Sola Gratia- The Role of Good Works

DAY 15- 3/15/17 SOLA GRATIA- THE ROLE OF GOOD WORKS

 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he 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, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-6)

   Late Medieval Teaching (Occam-Biel, Duuns Scotus) taught that doing good prepares us to receive God’s grace.  “By living up to the highest within him, he could merit the grace of justification.”  Occam said that “God is committed to give his grace to all who do what is in them.”  For some Protestants on the far right or far left, this is their view- a semi-Pelagian view that we cooperate with God to receive grace.  The Council of Trent affirmed this view in reaction to the Reformers.  Bloesch points out that “Luther did not deny that people do on occasion seek and ask for the grace of God.”  Yet in his view, “this very wishing and asking, seeking or knocking is the gift of provenient grace, not of our eliciting will.”
Calvin said, “God does not graciously accept us because he sees our change for the better…he comes into our lives , taking us just as we are out of pure mercy.” (CR Calvin 39.139).  Kuyper said, “All our running and racing, toiling and slaving, can not create in us a holy disposition.  God alone can do that.” 
    Protestantism encouraged doing good- but not in order to be saved or cooperate with our salvation.  Luther and Calvin spoke of doing good out of gratitude to God and love for Him, not because we have to do good in order to obtain His favor.  Calvin pointed out we do good not as servants who are paid, but as sons out of love.
    Why do you even try to be good? There are some who only live by their feelings- or by other’s feelings (not trying to hurt others).  But people will be hurt.  Some are offended when you do good today.  Others are offended when you do bad.  Truth is, we are God’s children (if we believe in Him) and we want to please God above all others. 

Prayer: Lord, Help me to do good- not because I have to do it- but because I am grateful toward you. 

Sola Gratia- Grace is Not Karma

DAY 13- 3/13/17 SOLI GRATIA- GRACE IS NOT KARMA|
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.  What we reap we also sow.” Galatians 6:7
there is, “…no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2)

      The idea that we get what we deserve and we reap what we sow are certainly natural ideas.  The Hindu idea of Karma- that the bad that you do comes back to haunt you and the good comes back to bless you is very different from the idea of grace.  Grace is undeserved favor.  Mercy is not punishing us as we deserve; Grace is God’s blessing us when we do not deserve it.  Grace and mercy are not fair, but they are a deep relief to those who don’t deserve them.  Once a man could not make his house payments.  That the bank did not foreclose on him was mercy.  That his friend heard about his demise and made his house payment was grace.  The ultimate blessing here is salvation.  
         One of the myths people believe is that we deserve heaven just because we are (and despite what we do).  Their reasoning is that it is not fair that God would create anyone who does not go to heaven.  But God does not force us to be good and does not force everyone to accept His love.  It is obvious that some purposefully choose to reject God and to reject His ways.  What is their karma?  Should the devil go to heaven?  There are some who think that God will continually offer His love until the ones who reject Him break down.  Scripture itself does not teach this.  Hebrews 9:27 says, “we are destined to die and after this the judgment.”  There is a sense in which judgment comes right at our death.  So Jesus could tell the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  Paul could say “to depart is to be with Christ.”  Those who believe that belief and behavior here do not really matter because they will be given a second chance are hoping in a hopeless hope.  The idea that we will be reincarnated and that reincarnation (or transmigration of the soul) will give us a second chance downplays that those who are reincarnated or transmigrated do not learn from their mistakes in the previous life.  No, there is judgment.  This is what we deserve- all of us.  But God chooses some out of this judgment to Himself.  Before the Reformation the second chance idea evolved into the idea of purgatory.  This evolved into a different idea of grace (explained in the next lesson) that could be conferred from one person to the next, and prayers made after death to transport the soul from a state of purgatory to heaven.  In some sense we want a second chance (thus reincarnation, transmigration, or purgatory).  Yet in another sense we want karma- to get what we deserve.  Basically, we have a deep fear and a denial of facing judgement- what we do deserve.  Grace is a reminder that God gives us mercy and hope beyond what we deserve.  This is amazing love.  In karma there is no love.  

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for your salvation and love you offer right here and now. 

Sola Gratia- Salvation by Grace Alone

DAY 12- 3/12/17 SOLA GRATIA- Salvation by Grace Alone

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us.”  (Ephesians 1:8)

“For by grace are you saved through faith.  Not by works so no one can boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8)

Salvation, this teaching tells us, is not earned by the sinner.  It is unmerited favor by God.  There are not ten things you can do to earn your way to heaven.  We do not initiate our salvation, we do not cooperate with God’s grace, and we do not earn it or deserve it. 
      When are we saved?  Before we were ever born, God made a plan to redeem us.  Ephesians tells us that before the creation of the world we were predestined.  On the cross Christ saved us- before we could respond.  By placing us in a position to hear the Gospel, the grace of God is at work without our cooperation or even our response.  Gratita and Gratitude are similar words.  We are due to give God credit, glory, and honor and not steal the gratitude for ourselves. We love because He first loved us. 
     Calvin wrote, “When God elects us, it is not because we are handsome.” 

Prayer: Lord, you are deserving of all my thanks and gratitude.  Thank you for your love.