Tag: grace

More than any other man I know, I have been shown mercy. I have received mercy in unprecedented proportions. God is a gracious and merciful God. I am continually amazed that He can love and care for a worm like me.

I was introduced to Christ as a toddler. I possess a photo of my mother holding me inside a Sunday school room at that age. I accepted Christ as my Savior at about seven years old. Pastor Gary Phipps, a fiery Pentecostal preacher who seldom took a full breath between sentences (only by the power of God did he not hyperventilate while preaching), preached a sermon on heaven and hell. He finished by looking me in the eye and saying that, even if I was the only person who had ever been born, Christ would have died for me. I figured that I should give my heart to Him in return.

I have since backslidden and repented thousands of time. There could be no one on earth who has stumbled and fallen more than I. Yet, His mercies never fail. He is always waiting for me with open arms when I return, so long I am truly repentant.

A man I know did something terrible and it landed him in federal court. He couldn’t afford a lawyer, and the public defender’s office didn’t show up for the arraignment. My friend, not understanding that the system did not allow a guilty plea at that point, plead guilty. The judge looked at him and said, “No, son, at this point, you are not guilty.”

“But, I did it, your honor.”

“But, right now, in the eyes of the law, you are innocent … until proven guilty…”

With God, we are not “innocent until proven guilty,” we are, “guilty, but forgiven because Jesus has already served your sentence.”

That doesn’t give us a free pass to keep sinning, but because God loves us, He has forgiven all our sins, past and future. His mercies are greater than our sins.

What Paul is telling us in this verse, Romans 12:1, that in light of God’s mercies, we should give Him our unending love and devotion.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Thank you, God, for your never-ending mercies, because I am just an ever-fallible human.

I stood in the court room the judge turned my way.

It looks like you’re guilty now what do you say?

I spoke up, “Your honor, I have no defense.”

But that’s when mercy walked in.

Mercy walked in and pleaded my case.

Called to the stand God’s saving grace

The blood was presented that covered my sin.

Forgiven, when mercy walked in.

Praise the lord.

Mercy Walked In

By Gordon Mote and Sheri Easter

Q. Aren’t you simply teaching Lordship Salvation?

– James

A. Good question, James. Thank you. If you define Lordship Salvation in the traditional sense, then no. Absolutely not. Lordship Salvation, as the term has been used in my lifetime, means that one must prove himself or herself to earn salvation. In other words, Lordship Salvation teaches that salvation is accomplished by our works. This is in clear conflict with the Bible. This is following the Law to work our way into heaven. If even just one man or woman could do this, then Christ’s sacrifice was unnecessary. We could all just worship William or Sally or whoever accomplished such a feat.

Salvation is obtained only by grace through faith, lest anyone should boast.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

– Ephesians 2:8-9

God didn’t rescue us from sin and death with only the promise of eternal life. Our deliverance begins at salvation and continues to work in us our entire lives. This work of the Holy Spirit is known as sanctification and it brings us to victory over sin. Our divergence at salvation also leads us into a living relationship with our Savior that compels us to do good works. Look at the next verse in Ephesians.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

– Ephesians 2:10

Christ calls us to follow him. He calls us to repentance. He calls us to share in His victory over SIN and death. He compels us through His love and his example (and His commands) to be holy.

One cannot obtain salvation through good works, but one who truly develops a relationship with God will make Him Lord and do the good works that He shows us to do.