Peace through God’s Grace

Temptation is very real. Temptation has been around from the beginning of time. Ever since God set the very first rule in the Garden, there has been temptation. That is why Paul writes in Romans that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
How do we know that it is sin? That is easy, because of the law. The law of God establishes what is right and what is wrong. The law sets up the moral, ethical and religious boundaries for our actions. The law tells us what to do and what not to do.
The problem is, once you write one law, you have to write a second to interpret it. Just look at the law today. We started with two unwritten laws, laws that should be written on the heart and in the soul: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” We went from those two being the guiding force in the lives of the faithful, to the Ten Commandments which interpreted how we were supposed to love God and our neighbor. And those Ten Commandments got translated into 613 binding laws by the time of Jesus. Now there are million’s of laws, just in this country alone. The law tells us what to do; it establishes the boundaries and fills us with the fear of punishment if we break the law. However, the law does not save us from the times we mess up and fail to do what is good and right and perfect. The law cannot save us or even forgive us for our failures and our sin. All it can really do is convict us of that sin.

This is where God’s grace comes in. Grace is the fire under the pan, the fire in our hearts that inspires us and moves us to do what is right in God’s eyes. Grace comes through Christ Jesus, springing up to quench our thirsting in the face of temptation. Grace is truly a free gift from God that gives us “inner peace” in the midst of all the temptations and challenges of life. Jesus is the very core of God’s grace. Jesus’ Life, Death and Resurrection are the ingredients of God’s grace. It is through the very grace of God as offered through Jesus Christ that takes away the stink and smell of our sin and disobedience. It is grace that offers new life and forgiveness. It is through grace that Christ Jesus is able to stand as our advocate before the Judgment seat and plead our case. It is through grace that God pronounces us forgiven!

Augustine said: “Our hearts are restless and will not rest until they rest in God.” Experience the rested heart and the inner peace of God by remembering that when we accept Jesus Christ and the forgiveness offered by God’s grace through Christ, we are transformed and filled with both the power and the purpose of Jesus in our lives. That power and purpose gives us the strength to face the rigors and struggles of daily life. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. Remove the fear in your life; replace it with faith and experience “a peace that passes all understanding!”