Grace And Shoulds

Grace and Shoulds
By
Mike Cope

WE SHOULD be as faithful as we can be in our reading and understanding of scripture, trying to conform our beliefs and practices to the Way of Christ.

WE SHOULD be as energetic as we can in seeking justice and in teaching the good news.

WE SHOULD seek to live holy lives, placing ourselves before God so that his Spirit can transform us into people full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

But all of these SHOULDS flow out of this truth: we are saved by grace. It is not of ourselves (not our expertise as Bible-readings, not our evangelistic zeal, not our holy lives), lest we should boast. We are God’s people because of the faithfulness of God’s Messiah.

And that salvation is much more than just protection from hell. It is the re-forming of a person (and a group) for God’s purposes in the world.

Thank God, it’s by grace.