Big Grace

Thoughts from my reading in Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5

What a devastating and hard-to-swallow description! Maybe you had it happen to you? A friend tells you he wants to talk to you, and when you get together, you realize that what he really wanted to do was confront you. You're not really excited about being told bad things about yourself, but this is your friend, so you're willing to listen. As he begins to lay out his concerns, you begin to feel pain inside. You can't believe what you're being told about yourself. Silently and inwardly you begin to rise to your own defense.

Have you been there? More times than you would like to remember? Even when it comes with the best of intentions, it's hard to take.

I know I have various problems but it's never easy to have them pointed out. It's even hard to point things out to myself. Some people resent God for the same reason, "who does he think he is, telling me what to do."

What if someone is telling you that you are really bad? How about this from Genesis 6:5, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

I want to protest, I may have "issues" but I'm not that bad.

Now, you have to ask yourself: Why is Genesis 6:5 so hard to accept? Why do we spontaneously rise to our own defense? Why are you and I devastated when our weakness, sin, and failure are pointed out? Why do we find confrontation and rebuke painful even when they are done in love? Why do we find comfort in pointing to people who appear to be worse sinners than we are? Why do we make up self-atoning revisions of our own history? Why do we erect self-justifying arguments for what we have said or done?

Maybe part of my problem is that I view myself as more righteous than I am. I may need grace but not "big grace." I think I need a tune up but the truth is I need a complete overhaul.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1 - 2). If the Bible's description is accurate, then God's grace is our only hope. Thank God that he has given us big grace! Each one of us needs grace that's not only big enough to forgive our sin, but also powerful enough to free us from the self-atoning prison of our own righteousness. We're not only held captive by our sin, but also by the delusion of our righteousness.

If I believe this and walk in it, it will be easier to receive correction. I don't need to put up a defense because I know I am actually worse than what is being said. I realize and accept the big grace I need.

Here is a question from the end of the meditation: How do you typically respond when personal sin, weakness, failure, foolishness, or immaturity is pointed out to you? Where do you tend to erect self-justifying arguments for your words or behavior?

As I'm writing this my wife pointed out one of my weird mannerisms. I told her she has plenty of strange ones too. Wrong response but a typical one for me.

Dear Lord, help me receive the grace I need. Help me to let down my defenses so your work can be done in me.

Philip
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