The Importance Of Grace

TUES., JULY 14, 1992, 6:45 AM
FARM, STUDY

My grace I give to you, unearned. Accept it, and you shall live, freely and happily. Why would anyone not accept such an offer? There are reasons, of course, and I, as Creator, am finally responsible for all of them.

In My love of diversity I allow great differences in people. For some this free offer is very appealing. For others it is not, partly because of those who have accepted it… not being attractive. I have allowed cultures to develop, and many teach requirements for the good, even the religious life which are more rigorous and stringent than My grace offer… and different. And, importantly, I have allowed the human mind to develop, with perceptions of responsibility and, often, too much of a focus on “do it yourself” in this earth life.

There are other reasons, too, but they all lead to the conclusion that grace is too easy… or too hard. (Yes, it is somewhat like the three bears and Goldilocks story.) Grace is too difficult because you have to give yourself completely to Me, and pay no attention to your cultural calls to be responsible, as well as your own feelings as to what you should and should not do. It just is too hard to understand how My actions as Jesus, in giving My life for you nearly 2,000 years ago, could free you from rules, laws, and commandments and assure you that you are Mine, with no need to perform in prescribed ways.

This, then, leads to the opposite difficulty. Grace is too easy. I am serious about the life I want My disciples to lead. As Jesus I showed the way. It is impossibly difficult, particularly in this culture, where you should consider the impact of every act and how it would measure up against My actions and My Teachings, as Jesus. It is a narrow gate, through which only the “best” pass. Many are called, but few are chosen, and these are those who consciously and successfully live by the commandments and all the teachings. (Whew!) So grace, which seems to by-pass all of these “requirements” is way too easy… cheap, cheap.

Ironically, then, it works out that because grace is so easy it is quite hard to accept. The error, of course, is that behavior is unimportant. The truth is that behavior results from grace rather than being a prerequisite for it. When you accept My grace you have spiritual motivations to act, rather consistently, in love. When love is your chief motivation your actions tend to be as I would have them to be. Remember that, as Jesus, I said that love is the first and greatest commandment. In love you are most likely to fulfill the other commandments.

As Jesus I showed anger against the money changers in the temple, because of My love for the Father and for the temple as the place to worship Him. I called for forgiveness of the woman caught in adultery, with love calling for mercy rather than the justice of stoning. I railed against the Pharisees, for they were more concerned with behaviors than with a loving spirit. I loved what I stood for and what I came to earth for.

And so I could only hint at this in My earthly life. I, as Holy Spirit, had to bring the message through My servant Paul, the message that love is the way and grace is the answer. The answer to what? To the question, “How should I live My life to be most pleasing to God and to my fellow humans, and most satisfying to me?” In grace. It’s that simple. It’s that difficult. And it’s “just right.”