The saving grace of God is a fundamental belief of the Christian church. It is also the quality that fuels compassion and kindness. It is the engine that drives the mission of the church. Few Christians would argue against God’s grace. However, practicing grace is not as easy as you might think.
Grace: The Critical Practice of the Church
Compassion is the ability to “feel with” other people. It should be a defining character trait of any Christian, as well as the church.
Grace is the ability to love someone unconditionally. Grace is a foundational characteristic of Christianity.
Compassion says – I see your need, let me do something to meet it.
Grace says – I see your sin, let me welcome you anyway.
Compassion says – I feel your pain, let me help you.
Grace says – I see the pain you have caused me and others, let me love you anyway.
Grace is a lot harder than compassion.
And yet, Paul believed that grace was at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Unfortunately, there are things we do that kill the grace-filled church.
Six things that kill the grace-filled church.
1. We judge the sins we are not guilty of.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matt. 7:1).
We can be very selective in who we condemn. It seems like someone has to be sacrificed, and we have the lousy habit of deciding which are the unpardonable sins – and they always end up being the sins we aren’t guilty of.
2. We focus on what we are against, instead of what we are for.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” — Philippians 4:8
There is a genuine desire for a pure church. Many Christians see themselves in a war against a sinful world. It’s true — there is sin and darkness in the world. However, God has not called us to be the judge, jury, and executioners of that sin and darkness. In fact, he is clear — that is not our job (Matt. 13:24-30).
3. We tie status to good works.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
We have a natural drive to lift up those who do good work. The problem with that is that it sends a subtle, false message that holiness and righteousness (and even our salvation) are tied to our good works.
4. We see ourselves in a battle against other people.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).
We say that we “hate the sin and love the sinner.” The problem: hatred has a way of expanding and consuming both sin and sinner.
Paul tells us that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Rom. 5:20). For Paul, the antidote to sin is not hatred, but grace.
5. We always think we are right.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col. 3:12).
The church has been wrong in the past. In general, the church (especially, the Evangelical Church in the South) was against emancipation – against women’s suffrage – against integration – against civil rights.
Paul said that he “resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). The one thing we are certain of is that Jesus is the Son of God who came to save the world (John 1:1; 3:16). Anything beyond that should be approached with great humility.
6. We refuse to forgive each other.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col. 3:13).
Jesus made it clear — if we can’t love and forgive each other then we will never be able to do that for those outside the church. Jesus called us to love even our enemies (Matt. 5:44).
Grace is hard work. However, it is the heart and soul of the work of the church!
