Grace is an insult to pride. That is why pride will always be a great obstacle to salvation. People love to feel that it is their deeds, nationality or religious affiliation that earns them God’s favour. But grace says that you are favoured by God not because of what you have done or who you are, but in spite of what you have done and who you are. At this the proud heart reels back in offence. We like to feel that we have earned our stripes; that we have racked up some credit with God. But you can’t earn what is already given to you freely. Grace completely nullifies our sense of religious achievement. God gives us grace because it is his to give and he can give it to whomever he wants. That is what it means to be God. He gives the same gift to the humanitarian and the criminal. In fact, he delights especially in giving it to the criminal who will value forgiveness all the more. Your salvation was earned in the death of Christ and it is dispensed in order to bring attention to what Christ did, not what you have done. It cost God a great deal to purchase our forgiveness. There is an extra joyful anticipation involved in seeing an expensive gift unwrapped by the recipient. Likewise, God is eager to see you receive his gift. But you must receive it as a gift. If you feel that God’s gift is what he owes you then you insult his generosity and love. God loves to give to people who don’t deserve it. Can you accept this?
Accept that you are favoured by God in Christ despite what you have or haven’t done.
Read Romans 3:27-31
