If salvation is all of grace—if God is God and he has chosen us for salvation even though we did nothing to deserve it—then we ought to live by the grace we have received.  Of course, some of you will look at that and say to yourselves, “Yeah, I really need to do better at living by grace.  I’ve really been a failure there.  I hope God will forgive me again.”  If that’s you, you still don’t get it.  Go back and re-read the last seventeen pages and (if you’re a believer) remember that you’re one of the elect!

Our hearts so quickly try to relate to God on a works-basis!  It’s our pride, really.  I’m convinced that that’s the problem with free-will Arminianism.  People naturally process it like this:  God requires one work from me, to believe.  Once I believe, I’ve done my work and deserve heaven.  Of course, in more hard-line Arminian circles, it goes a step further.  Unless I’m holy enough, I’ll still go to hell, and maybe I’ve even committed the unpardonable sin and will be damned even if I’m sinlessly perfect from here on out.  Legalism.  Legalism.  Legalism.  Such a religion is barely recognizable as Christianity.

But Calvinists can fall into legalism just as easily.  You see, I understand predestination.  I’m a superior Christian.  I’ve got all my theological “t”s crossed and my Reformed “i”s dotted.  I sure am close to God.  Pride is the Presbyterian’s favorite form of legalism, so watch out!  But if God really is for us, and if we had nothing to do with that decision—if even our faith was given to us by the Father—then there’s no room for boasting.  God’s sovereign choice of us leaves us free from pride.  It leaves us aware of our brokenness and humble before God, but all the while confident that his eternal purpose will stand, that we will glory in God forever as objects of his saving mercy.  As God’s eternal blessing really begins to sink from our heads into our hearts, we see a new freedom that we never would have imagined when we first encountered the raw, holy, sovereign power of God.  Among the newfound freedoms:

1.  Freedom from shame, guilt & Insecurity

Read Romans 8:28-39.  Nothing can separate you from God’s love—nothing in the past, nothing in the future.  No one can stand against you.  No one can accuse you.  Even bad things (“all things”) are working right now to your benefit, to make you more like Jesus.  God didn’t choose you because of your faith, and Jesus is not ashamed of you—even at your worst (Hebrews 2:11).  He’s proud to have you in the family, proud to call you brother or sister—even knowing what he knows.  He’s displaying the glory of his mercy, remember.  God’s law is no longer your enemy, but a friend.  You can have confidence before God.

2.  Freedom from destructive Perfectionism

 If God really is for you, then you can quit trying to look good.  If you’re trying to be good enough for God, he’s not buying it—he didn’t choose you because of your great faithfulness.  If you’re trying to be good enough for other people, don’t bother.  God wants to display his mercy—that means we have to be broken.  God’s glory is not displayed by trying to look like you have it all together.  Faith is not a work, and even if it were it still wouldn’t earn you any brownie points.  Let God be God.  If you won’t show your weakness, then others won’t see God’s power displayed in it.

3.  Freedom from legalistic man-made rules

Some of the biggest practical opponents to living by grace are those legalistic little rules that we live by.  We love to judge other with them—they make us look good, and help us feel better about ourselves.  (Pride again.)  Dress this way, not that way.  Wear this much makeup, not that much.  Work.  Don’t work.  Home school is God’s way.  Public school is God’s way.  Christian school is God’s way.  Drink.  Don’t drink.  Smoke.  Don’t smoke.  Dance.  Don’t dance.  This is God’s worship style.  If we’re all about God’s glory, there’s no room for any of this.  Do whatever you do for God’s glory without comparisons.  God has freed you from judging others.  You don’t understand God’ sovereign grace until you realize you are a beggar who’s been blessed without cause.  You had nothing to do with it—you’re just a receiver.

4.  Freedom from Penance

Even repentance can be a sham if we’re trying to approach God with some vestige of self-reliance.  Biblical repentance is a freedom we can enjoy daily, while penance is its counterfeit.

God has obligated himself to receive any repentant sinner who comes to him.  Without this realization, true repentance is impossible.  Until we realize that God is for us, we cannot truly be for God.