May the mumbling commence!
Grace is given freely, without regard to merit – that is part of the definition of the word. But grace is not a license to be immoral. Jude says this quite clearly:
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who have obeyed the call, who are loved by God the Father and kept in the faith by Jesus Christ – may you ever experience more and more of mercy, peace and love!
I fully intended, dear friends, to write to you about our common salvation, but I feel compelled to make my letter to you an earnest appeal to put up a real fight for the faith which has been once and for all committed to those who belong to Christ. For there are men who have surreptitiously entered the Church but who have for a long time been heading straight for the condemnation I shall plainly give them. They have no real reverence for God, and they abuse his grace as an opportunity for immorality. They will not recognize the only master, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Verses 1-4)
Like Jude, we often want to devote our time together in mutual edification – the path of learning more and more about our common salvation. Instead, we find ourselves bogged down in controversies. And we become divided. When this happens Satan is smiling.
We get lost in controversies that are secondary. We major in the minors of faith and life. It is the road to condemnation.
Reverence for God is lost when it is my way or the highway.
When we get caught up in our own little worldviews, we become myopic. We understand God’s grace for us and no one else. We pursue self-righteousness while we continue in our sins. We find it much easier to point out the sins of others rather than confront and repent from our own sins.
God’s grace is not a license to judge and condemn others. God’s grace is not a license to continue in sin. God’s grace is not a license for immorality. God’s grace is an invitation to transform immorality into immortality.
Immorality and immortality… Only a difference of one “t” between them – but oh the difference in meanings! When we accept the mercy offered to us through the cross (a “t” in form) and Christ’s resurrection, we add the extra “t” to immorality and get immortality.
That is how mercy leads us.
Grace leads us to be the people God created us to be.
We need to worry less about other peoples’ walk with God and worry more about our own walk. Let us join together in our journey to Jesus – back into right relationship with God and all creation. We will accomplish better together with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
As we walk together with the Spirit, we will recognize Jesus better and better. We will see him both in places we expect and in places that we do not expect.
Let us cross that “t”. Accept God’s mercy through Christ, and embrace grace. God’s grace has the great power to transform individuals and communities.
May that grace start here in me.
May it be so.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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