Do you also get curious when you hear that something is FREE?
Did you know that God loves to give? We read that in the Bible. God gives His grace to people who absolutely do not deserve it. Do you know what grace is? It is God's love, goodness, forgiveness, and salvation. How can He give grace? It was earned by Jesus, the Son of God. God's grace is offered to us freely, without cost. But a high price was paid for it: it cost Jesus His life!
What is God's grace?
We can summarize grace in two things:
1. Not getting what you do deserve, namely punishment for your sins.
Sins include everything in your life that shows you do not love God above all and your neighbor as yourself.
2. Getting what you do not deserve, namely God's love, forgiveness, and deliverance from your sins.
Grace is a voluntary gift from God. He has every right to withhold His grace. But the Bible shows that God actually wants the opposite: He loves to give out His grace.
Punishment deserved
God, the Creator of the omniverse, placed man in a beautiful Paradise. In Genesis 1 verse 31, we read after the completion of all creation: “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” The first people, Adam and Eve, were allowed to eat freely from all the trees in the garden. They lived in perfect harmony with God, with each other, and with all creation. God had given them a test command. They could eat from all the trees in the garden except one. The fruit of that tree was not more special or tastier than the fruits of the other trees. The only thing was that they were not allowed to eat from that one tree. If they did, they would surely die. With so many delicious fruits on so many different trees, it should not have been hard to stay away from one tree. But Adam and Eve let themselves be tempted and ate from the forbidden fruit. With their disobedience, they sinned against God. That had major consequences. God had said He would punish them for disobedience… That is why we humans are subject to death and have inherited a sinful heart from our first ancestors. If God does not prevent it, we die the eternal death at the end of our lives.
Is it possible to escape punishment?
Our sins deserve punishment. God does what He says and is just. He must punish sin. There is no escape. But that is not the end of the Bible's message! No, God Himself devised a way to exempt people from the deserved punishment. He does this out of grace, while upholding His justice. What a joyful message! That is the Gospel. However, to be able to give grace, a costly price had to be paid first. God's Son, Jesus, had to come to earth as a human. He was without sin and always obedient to God. He loved God above all and His neighbor as Himself. Jesus did this as a substitute because we cannot. He underwent the highest punishment: death on the cross. That is why there is escape for sinful people like you and me.
“For all (people) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified freely (undeservedly) by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 3:23,24)
For all people are disobedient to God. Therefore, all people must live without the glorious presence of God in their lives. But through God's loving kindness, they (all who flee to Jesus in faith for forgiveness of sins) are acquitted of their guilt. Not because they deserve it, but thanks to Jesus Christ.
How am I acquitted of my punishment?
Mark 1 verse 15 says: “Repent and believe the Gospel.” As you are born, you stand with your back to God and do not know Him. Repent and put your trust in Jesus and in God's grace. In the Bible, you get to know God. Let Him guide you.
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