“’Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:15-16 We should neither question nor be surprised at our Lord’s generosity toward undeserving mankind. We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). None of our righteous deeds or good works can ever merit God’s salvation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, … Continue reading “The Generosity of God”
Tag: grace
Grace & Salvation (Part 2)
We observed from the Apostle Paul’s Letter to Titus in part one of this series, that God’s gracious salvation for mankind is both historical and objective, and personal and experiential. Titus 2:11 reads, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people . . .”1 God’s infinite incomprehensible grace appeared in the incarnation, atoning death, and resurrection of the Word made flesh—the Lord Jesus Christ. This reminds us of a word that never grows old: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son . . .” (John 3:16). This appearance of God’s grace-filled action … Continue reading “Grace & Salvation (Part 2)”
Grace & Salvation (Part 1)
It was 1983. At the time, John Abbott was a hard-nosed regional manager with Thornton Oil Co., living in New Albany, Indiana. John grew up in a church parsonage and eventually he enrolled in a Bible college, from which he was expelled for a minor infraction. John then enrolled in the Air Force, serving his country for over nine years. While in the military, he married and divorced. He later remarried, but in time serious strains occurred that marriage. Finally, his lovely wife LeAnn, a committed Christian, issued an ultimatum: “Either you get your act together and start going to … Continue reading “Grace & Salvation (Part 1)”