I would love to own a Ford Bronco. I had a plan too! A plan that went right out the window when my Toyota met a Nissan. I just love the way they look, the way they feel, and the presence they have on the road!!
If I owned one though, if my plan had worked, I would certainly not leave it in my garage. Yes, it would be stored there. But there’s no way it could stay there.
Think about your dream car.
If you owned one, would you be okay to simply look at it, maybe washing it every now and then and keeping it look nice? Proud of the fact you have it?
Or would you have to drive it? Get it out on the road and see what it could do?
Of course you would have to drive it! Right?
Simply having the car in your possession would compel you to action because you recognize how awesome it is. And it’s not awesome just for it’s looks.
You’d have to experience it to really understand the car.
God’s grace is the same way. We talked a few days ago about how my father-in-law’s graciousness compelled me to action. I want to dig into that a bit more.
When we truly comprehending how awesome the grace of God is, we cannot simply look at it and enjoy it.
It compels us to demand more of ourselves.
It compels us to action.
In Acts 4 Peter & John give us an example of what this looks like. Jesus had impacted their lives in such a way that even in the face of arrest, and possible death, they had to act. The Jewish governing officers warned Peter & John to stop speaking to people about Jesus. However, in verses 19 and 20 Peter says, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard”.
You see, their experience with Jesus so impacted them they could not remain silent. Sure, they knew their salvation was secure. But they could not remain there. They had to act.
They had to tell others.
That’s how much they valued the grace God had shown them through Jesus.
Let me go a bit further to be clear.
You don’t receive the grace and salvation of God because of what you’ve done. You receive it because of your faith. You then act because of that.
Do you see the order?
Faith, then grace, then do.
NOT Do, then Grace.
The “do” is a response, not a stimulant.
I don’t mean to overexplain this, but I think it is imperative that we as Christians, especially those working toward living free from shackling sin addiction, to truly embrace the freedom that can only come for a right understanding of the grace of God.
If not, then we’ll spend a considerable amount of time & wasted energy either: A) – trying to do works that earn God’s favor & grace, or B) – ashamed because we feel like we don’t have God’s grace and we end up running from Him.
Understand it.
Be compelled by it.
Like a brand new Ford Bronco – Badlands – Area 51 color – with a mesh top.
Thoughts to Pray/Journal:
- What impact can a right understanding of God’s grace have on your life?
- How have you acted, or possibly slip into acting from time to time, in a way where you think: “first do, then grace” vs. “faith, then grace, then do”?
- What implication does this have on working toward a life free from pornography?
Reading: