Free Grace - Costly Grace 3

When we talk about a Christianity which calls us to sacrifice, we are always in danger of falling into the legalistic trap. We begin to believe that “If I don’t do certain things then I can’t possibly have received grace.” So our faith descends into a set of rules. The only antidote to this is to make our whole lives a matter of making Christ our treasure.

Free Grace - Costly Grace (2)

Did I say that true grace is costly? It is only relatively so.

When the world looks upon the followers of Jesus it says that He asks too much. He asked the wealthy young man to sell all his possessions, give them to the poor and follow him. (Mathew 19:16 – 21) He called his disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. (Mathew 16:24) Peter, the apostle who was to lead the first church according to tradition was crucified; James was beheaded; John was exiled to the island of Patmos for years; Paul was spurned by his own nation, underwent numerous beatings and floggings, imprisonments and trials before being executed.

Free Grace - Costly Grace

Grace is one of my favourite words. It is a word which gives me hope, and tells me of a loving Father in heaven who, despite my horrible rebellion against Him, has taken me to be his own.

0 - 60 Eventually

I don’t know whether you take any notice of car stickers – they can be amusing enough at times – “Midwives help people out” was one which made me smile; “Mother-in-law in boot” was another.

One which I haven’t seen for a while, but which used to be seen fairly regularly on old bangers was “0 to 60 eventually!” Of course, no self-respecting young driver would have such a sticker on his car. But it seems to me that this may be something of a motto which I would take for my own desires now – not with reference to my VW golf which I drive, but to my Christian life.