11.15.08
The True Idea of Grace (4)
The True Idea of Grace (4)
Here is the last part of this excellent little series. (Please read part three in particular.)
“Mather [one of America’s greates Puritans] has well expressed the difference between grace and merit in few words: “God was a God to Adam before he fell, but to be a God to sinners, this is grace. He was a God to Adam in innocency by virtue of the covenant of works, but he is not a God to any sinner but in the way of free grace. Now that was the covenant: ‘I will be a God to thee and thy seed’ (Gen. 17 v. 7). Abraham was a sinner and a child of wrath by nature as well as others; yet God was truly his God. For God to be a God to them that never sinned, there may be merit; but for God to be a God to those that have sinned, this is grace indeed. They that do not think this is grace do not need argument but pity and prayer.”
The pious John Newton states in few words, but with great clearness, what grace is: ‘To bestow gifts upon the miserable is bounty, but to bestow them upon rebels is grace. The greatness of the gifts, contrasted with the characters of those who receive them, displays the exceeding riches of the Redeemer’s grace. He came to save not only the unhappy, but the ungodly. He gives pardon, peace and eternal life to his enemies, whose minds are so entirely alienated from his that, until he makes them willing in the day of his power, their minds are determined against accepting any favour from him.’”
The Last Part
G.M.
11.11.08
The True Idea of Grace (3)
This is the third part in this short series.
“A minister once represented the conduct of an awakened sinner towards God’s offers of gratuitous salvation thus: ‘A benevolent and rich man had a very poor neighbour, to whom he sent this message, “I wish to make you the gift of a farm.” The poor man was pleased with the idea of having a farm, but was too proud at once to receive it as a gift. So he thought of the matter much and anxiously. His desire to have a home of his own was daily growing stronger, but his pride was great.
At length he decided to visit the man who had made the offer. But a strange delusion seized him about this time, for he imagined that he had a bag of gold. So he came with his bag and said to the rich man, “I have received your message and have come to see you. I wish to own the farm but I wish to pay for it. I will give you a bag of gold for it.” “Let us see your gold”, said the owner of the farm. The poor man opened his bag and looked; his countenance changed and he said, “Sir, I thought it was gold, but I am sorry to say it is only silver; I will give you my bag of silver for your farm.” “Look again, I do not think it is even silver”, was the solemn but kind reply. The poor man looked and, as he beheld, his eyes were further opened and he said, “How I have been deceived! It is not silver but only copper. Will you sell me your farm for my bag of copper? You may have it all.” “Look again”, was the only reply. The poor man looked; tears stood in his eyes; his delusion seemed to be gone, and he said, “Alas, I am undone! It is not even copper. It is but ashes. How poor I am! I wish to own that farm, but I have nothing to pay. Will you give me the farm?” The rich man replied, “Yes, that was my first and only offer. Will you accept it on such terms?” With humility but with eagerness, the poor man said, “Yes, and a thousand blessings on you for your kindness.”’ The fable is easily applied.”
Part Three
G.M.
