Tag: <span>Jesus</span>

by John Grant
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney
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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions; it is by grace you have been saved.�
Ephesians 2:4-5

After a long drive, I was only a couple of miles from home and the exit from the Interstate looked like an oasis in the desert. Coming down the off ramp, as I approached the intersection, the green arrow turned orange and I continued, thinking it would stay on longer. But no, it was a short orange and a quick red. As I rolled through the red, I thought that I should have stopped and then when I heard the siren and saw the red and blue lights, I really thought I should have stopped.

I knew he had me and I had no argument. I pulled into a parking lot, safely off the highway, and was greeted by a friendly officer of the law. I admitted to what I did and apologized. While he checked out my driving record, I searched for my registration. In a few moments he came back and said he saw that I had a good driving record and he was not going to give me a ticket. I thanked his and we parted company.

As I drove away, I thought about how I had received his grace. I deserved a ticket, but he excused me from the punishment I rightfully deserved. That was true grace demonstrated.

Justice is getting what you deserve. Mercy is not getting what you deserve and grace is getting what you don’t deserve. I was in the wrong. I deserved a ticket. That would have been justice. If I had gotten a ticket and gone to court, I could have asked the judge to show mercy and not find me guilty as I deserved. But to not get what I deserved in the first place was an act of grace.

Our relationship with Christ is much the same way. No matter how good of a life we have led, we are all sinners and deserve punishment. But God intervened and sent His Son so that by acceptance of Him, we would not get what we deserved and instead have eternal life in Glory. We are saved by our faith and His grace.

We are saved by faith, not works: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to
do ” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Fanny Crosby said it so well in that great hymn Saved by Grace: “Someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing; but oh, the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King! And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story—Saved by grace.�
(a thought on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/08/18/jg_grace/