Grace That Saves And Transforms

The word “gospel” literally means “good news that is announced.” That is why it is different from many other religious messages, which often sound more like “good advice to be followed.”

The good news is that we are so lost and broken that we cannot find God or fix ourselves. So God came to find us and save us. He did this by becoming a man, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus lived an ordinary human life, marked by one astonishing reality: he never did anything wrong. He obeyed all of God’s laws, outwardly and inwardly, and he gives the full credit of that obedience to everyone who loves and trusts him.

Jesus not only gives us the record of his perfect life and obedience, he also willingly took the punishment we deserved for our imperfect and rebellious lives. On the cross, he forgave those who were putting him to death. When he rose from the dead, Jesus proved that death had no claim on him, and it has no final claim on anyone who entrusts their life and soul to him.

Because of this, being brought back to God does not depend on our own efforts, or even on how strong or sincere our faith feels. It is not the quality of our faith that saves us, but the quality of the One we place our faith in: Jesus.

This free grace and acceptance into God’s family has a transforming power in the life of every true Christian. Since we are no longer trying to earn God’s approval, we are freed to love him with gratitude and joy. Our obedience and good deeds become truly good for the first time because they flow from thankfulness rather than an attempt to collect spiritual credit with God.

Over time, we begin to resemble the Master who has freed us from slave driving addictions and compulsions. And as Jesus served a world that neither understood nor appreciated him, we are called to serve our neighbors and our world whether they believe like us or not. Jesus called himself the servant of all, and he taught that those who follow him must serve others sacrificially if they bear his name.