Sola Gratia

     "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
  
(Ephesians 2:1-10)

Sola Gratia; "Grace Alone"

     When I was 19, I was coming home too late from my girlfriend's house and ran my Dodge Dakota off a Tennessee back road . I ran off the gravel road into a shallow ravine, and no one else was involved in the accident. The truck was totaled, and other than a few scrapes and bruises, I was fine. The experience did shake me up a bit, especially when the state trooper that worked the wrecked charged me with reckless driving. 

     

     On the day of my court date a few weeks after the wreck, I stood in front of the judge who announced my case, "The State of Tennessee v. Joshua Caldwell". I felt fire climb up the back of my neck...I was terrified! As a teenager, I liked to spend time with my friends playing video games or music, but I didn't party. I was pretty tame, and this was my first encounter with the law. I stood there bewildered as my case was read. The lawyers who were present discussed things amongst themselves in a whisper, and the judge walked up to me. He spoke with a deep, kind rattle, "Is this is the first time you've been in my courtroom?" Trying to hide the trimmer in my voice, I replied, "yes." 

     

     He told me he was going to reduce my charge to a speeding ticket; fifteen miles over the speed limit. The judge showed me grace; favor that I had not earned. The terrifyingly heavy charges against me had been lifted! I rejoiced in the knowledge that my penalties had been greatly reduced. 

     

     Christ, by His grace, has taken away the charge of sin we owe to God, a charge inexpressibly more weighty than my reckless driving charge. And while my charges were reduced, the bible says Christ has completely canceled our penalty and nailed it to the cross. 

    
    "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."
 
(Colossians 2:13-14) 

      Do you rejoice daily in the pardon you've received by grace through faith? How would your life look differently if you lived with a posture of rejoicing over the grace you have been given by God? Let me know in the comments below. 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! 

Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured
,there where the blood of the Lamb was split.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

grace that will pardon and cleanse within; 

grace, grace, God's grace,

grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, 

freely bestowed on all who believe! 

You that are longing to see his face

will you this moment his grace receive?

taken from a hymn by Julia Johnston