I’m a good person; I work hard, pay my taxes, don’t cheat on my wife, provide for my kids…You have heard it many times and may have even caught yourself voicing something along the same lines. It is a trap that Satan has set since the beginning and will use with way too much success until the end of time.
This balance between law and grace — odd that we refer to it as a balance, because there is no balance. They are exact opposites. In Romans 3:20 this is stated with the utmost clarity, yet we cling to Law. Law lets me be in control; grace puts me at His mercy.
In reality, Law should never be a source of pride, only shame. We like to talk about what we have gotten right, but Law points out the thousands of things we do wrong. That is the entire purpose of Law. It was never meant as a source of salvation but a resource to show us how much we need God’s grace. Only when I realize that I cannot do it myself, am I ready for God to really come into my life.
Even after obeying the gospel I continue to need grace. Because I am no better at keeping Law after than before. I continue to need God’s grace every bit as much as I ever did. The world wants a salvation they can pay for, own and go about their merry daily life having their paid receipt in their pocket. Grace was paid for but not by us; we could never cover the cost regardless of our wealth.
I realize at this moment how badly I need God’s grace. It is what I hope in because God can, will, and does keep his promises and try as I might, I sometimes fail. So here I sit having faith that as long as I’m doing my best, flawed as it is, God will through His grace make up the difference. Heaven depends on that promise (Romans 4:4-5) and I cherish it.
“There is no God.”