Eternal grace

Grace.  

It's the central theme of the Christian faith.  

It's not part of any other faith.  

We describe it as "amazing grace" because when you understand the implications of what God has done, what he has offered to anyone...to everyone, it takes your breath away.

It's easy to explain justice.  We live in a culture that wants justice, fairness, the right thing done.  

We all understand mercy as well, the gift of not getting what we deserve, being "let off" for a punishment we rightly deserve.

But grace is foreign to us.  It's not something we would naturally give to others, although we want it for ourselves.  Grace is simply getting what we don't deserve.  It's an undeserved gift based entirely on the kindness and love of someone else and has nothing at all to do with our merit, our efforts or worth.  In fact, if we deserved it then it wouldn't be grace.

But a gift like God has given can never be earned, never be deserved...it's just too much, too big.

Grace is the gift of God that gives us forgiveness, life, a new relationship and a thousand other things we don't have time to discuss here.  It's a key theme of the Christian faith.  

Often we quote a verse where God says, "my grace is sufficient for you..."  meaning it's enough for the need, but that falls so short of what grace offers.

Grace is eternal.  Once received the results extend out billions and billions of years.  Grace grows as we experience it.  It's richer, deeper, more vibrant than we will ever have time to experience....and that's why we need eternity...to have enough time to experience all that grace has offered us.  

The great celebration of the Christian is this-  I deserve punishment and death, but by God's grace I find forgiveness, salvation, love, peace, and I'm made a son of God...an eternal being given life, eternal life.

It will take eternity to discover all that grace has provided.  Isn't that exciting?

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

-Titus 3