Offensive Grace

I heard a great quote this week

"Christianity is a response to God's grace...not a reaction to His wrath."

I used to believe that God was like a coin.

God had 2 sides. One side was Love...One side was Wrath. 50/50

This led me to have a very wrong view of God.

It caused me to see Him as 2 very different personalities and each of these personalities would respond to me in different ways based on what I was doing.

I would never admit it...but deep down...I was a little scared of God. Not the healthy fear of respect for the Almighty...but real legitimate fear of His wrath being poured out on my sinful life- The hidden sins that I am “still” dealing with...the dark stuff of my heart… the sin I could not rid myself of...even though I tried and tried. If I could not rid myself of these sins then God’s wrath must always be aroused against me. I must always be in a state of, “oh crap I am screwed because obviously I am not perfect.”

Enter Religious Behavior.

This view of God led me to act in ways that I thought would please Him. Not that my behavior was bad, in fact it was quite good- Really quite self-righteous. (It was self-righteous because I was not relying on His righteous in me but rather in what I could do for myself.)

I was truly sincere in all of my doings.

I read my bible and studied all the “ways of God” so that I wouldn’t miss anything and come short in my knowledge of the Holy One. I mean there is a verse in the bible that says, “To whom much is given much is required.” So I thought God required a lot from me…

I would try to convert people...with “Good news” but my “Good News” wasn’t really that good…It consisted of a split personality God that would really like to love you if you could just stop doing all the bad things he hates…but he still loves you in spite of that…but not really…well sorta..just keep asking for forgiveness…he will see how sincere you are…

I stood up against all the evils and sin in the world…heck I would call it out in peoples lives…showing them where they broke God’s laws…conveniently “forgetting” the laws I break…all the time. I would justify, minimalize, and mentally repress my spiritual shortcomings to maintain a holier then thou image. I mean how am I supposed to lead people out of the darkness if I am still struggling myself?! Self-Condemnation was always in the back of my mind.

And I prayed a lot, mostly for forgiveness because obviously the things I would repress would eventually surface when I was still and quiet and not busy doing religious things…and asking for forgiveness all the time was the humble thing to do right? It made me feel good for a time…until I messed up again…

Repeat cycle.


Then I learned something quite beautiful about God.

He isn’t a coin. He doesn’t have 2 sides. He is not 50/50. He is a whole person. God is 100% wrath and 100% love.

I heard an amazing truth from my pastor back in Michigan. It was the simple phrase that began my shift from trying to please God with my actions and pious behavior to understanding that I am fully accepted by His Grace based on what Jesus has done for me, and not what I have done and am trying to do for myself.

“It is unjust for a just God to punish me for what He punished Jesus for. Jesus took the punishment, the whole wrath of God so that “All” of God’s love could be poured out on me.”

God never changed his character…He didn’t go easy on sin. Oh no! God’s wrath needed to be satisfied against sinful humanity. His wrath was 100% satisfied. He punished it once for all on Jesus!

God does not change his character. He is 100% love…and He needed to pour our His love on His creation. And now because of the work of the Cross, the place where Jesus bore “ALL” of our sins, punishment, and wrath of God, He can now pour out 100% of His Love on us!!! There is nothing holding Him back! Nothing holding us back! Sin has been taken out of the equation!!!

This new understanding started a new cycle in my life.

Knowing His Grace.

Knowing My “True” Identity As A Child Of God.

Having Gratitude in what God has done for me.

Ministering And Extending His Grace towards others in the same way it has been freely given to me Without My Sin or Their Sin Holding Back His Love. Loving People.

Being Free To Enjoy Life.

Repeat Cycle.