Before we became Christians our measure of our value was largely based on performance. Therefore it isn't surprising that not long after becoming Christians, we construct a performance-based measure of our relationship with God. Very quickly we forget who and what we were at the moment of salvation. This shift back to a doctrine of works is damaging for our relationship with God. And it is very bad news for those who aren't Christian for we are in danger of putting unnecessary obstacles in the way of someone discovering the gospel of grace.

Unbiblical thinking

For example, for Christians, godliness may become linked with the number of Christian activities or ministries we can tick off. Or we may return to thinking there is a hierarchy of sins, for example adultery, divorce, immorality being among the worst while at the same time we may live easily with envy, pride, selfishness, ambition, lying, jealousy, resentment, materialism and deceit.

A significant side effect of such unbiblical thinking is the impression we then leave with unbelieving friends and family. First we are labelled as hypocrites as our lack of perfection is clearly obvious. Second we imply that a person's life must be straightened out before becoming a Christian, for example messy relationships have to be sorted, addictions resolved. The gospel becomes a gospel for the respectable or the self-righteous.

This is unbiblical thinking.

Reclaiming the gospel of grace

Two Bible passages bring us back to the core truth of grace; each one shines a brilliant light on the simplicity of a Christian's birth.  The truth of these passages needs to reform our thinking for each epitomises the simplicity of salvation, the simplicity of the gospel message and of God's gracious dealings with sinners.  This is the gospel to live by.

Luke 23:32ff presents a dreadful scene: the brutality of crucifixion, the guards gambling over Jesus' clothes, the quiet watchers, his friends and his mother, the sneerers and the two criminals crucified beside him.  One thief joins in hurling insults at Jesus, but the other rebukes him, "Don't you fear God? We have been judged justly. We are getting what we deserve. But this man, has done nothing wrong".  Then he cries: "Jesus remember me".  His dying cry is Saviour save me!

Surely Jesus' answer surprised everyone standing near and except for our familiarity with this event, it would most certainly surprise us.

Jesus answered: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise".

This thief had only one event in life left i.e. his imminent death.  In the process of dying, he found the hope of life.  God's Son's words rang in his ears: Today, with me, in paradise.

The second Bible passage comes from 1 Timothy 1:16.  Here we find Paul's reflection on his own experience of the gospel of grace.

At the time when Paul was fully confident of his own righteousness, thoroughly involved in doing what he thought was God's work; while his hands were still stained with the blood of Stephen and as he pursued the Christians from Jerusalem to Damascus, he was stopped by Jesus. The heavy weight of God's judgement fell upon him. 

Having lost his sight, oppressed by the judgement of darkness, he had three deathlike days in which to rethink his understanding of the Messianic teachings of Scripture and of their relationship to the risen Jesus he'd just seen. In life, he was in death. In life he felt God's judgement. Yet, like the thief on the cross he found acceptance, forgiveness and 'resurrection' to the life-consuming task of preaching the message of grace to the gentiles.  It is no wonder that he would write later of the event of salvation as one of having been brought from death to life (Ephesians 2:1, 4).

Unlike the criminal on the cross, Paul still had the rest of his life to live and he lived it in the light of being brought from the judgement of death into the grace of a Christ. Listen to his words: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life".

As Jesus said:

    "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners" (Mk 2:17).

When sinners hear the call of God, they come as they are, as sinners.  The thief and Paul didn't have to live righteous lives before they could become Christians.  One had no opportunity to live righteously.  The other thought he was righteous but found he was the 'worst of sinners'.  Both were saved alone by God's grace - and so are we.

The gospel of grace is the only gospel to live by and the only gospel to proclaim.