Last week in church, we discussed the idea that we have a choice: we could either live according to the Law of Moses, or according to the Grace of Jesus.  I pointed out that if we choose to live according to the Law – we are obligated to keep it completely.  Continued within the Law is a “one strike” policy that says that if you break one single part, you are guilty of breaking it all (Jas 2:10).  This is why I believe the Law was never designed to make us righteous, in fact, it proves the exact opposite.

On the other hand, Grace is designed to bring you a righteousness that we cannot achieve on our own.  Grace is not dependent on how well we follow some rules, or how righteous we can make ourselves.  Grace says that even though we are NOT very righteous, Jesus has willingly given it to us.  Not based on what we have done, but based solely on Jesus dying for us, taking the penalty of the Law from us and substituting it with His absolute righteousness.  Because we could not possibly follow the Law and achieve our own righteousness, Jesus died in our place, taking the penalty for our sins and giving us His right standing with God.  Does that sound like a deal – or what?! 

We (Christians) are quick to claim the benefits of this Grace for ourselves (as we should), however – shouldn’t we be just as quick to extend the same Grace to others?  Are we guilty of holding others to the standard of the Law (that we ourselves cannot keep) and expect them to keep it?  That does not make much sense to me – even though I am guilty of doing the same thing.  If we have received His Grace for our salvation, we must offer that same Grace to others and not judge them as not worthy.  As usual, it is their choice to receive it or not – just as it was yours once.

We are talking about a Spiritual problem, not a civil one – never confuse the two.