GRACE, MY ORIENTATION
Orientation means, “To align or position with respect to a point or system of reference…to adjust in relation to facts and principles (e.g. a compass); knowing where you are and where you should be.”
To be “grace-oriented” is to be focused on Christ Jesus, who is “full of grace and truth”.
To be “grace-oriented” is to have Jesus the Lord as our point of reference for “He is The Way, The Truth and The Life.”
To be “grace-oriented” is basic and fundamental to “the truth of the gospel”: without grace there is no Christianity (Galatians 1:16, 5:2-4; Romans 3:24, 4:16, 11:6; 2 Timothy 1:9)!
To be “grace-oriented” is to know that in position and practice it is completely by God’s grace: Life is received by God’s grace. Living is achieved by God’s grace!
Disorientation that leads to legalistic distortions of God’s grace is seen in the following quotes: “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.”/ “God doesn’t do anything until you do all that you can do.”/ “God does his part but you have to do your part.”/ “The kind of materials you send up to heaven determines the kind of house you’ll have in heaven.”
This is “row-boat theology” pure and simple: one oar = God’s grace, the other oar = man’s achievement. This is an unscriptural perversion of the “truth of the gospel”(See Galatians)!
To be “grace-oriented” we must realize that God’s grace is needed by all – “there are none righteous, no not one…” We all “fall short” in: Moral purity: live flawlessly? Doctrinal perfection: all the right answers”?
To be “grace-oriented” is God’s will for fellowship; Grace received and grace extended is the means of our togetherness.
To be “grace-oriented” is to know the terribleness of sin as well as the“amazing grace” of God.
“Guilty, vile and helpless we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! Can it be?
Halleujah, what a Savior!”
(Phillip P. Bliss)
Nancy Spiegelberg’s words express the wonderment and amazement when one realizes God’s superabounding grace. She says,
“Lord I crawled across the barrenness to You with my empty cup uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known You better I’d have come running with a bucket.” (Larry Deason)
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