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Perceptions #30
"Response to God's Grace"
by Truman F. Spring
The grace of God is no common, ordinary thing. It is available unto men any day and every day, and yet, it is not granted unto men for just anything (common and ordinary), nor everything. God is a Being who must be reverenced and the ONLY Being entitled to the highest form of awe and reverence of which mortal man is capable. True, many men are entitled to respect, but no man has the qualities worthy of the reverence of his fellows. Our God not only by creating us, but also by making eternal life possible, has done for us what no man can do. Also, He has intended that His grace should be a living, active force to bring us into submission to His will, and into a state of reverence toward Him.
The Gospel reveals to us, not only the historical facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the significance of these facts also. We are aware that this momentous event is actually God's sacrifice of His Son for the sins of mankind, including you and me. The promise of eternal life is made possible by the act.
Now, where is our appreciation for such an act? God does expect, and He does desire a loving, appreciative response to the love that prompted Him to do this thing for us. This kind of an attitude is the essence of godliness. It is a temperament of the soul that causes mankind to deliberately and intelligently respond to such a God by obedience to Him and to avoid offense against his love. It is also a condition of the heart of man, which provokes him to worship and adore his God. A realization of the grace of God should create a deep feeling of appreciation.
Where is our appreciation? Is it not manifested by submission and righteous conduct? Paul sets forth what the Grace of God should prompt from you and me in Titus 2:12-14, "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Surely, if we do not respond in this manner, shall we not receive the Grace of God in vain?
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