Grace is an amazing thing! Duh. But I wonder if we realize how amazing. It has been only recently that I have begun to grasp the wonder of it. I've read a couple incredible books on the topic; it might be time to review them. I've written about it and maybe need to read those pieces again.
This morning I came across "an interview" with Michael Spencer, the internet monk. Actually, it is a composite of excerpts from his writings set into an interview format. Here is a sampling of those quotes:
"Grace, not legalism, not works, is the great motivator of the Christian life.
"Try this one out at any gathering of evangelical Christians: 'Once you are justified by faith, you can do what you want. And if you want to do all the things you did before you knew Jesus, then you just don’t get it.' (Gasp) You’ll immediately notice that some Christians want it very clear that you can’t expect to be saved by grace if you don’t live right.
"What you can do, not what God has done, is the great theme of most of what is published and recorded in the evangelical world.... Grace is an endangered species...
"I know I am not very obedient. I know my sinful patterns and my perennial laziness. I know where I fall short... I may make more progress on these things, but honestly, I doubt it. My efforts at obedience have about run their course. Most of what I am going to be as a human being living as a Christian on this planet, I’ve probably already achieved. I want all the years God has for me, and I want to honor and glorify him, but if I am going to learn about grace, now is the time. I need it now."
Read the whole "interview" at http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/faq-on-grace
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