Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter posted: " Most of us like free stuff, to an extent. I'd likely accept if you wanted to give me a free T-shirt or pen unless there was something weird about them. However, if you offered me a free car or a free house out of the blue, I'd probably decline, suspiciou" Master's Canvas - Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter
Most of us like free stuff, to an extent. I'd likely accept if you wanted to give me a free T-shirt or pen unless there was something weird about them. However, if you offered me a free car or a free house out of the blue, I'd probably decline, suspicious of foul play, something too good to be true.
Maybe this is why so many people--Christians included--are tempted to turn God's grace for us into something that must be earned, because if we earn it, then it isn't something we get for free.
But, of course, it's also not God's grace, as the Apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Ephesians:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
I wonder if this is why unbelievers mistakenly think they have to "get their act together" before they can even think about going to church, as though they (or anyone) can behave well enough to be acceptable to God--they can't. None of us can.
I also wonder if this is why it's hard for some people to accept this gift that God offers us--His grace wrapped up in the package of a tiny baby, who would grow up to become a man. A man who would give His life for us because none of us is worthy to go to heaven. He would take the punishment we deserve so that all who accept this gift are made worthy to go to heaven.
This is a gift that costs us nothing, but there's no catch. It's not too good to be true. Jesus gave everything to offer it to us.
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