser gifts and blessings that exist in the realm of material things? The clear teaching of Holy Scripture is that God will provide for our needs. (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:25-33) One of the problems of our generation is discerning the difference between greed and need.
Stewardship of our time, talents, and tithes is an integral part of spiritual life and not to be slighted. However, these are not the object of our faith and worship and should never be used as the standard by which faithfulness is judged. Coincidentally, when true faith and worship are alive and well in an individual, there exists a spirit of freedom wherein the investment of time, talents, and tithes into the work of the ministry is seen as a delightful pleasure rather than a doleful chore.
Thomas Merton wrote, “When we are one with God’s love, we own all things in him. They are ours to offer him in Christ his Son. For all things belong to the sons of God and we are Christ’s and Christ is God’s. Resting in his glory above all pleasure and pain, joy or sorrow, and every other good or evil, we love in all things his will rather than the things themselves, and that is the way we make creation a sacrifice in praise of God. This is the end for which all things were made by God.” (New Seeds of Contemplation, p. 25)
The Church, and each of us as individual members of the representative Body of Christ, has a calling to dispense grace. The prophet proclaimed, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.” (Zechariah 12:10) Rightly understood, grace is the unmerited application of God’s mercy and love toward us. Equally, supplication is our most appropriate response toward God for his free gift of grace toward us. As Christ became the Supreme Intercessor and Supplicant on our behalf, we too enter into the role of intercessor and supplicant for our families, friends, communities, and the world.
Here we find the fulfillment of our calling as a kingdom of priests. Christ, our High Priest, “ever lives to make intercession for us.” (Hebrews 7:25) Our role as priests in the world is to join with Christ as he intercedes for a world that is rapt in the deceptions of darkness. A fundamental question arises here. How can we be seen by the world as those anointed of Christ unless we follow his example of long seasons of communion with the Father where we are freshly filled with his Spirit of Grace? We cannot adequately portray and dispense grace in the world unless we are being continually filled with and experiencing grace afresh ourselves. |
