grace-def-1I had a brief conversation this morning with a friend who believes in God and Christ. The conversation started with his question, “Do you hold to some sort of judgment day?” I replied, “yes I do.” I continued, “God has given us too much, not to hold us accountable.” He thinks there is one too. But then he said, “I just can’t get past the thought that I have to earn it.” I encouraged him, “our rescue from judgment has to be by grace.” What is interesting is that just this morning, as I reflected on a sermon by John Wesley, I wrote in my journal: “Your grace gave me life. Your grace gives me life each day. Your grace has given me faith to believe. Your grace has given me the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blood of the covenant. Your grace guides me. Your grace teaches me. Your grace confronts and corrects me. Your grace seals and secures me in faith. Your grace is my hope. Your grace is my joy. Be praised, O Lord of grace.” There are reasons it has to be by grace that we find resolution and peace with God. 1. All we do is tainted. Nothing we do is with unmixed motives. You know the phrase, “happy wife, happy life.” It reflects our problem. Even when we try to do good, we often do it for our own benefits. We obey road laws, so we don’t get a ticket. We please God so we don’t get punished. That’s not love. That’s not real righteousness. 2. We are at best, inconsistent in our goodness. We may do good things, but we don’t do good in every area all the time! Why? See number 1. 3. Jesus’ death would have been in vain. If his death didn’t pay for our forgiveness, then it was no gift, but a horrible mistake. Actually, there is only one reason we don’t have to earn it! Because we can’t. So, grace is not something to be preferred. Grace is our absolute need. How do we learn to live in the grace of God? 1. We begin to recognize and thank God for the daily graces that He gives to all humanity. All anyone has is a gift from God. 2. We trust that Christ’s death was sufficient to pay for the sins of humanity, and therefore was great enough to cover my sins. 3. We live in the grace of God daily, yielding every gift He’s given us back to Him for His pleasure. Judgment day will still come. But we won’t have to face it with fear. What makes grace hard for us to trust in? How are you blessed to by the grace of God?