Bible Center Church

I grew up singing the old hymns of the church, and perhaps the one that I remember singing the most was "Amazing Grace!" I could sing all the verses blind-folded, even if off-key. But what is this thing called grace? And what is so amazing about it? And how do I get it? I have often heard grace defined with the help of an acronym: God's Riches At Christ's Expense - G.R.A.C.E. But, which of God's riches are considered part of grace? An on-line dictionary lists one meaning of grace as, "[a] temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve."

In John 8, Christ gives us the best ten word definition of grace. There, in verses 3 and 4, John records, "Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.'" At the time when this adulteress was caught, the act of adultery was punishable by death, and the Pharisees quickly reminded Jesus of the penalty the woman deserved: "‘Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?'" Then, in verse 6, John writes about the motivation that the Pharisees had in bringing this woman to Jesus: "This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear."

I'm sure the Pharisees thought they had cornered Him. To them, I'm sure this was the ultimate decision point, for here was Jesus, who had been preaching and teaching of a loving God, and yet now, He was called upon to stone a woman due to her sin. The Pharisees persisted, "So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.'" What was their response? One word: conviction. John records it in verse 9: "Those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

And here, my friends, is where Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example of grace in action. In verse 10, once Jesus and the adulteress were alone, He asked her, "‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?' She said, ‘No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.'" Did you catch those last ten words? "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." What a powerful example! Here is a woman who has committed an offense so vile, according to the law, that she deserved to die. But our Savior lovingly, yet firmly, tells her that He will not punish her, and instead of punishing her, He tells her to stop her sin! Notice the sequence of events -He forgives her first, and then tells her to "clean her life up." THAT is grace in action; notice that Jesus did not require her to clean herself up before He would forgive her. Instead, He gave her what she did not deserve. THOSE are the riches that we receive at Christ's Expense, because we get forgiveness of sins just for the asking. And what's better, God's grace continues in our lives. It's not, as the dictionary says, a "temporary immunity." God's grace is never-ending; it's new each and every day, because He gives us what we don't deserve on a daily basis. THAT is what is amazing about this wonderful thing called grace.

I pray that you know this Giver of grace. A relationship with Him is unlike any other!