Grace

Grace

Dear Champions,

 

The short excerpt this week is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture verse is Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

 

Grace is an undeserved favor or gift.  It is the undeserved forgiveness, kindness and mercy that God gives us.  Redemption is the act of being bought back.

 

It's alright for Christians to be persecuted, but Christians should never be persecutors.   When you become a persecutor or condemn people because they're not believing, that is the moment you have stopped understanding that you're saved by grace.   The person that you're talking to with the gospel could easily be a better and more moral person with better character than you.  Your salvation has nothing to do with how good a person you are.  Jesus Christ says, " It doesn't matter your performance.  I don't rejoice in what you've done.  I rejoice in who you are in Me.  You're absolutely secure and accepted."

 

Religion says, "I give God a record of righteousness, and then God owes me blessing."  But the gospel says, "God through Jesus Christ has given me a perfect record of righteousness which I receive by faith, and now I live for him." 

 

Have a great week!-David Vining