They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 4, NIV)
It is one of the hardest things a country club’s board of directors must do: expel a member.
Every golf club has a set of rules and standards to which members agree when they join. But as in all arenas of life, there are those who run afoul. Some pridefully attempt to stand “above the law.” Others figure the law is some nitpicker’s construction, so they nip at it here and there, casually doing as they wish, calling each transgression “no big deal.” More sadly, there are those who lose control of themselves in the throes of addiction or emotional pressure, and their behavior turns unlawful.
When this happens, the authorities must step in and “arrest the person”—or at least demand a desistance of their ill actions. And in a country club setting, those authorities are the directors. Tough job.
Still, we expect the directors to step up and do this hard work. In essence, all they are doing is administering the consequences to which the members themselves have each agreed. The offender brings judgment upon his own head.
Grace is an avenue into morality, not “a license for immorality.”
In the context of God’s grace, however, we sometimes get to talking “crazy talk.” We suggest that grace will in all cases prevent the ax from falling. We consider it unloving to challenge one who seizes upon grace in this way.
Jude, the writer of Scripture’s last epistle, allowed for no such haggling of God’s precious gift. If you declare yourself a recipient of God’s grace, thankful for its atonement, forgiveness, redemption and love, then you agree to honor that grace. Choose a different course—a life that denies God’s holy governance—and you in essence blaspheme his greatest gift, his grace.
Grace is an avenue into morality, not “a license for immorality.” It is meant to inspire us to exalt God in our words and actions. When we use it instead to absolve our godless choices, we make a mockery of what God has ordained for us.
We do not, as Paul told the Romans, go on sinning that grace may abound all the more to us. If we truly accept Christ’s grace, we make every effort to repent from the sin that it covers, moving into a life of righteousness. “We died to sin,” Paul wrote. To consciously resurrect it in our lives is to announce that Christ’s work really has no hold over us. It is, Jude strongly taught, to deny him altogether.
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Jeff Hopper
Originally published February 1, 2011
Copyright 2011 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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