Jesus Christ called his followers to live a life of discipline and love. But how do we live such a life? Jesus’ expectations were clear: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” ( Mark 8:34). We are privileged to experience the grace of Jesus which empowers us to live a life pleasing to Him. Grace is costly because it condemns sin while justifying the sinner.
The grace we freely receive from God is costly because it cost Jesus His life. We are the recipients of grace because of the sacrifice of Christ, who was crucified for our sins. And what cost God much cannot be cheap for us.
It was out of grace that Jesus became human for wayward humanity and provided the way of truth, goodness, beauty and justice.
All of us are saved by God’s grace and therefore should not judge others. When we judge others, it is at the cost of blindness to our own faults .Love, however, is illuminating.
When we judge others we forget that they too are entitled to God’s grace. We are fruitful disciples of Christ when we follow the way of love demonstrated by the incarnation and sacrifice of Christ. As the bible states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Grace is not forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, or a communion without confession. Such teachings would imply grace without the cross and grace without Jesus Christ as the model for our living. Grace is a gift we must pray for; it is the door at which we must knock. Living in the continuous shade of God’s grace will empower us to live a life of discipline and love.