A Place of Grace IV
I've been reading a book with a small group called, "How People Grow" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (copyright 2001; Zondervan) and it has me thinking about the relationship between grace and acceptance. BTW, I highly recommend this book if you are interested in your own spiritual and emotional growth or helping others grow in these areas.
Being accepted by others (especially those who we love, admire, or fear) is really important to us and we can do all sorts of things to gain the acceptance of others. But in the kingdom of God, acceptance is founded on God's grace. We don't earn our acceptance, we receive it as a gift . We are accepted because of God's unconditional love for us and because of Jesus' atonement for our sins.
When we believe in the gospel and essentially "accept" God's acceptance of us, things change..... and sometimes it feels sort of strange, even unsettling. The pressure is gone, there is tonnes of room for growth, and we have the Almighty God on our side to lead and help us. We may not know what to do with ourselves! We have to re-orientate ourselves to a whole new way of thinking and living. Living in a place of grace where we are assured of being loved, free to make mistakes, and able to step out in faith to take risks. As Cloud and Townsend say regarding growing by practicising and trying new things: "The only penalty, when we are accepted, is failing and learning. There is no condemnation." (page 155)
So, if you desire to experience living in a "place of grace" more, let me suggest that you consider two things:
1) Your stand towards God's acceptance of you.
Do you believe it? Can you accept that He accepts you?
2) Your acceptance towards others?
Are you following Paul's exhortation to "Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to give praise to God"? (Romans 15:7)
Being accepted by others (especially those who we love, admire, or fear) is really important to us and we can do all sorts of things to gain the acceptance of others. But in the kingdom of God, acceptance is founded on God's grace. We don't earn our acceptance, we receive it as a gift . We are accepted because of God's unconditional love for us and because of Jesus' atonement for our sins.
When we believe in the gospel and essentially "accept" God's acceptance of us, things change..... and sometimes it feels sort of strange, even unsettling. The pressure is gone, there is tonnes of room for growth, and we have the Almighty God on our side to lead and help us. We may not know what to do with ourselves! We have to re-orientate ourselves to a whole new way of thinking and living. Living in a place of grace where we are assured of being loved, free to make mistakes, and able to step out in faith to take risks. As Cloud and Townsend say regarding growing by practicising and trying new things: "The only penalty, when we are accepted, is failing and learning. There is no condemnation." (page 155)
So, if you desire to experience living in a "place of grace" more, let me suggest that you consider two things:
1) Your stand towards God's acceptance of you.
Do you believe it? Can you accept that He accepts you?
2) Your acceptance towards others?
Are you following Paul's exhortation to "Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to give praise to God"? (Romans 15:7)
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