Surrender, Grace, Freedom

What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?  Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”  But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)  Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?  Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”  Why not say—as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved.  Romans 3:3–8

One of the fascinating things about studying the book of Romans is the juggling of, and appreciation for, both the uniqueness of the context of first century Judaism and the applicability for us today. The passage from this past Sunday (above) was just the most recent example of this. While Paul is responding to explicitly Jewish criticism, it is not hard for us to find ourselves right there with them. You see, at the heart of their criticism was a heart that wanted to be in control of their “faith.” At the heart of their rebellion was a heart that wanted to dictate what God could and could not do; what he could and could not require of them. Like I said, we are right there with them so much of the time.

If we -- even implicitly -- believe that we somehow have earned our way to God, then he can never ask move of us than we want to give. It is a negotiated bargain, if we lived up to our end, God has to live up to his, and cannot require more from us without renegotiation. The problem is that grace does not work that way -- thankfully.  We are saved by grace as a free gift from God, we give nothing but ourselves, we trust God with ourselves and in the process discover real freedom and peace. Grace is not a negotiation. Grace is free. 

It is free, but it is costly. While we cannot do anything to earn it or to pay it back, it cannot be fully received without surrender. Surrender is the key that unlocks grace. When you read “surrender,” hear “acceptance.” Surrender seems so hard because we see look at it as a losing of something. In reality it is a gaining of something. Surrender in this context is an acceptance of God’s grace. Acceptance of God’s grace requires surrender of the things in our lives that are opposed to grace. Each of us have in our lives these grace opposing things, these earning things, these things that we have to do to “be ok inside or with God.” 

• What are the grace opposing things in your life? 
• Write down the grace opposing things -- give them a name. 
• Pray over these things as you give them up to God.
• Check back to the list and continue to give them up -- they may have owned you for a long time, it will take some time to be rid of them. But, as they decrease, you will find yourself increasingly living into grace and freedom. 

Peace, hope and love

Doug