This past week over Thanksgiving break I decided to leave my school work at home and read a book of my choice to get some refreshment before the final push of the semester. I picked Jim and Casper Go to Church. Basically, Jim Henderson, an ex-pastor and Matt Casper, an atheist, go from church to church and give critiques (For a full book review check back in a couple of days). Casper had the same argument at almost all of the churches they visited. He always complained that the church was only preaching on what they believed rather than what they did. I think this would be the complaint of most young adults who have left the church. There is not enough doing. Casper goes on to say on a number of occasions that if there is a God who died on a cross for the sins of many, then there has to be a heavier cost to pay for it. I understand that logic, there are a lot of pastors that teach that logic. He is right that there is a problem with the selling of cheap grace that happens in our churches when we pretend there is nothing we are held accountable for. He’s right, it’s not about what we believe. But, he is also wrong that it is not about what we do either. I’ve heard many pastors ask from the pulpit “What will you say when God asks ‘Why should I let you in?'” The problem with that is we are justifying ourselves. If it is up to us in the end then we’re out of luck. It’s not about what we believe. It’s not about what we do. It’s solely about what Christ did on the cross for the sins of many. That grace covers the multitude of sins that we have committed. When we debate whether it is about what we do or what we believe, we leave the argument still in our hands. Which, I would argue is what Casper wants. He wants it to be up to him, then it’s his fault and only his fault when something goes awry.
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:1-5
unimaginablegrace 