FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD!

FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD!

Luke 10:25-29

¶ 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Luke 18:18-21

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

          Both the lawyer and the “ruler” asked the same question and neither seemed to truly want an answer. The Lawyer wanted to trip Jesus up in the intricacies of the law, thinking that Jesus was unfamiliar with their finer points. Ultimately, the Lawyer wanted to justify himself. He wanted Jesus to point out how well he had been keeping the law. Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

          The ruler had more than most men could ever attain. He had political prominence with its accompanying wealth and the admiration of most men. We would call him a “good” man. He avoided the really big sins like killing, stealing and lying but there was an emptiness and uncertainty deep inside. He wanted Jesus to either confirm that his lifestyle was sufficient or to suggest what he might need to do more. Jesus quickly required more than he was willing to give. At the end of the encounter the “rich – young – ruler” walked away sorrowfully and unfulfilled.

          So it will always be with those who can’t quite grasp the concept of grace! They will add to their disciplines one unreasonable rule after another but will not be satisfied that they are favored by God. Precisely because being favored by God is a favor. It is not earned by work and it is not recognized by status. Favor with God is a gift offered to the undeserving and is therefore obtained simply by receiving it with thanksgiving! Those who can’t grasp the concept live their lives in painful frustration.

To say that grace is free is a tautology [it goes without saying], since grace by definition indicates freedom. It indicates God's free-dom. God is free in giving salvation because He is not obligated, nor constrained by some inner necessity or the moral merits of people who have earned salvation. Neither an inner necessity nor an external obligation accounts for what God has done for sinners. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Copyright © 1979 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)

Isa 26:10

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

Dear Lord, although I am greatly in your debt because of your free gift of salvation, let me not dishonor your gift by trying to pay for it by my so-called good deeds. AMEN