Mar. 18- UA 36

Ephesians 2:8-10  ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


The Unexpected Adventure- Outrageous Grace- Ephesians 2:8-10


I would guess it is a small percentage of Christians who really believe that God's love is completely, 100%, totally unconditional and unearned.  We might say we believe that.  We sing about it in our Sunday morning hymns. But to believe, as Philip Yancey writes, "grace means that there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. . .Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love" is just too much for most of us to grasp. 


I know for me I still struggle with performance-based Christianity.  If I do, then He will.  My actions will cause God to love me more, therefore He will bless me more either by:
A.  allowing positive things to happen, 
OR
B.  keeping negative things from happening.  


When I sat down to write this morning, I had to fend of "punishment angst" because I had not blogged in a week.


Then I realized, God had not "smite" me this past week even though the blog was silent.  I still had good days at work.  Did I miss out one some blessings this week?  Who knows?  Would I have had a greater peace this week?  Most likely.  But hell fire and brimstone did not fall from the heavens because I was undisciplined in regards to my quiet time this week.


My witness will grow stronger the more my heart comes to believe that Christianity is about a relationship with the God of unconditional love.  That grace- free, unmerited and boundless- is God's gift to each one of us.  There are no hazing requirement.  No mandatory prayers.  No salvation walks to take down an aisle.  No membership dues (we like to call 'em tithes) required.  


My "performance" should grow out of a love for Him.  Not a fear of Him.  


Grace and love will win the world.  Not condemnation and criticism.