God's Story - Grace

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.   (2Co 5:21 NLT)

CREATION...THE FALL/BROKENNESS... A PROMISE... THE LAW... REBELLION...


GRACE

As God's story continues to unfold, the rebellion of God's people has them doing their own thing and God's anger burning against them.  It really isn't that hard to understand...today if someone break the rules that are meant for our well being like driving under the influence, we want justice - to its fullest extent!

God is a just God (Psalms 11:7).  The law as well as scripture teaches us the cost of sin - death (Romans 6:23).  However, we don't really want that justice directed to us when it comes to our breaking God's rules.

Also, throughout scripture God is a loving God (1 John 4:8).  He desires that we be with Him... in the Garden... in the Promised Land... in the temple of our person.

God's loving nature desires to be able to wrap His loving, protective arms around us, but His justice requires Him to punish us for turning away from Him, for breaking His rules.

You might say that God is God and can change the rules, but God is also Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) - He will not move or change the rules.  He will never contradict Himself.  He will always be the same.

Ever think of God being between a rock and a hard place?  How can He do both?  How can a loving God punish us?

Age old questions... the truth is He does all three: maintains His justice, His love, and His holiness all through the person of Jesus Christ.  In so doing, He also offers GRACE to all of us!

Jesus

• lived a perfect life (Hebrews 4:15).  Therefore, He did not deserve to die.
• died anyway.
• was both God and man.  As God, He has the infinite nature of God (Philippians 2:6-8).
• took our place in death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).  As an infinite (on and on and on) God, He was big enough to pay the price for all of our sins - past, present, and future!

Through Jesus God extends GRACE to us.  Sin is punished. God stays the same and we can be back with God.

We still deserve death, both physically and spiritually (eternal separation from God), but God out of His incredible love for us, has rescued us from His wrath by extending us the free gift of GRACE through Jesus Christ.

This is not the end of the story!  It continues...