Through the Lens of Grace

In this series, we will look at some of the submissions from all of you and respond to 2 or 3 each week in either a mini-sermon or a dedicated lesson. Let’s see what we got in store this week...

A Neat Grace Idea

Prompt: “Habits of Grace” [Referring to a book by David Mathis

Theology —> Categorized a few ways

A desire for knowledge (“I want to KNOW God.”)

A desire for correctness (“I want to be RIGHT about God.”)

A desire for applicability (“I want to see God despite the current age.”)

A desire for correction (“I want to see God despite the current theology.”)

Habits of Grace (Core Ideas)

Hear His Voice (Word)

Have His Ear (Prayer)

Belong to His Body (Fellowship)

Examples of this model...

Paul

Colossians 3:12–17 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you” (vs 16) —> Connects to WORD

“Be thankful” (vs 15 and 17) —> Connects to PRAYER

“put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (vs 14) —> Connects to FELLOWSHIP

Early Church

Acts 2:42 CSB

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

This model of the “Habits of Grace” is undoubtedly scriptural and covers a good many facets of living a good, Christian life.

Final Conclusion.… “Ultimate Purpose”: Enjoy Jesus

Leans heavily into John Piper, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

Here is the million dollar question for you: do you agree?

Do you think the purpose of it all is to enjoy Christ, OR...

Do you think that life in Christ isn’t quite that simple?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Read Colossians 3:12-17 and consider the Habits of Grace encompassed by learning the Word, Praying earnestly, and Fellowshipping with the body of Christ. Which of these do you feel you do pretty good? Which ones do you feel you help others with the most? What is the most challenging and what have you done to try “digging in” a bit more? The scriptures are clear in supporting these practices as traits of a healthy Christian life… how healthy are you?

Is There More?

We opened this by saying theologies are often developed for several reasons. Sometimes those reasons can cause us to get Biblical tunnel vision.

Did David Mathis get Biblical tunnel vision?

Paul seems to reject the “passive pipeline” in some ways...

Paul connects our actions (work) with the transformation Christ is doing inside our hearts

Colossians 3:8–10 CSB

8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Paul connects worldly behavior with indications of our intent towards God

1 Thessalonians 4:7–8 CSB

7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. 8 Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

From this, it appears that there is ACTION that is required to enjoy this spiritual life.

This isn’t to address the debates between Calvinism, Wesleyanism, or any other belief system on grace; rather it acknowledges the danger in attempting to view God in a one-dimensional manner.

YES, God is love; also YES, God has expectations

(You know I’m going to go to my man, James for this one...)

James 2:20–26 CSB

20 Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

It’s about BALANCE (GOD ISN’T ONE DIMENSIONAL… STOP TRYING TO “GET HIM”)

Jesus wants Grace —> Luke 10:38-42, the story of Mary and Martha

Jesus wants Works —> Luke 18:18-30, the Rich Young Ruler

THEREFORE, a Christian life can’t be summarily encapsulated into “three easy steps to a Godly life”, no matter how catchy it is in a best selling book.

STOP TRYING TO TAKE THE MYSTERY OUT OF GOD!!!

The mystery is that God still calls on us to BE Holy as He is Holy, and yet in the midst of our failure His grace overcomes.

Don’t minimize grace by trying to understand it.

The glory of God is not made more glorious “because you studied it”.

IRONY —> God is bigger than a system: by trying to call others to glorify God through “enjoyment”, they are removing one of the biggest sources of glory… God’s incomprehensible wonder.

Romans 11:32–12:1 CSB

32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? 35 And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. 1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

The Habits of Grace are fine and dandy, but the conclusion that they point too seems mortally convenient, and divinely limiting.

Mankind is obsessed with trying to cage God into what they know, because believing in something they can’t know is terrifying.

By accepting God’s grace can not be totally understood, we reject the bounds WE try to place on God’s power and make room for the truly boundless glory He is working around us.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Read Romans 11:32-12:1 and consider the mystery of God’s love. Do you find God’s love and grace unbelievable? Is it hard to intellectually understand? Why do you think so many spend so much effort arguing and debating an “understanding of God”? What can be good in trying to know God deeper? When can it turn into an obstacle? What are things we can look out for in our own behavior and attitude which may indicate whether we are letting our pursuit of “knowing God” transform us into something more Holy?

We Don’t Even Know Ourselves

My fundamental challenge with many of these “grace models” is that it attempts to bound that which is boundless.

Covenant came in the midst of the improbable. (Abraham)

Deliverance came in the midst of the insurmountable. (Moses)

Salvation came in the midst of the unfathomable. (Resurrection from the Cross)

We have turned the noble desire to pursue God into an ignoble desire to systemize God.

Christ came in the ‘unlikely’ so He could redeem the ‘unthinkable’ by challenging the ‘unopposed’ and overcoming the ‘insurmountable’.

IN CONCLUSION: David Mathis wrote a neat book and discipleship, prayer, and fellowship are certainly cornerstones of a solid Christian life… but don’t try to cage God’s glory into a neat little system.

Let God be God and you be you… that’s how God knew you before he stepped up to that cross.

Instead of worrying about understanding the mechanisms of His love, maybe worry more about reflecting the results of it in your own life.