GOD'S GRACE IS FREE, BUT NOT CHEAP
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: God se genade is verniet, maar nie goedkoop nie.
Translator: Lynda Botha
The other day I heard something which made me think about something that happened and I would like to share it with you.
One day a lady told me the following:
I must mention that I know her and the person she told me about well. The person whom she spoke about was a renowned leader in their church.
I heard from other people that she is a very attractive lady and she also has a beautiful personality which I can attest to.
She told me that this married man contacted her to tell her that he is in love with her and asked if they can’t meet up somewhere.
When she asked him what our Lord would think of such a relationship, he told her they would only need to apologize to God for the wrong they have done, and He will forgive them then everything would be made right.
I know that this is an extreme example, but I see people exploiting God’s grace on a daily basis.
This example I have just shared with you, came as a great shock to me because I knew this man, a pastor, very well.
It’s true that God's grace is free, but God's grace is not cheap.
This is not something I should disrespect.
No, His grace is not just some insignificant mickey mouse activity, because you see:
GAL 4:4 “But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”
JOH 1:
1 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
14 “So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
16 “From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.”
17 “For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.”
I say again:
God's grace is free, but not cheap.
1 COR 6:20 “for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body.”
Further on the Word of God states:
1 COR 7:23 “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.”
Again I say:
God's grace is free – but not cheap and should not be wasted.
ROM 6:1-4
1 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?”
2 “Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”
3 “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death?
4 “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”
In my opinion:
If I view God's grace with an "easy come, easy go" attitude, I actually make myself, whether I realise it or not, a servant / follower of Satan.
ROM 6:15 “Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!”
ROM 6:16 “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”
Remember I am not talking about people who are addicted to something and are really trying to get rid of the addiction.
I am talking about people like in my example above: People who knowingly and wilfully are doing wrong without having any remorse.
For those who have an addiction, who are really trying and have not made peace with it but continues to fight against it, I want to encourage you with these words from the Bible:
HEB 4:14-16
14 “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.”
15 “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testing’s we do, yet He did not sin.”
16 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Do not let satan use that weakness / addiction to break down your self-esteem.
Every time you fight whatever it is just to lose the battle, then remember that you may have lost the battle for now, but the war continues while you remember:
1 PET 2:9 “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”
Kneel in the spirit right there where you are on your knees then thank and praise God for His free but very expensive grace then continue your fight and never disrespect God's free grace.
EPH 4:30 “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”
The Amplified version states this Scripture like this:
EPH 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God (but seek to please Him), by whom you were sealed and marked (branded as God’s own) for the day of redemption (the final deliverance from the consequences of sin).”
Greetings,
Sakkie