The Gift of Grace

God is just and righteous. The wages, or payment, of sin is death. Death of the body, and death of the spirit. God’s perfect justice demanded that the death sentence be carried out. Jesus, who was without sin, stepped in and took a punishment that he did not deserve, for us.

If you ever doubt if God really loves you or if you think He has turned his back on humanity, meditate on his plan of salvation that spans thousands of years and is meticulously documented throughout the Bible.

Most of us will recognize this familiar passage from John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV)

Reconciliation with God and forgiveness of sin is a gift of grace given to us through Jesus, if we believe in our hearts that Jesus paid the ultimate price to set us free from our sin debt.

Luke 23:38-43 (NIV) tells of a brief and pointed conversation between Jesus and the two thieves that died alongside Christ. Their story reveals the simplicity of receiving the gift of grace:

³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Our deeds do not save us, but our faith in Jesus does. People who believe are set free from sin. As Jesus said in John 8:34-36:

³⁴Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Complete freedom from sin, freedom from guilt, freedom from past mistakes. Jesus also promises to watch over believers like a shepherd watches over his flock in John 10:14-15:

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

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