Leave the Land of Condemnation – Embrace the State of Grace
“Is your default mode toward others judgment or grace?” asked Rick Warren on Twitter on the 28th of August, 2010. I’ve been contemplating it ever since. Have I fully embraced grace, been changed inside out and now truly reflecting God’s love and grace? That’s what I want. But it’s not always so easy. I wonder how I can truly love the people but hate the sin. Can I really love so completely that my disagreement won’t sneak in as a condemning frown?
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. (John 3:16-18, MSG)
If God didn’t send his Son merely to point an accusing finger and condemning people…
it’s not my job either.
If God did send his Son to help, to put the world right again….
my job is to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
If God did send his Son to seek people to be embraced by grace….
my job is to be embraced and embrace.
Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.(Galatians 5:1, MSG)
If Christ has set us free…
let’s not become slaves again by condemning ourselves or others.
If Christ has paid the price on the cross…
let’s not downgrade the freedom by living like slaves.
Because our enemy enjoys whispering lies about how bad we are or how bad the others are.
Let’s not buy into those lies.
Let’s live a free and graceful life!
Let’s leave the land of condemnation and embrace the state of grace!
And don’t get to feeling superior to those pruned branches down on the ground. If they don’t persist in remaining deadwood, they could very well get grafted back in. God can do that. He can perform miracle grafts. Why, if he could graft you—branches cut from a tree out in the wild—into an orchard tree, he certainly isn’t going to have any trouble grafting branches back into the tree they grew from in the first place. Just be glad you’re in the tree, and hope for the best for the others. (Romans 11:23-24, MSG)
Gracious God,
Help me to take stand for your grace!
Enable me to emulate your grace.
Let my default mode toward others be grace, not judgment!
Let my default mode towards me be grace, not judgment!
Work for us, in us, through us.
Help us to live a free life!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: What is your default mode toward others? Have you struggled with it?
Be blessed, fellow pilgrim, as you leave the land of condemnation to the state of grace!
More posts on condemnation at One Word at a Time: Condemnation Blog Carnival!
Photo courtesy of Samuel Kaylor
11 thoughts on “Leave the Land of Condemnation – Embrace the State of Grace”
Unfortunately, I think my default mode is often judgmental, but I want it to be grace-filled. The more I'm understanding grace that God has given ME, the more I'm able to give that grace to OTHERS. Thanks for provoking thought today and sharing God's grace. I love the scriptures you used.
Excellent post! This is one of those issues that I have to keep a "check" on… fundamental Baptist foundation…
Praise God for His abundant grace… we must love like He loves… forgive like He forgives… and as you so beautifully pointed out, show grace like He shows grace!
Thank you, Lisa, for your thoughtful comments. I think, becoming a person of grace is a lifetime process. Blessings to you as you continue to growing in grace!
Melissa,
We all have areas that we need to keep a "check" on. Thank God for his abundant grace, eternal wisdom and readily available guidance! Blessings to you as you bless others!
Oh that we all would better reflect His grace..
Well said indeed!
HisFireFly,
Yes! Wouldn't that be something! May God enable us to do that more and more! Thank you for your feedback. Blessings!
Enjoyed your provoking thoughts. If we fall and experience condemnation, God is faithful and the miracle of being grafted back in available by His grace.
I always have to say 'Amen' after your powerful posts.
I really like this:
If God did send his Son to seek people to be embraced by grace….
my job is to be embraced and embrace.
Thank you!
Hazel,
Thank you so much for your feedback! Yes, it is wonderful to be a child of miracle-performing Father God. We can rest assured that there is enough grace for everyone. God bless you!
Bridget,
Thank you for your encouraging feedback! 🙂 Always pleasure to hear from you. Stay blessed!
We live at a time that it's so hard to determine the need to "judge" for the protection and spiritual growth of others and when to not be "judgmental" … heavy sigh.
Thanks for your heart.