Frustrate Grace?

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Ga 2:21 AV)

Note here that Paul uses the present tense while referring to frustrating the grace of God.  Paul is speaking of the place of the law in the process of salvation.  The Galatian church wanted to add to the law.  Unsaved Israelites tried to convince the Gentile believers that salvation, in part, relied on obedience to the law.  Paul is teaching that they are saved by grace and kept by grace.  But the curious thing about the present tense is that it suggests that even if we are secure in our salvation, we can still frustrate the grace of God.  This is fascinating.  And also a bit convicting.  Many believers find themselves doing just that.  We know enough to believe that the law cannot save or keep us.  We accept and believe that God’s grace is what saves us and that it is His grace that keeps us saved.  What we struggle with is living a life of righteousness to earn continued grace.  Just like saving grace cannot be earned, abiding grace cannot be either.

It is our nature to reject grace.  A young man who lived on the streets was seen by a wealthy benefactor.  He enquired as to the identity of the lad and wondered where his parents might be.  He was informed that the boy had no living relatives.  He was orphaned on the streets.  This man, on a promise of a meal, coaxed the young man into his carriage.  They rode together and chatted for a bit.  Upon reaching his estate, the wealthy old man sat the boy down, and his chef prepared a wonderful meal.  When the boy rose to leave, the benefactor wondered if the young man would like to take a dip in the pool.  This street urchin hadn’t had a bath in years.  After he was all cleaned up, the kind gentleman gave him a fresh set of clothes to wear.  He had stayed long enough for dinner.  After dinner, it was too late to return him to the streets, so this wonderful man gave him a room to stay.  Little by little, the kindly gentleman won the trust of the young boy.  After a bit, the young boy simply felt out of place.  He would be found helping the employees cleaning, gardening, or any other chore that needed attention.  The master of the house would have none of it.  This precious life needed attention, and he was not about to require his young charge to do anything that might be construed as working for one’s keep.  As this young man grew older, he tried harder to do for the master so that he wasn’t enjoying things without some renumeration.  Eventually he left because he could not stomach being the object of another’s kindness.  He wanted to make his own way in the world.  He wanted to prove his worth.  He wanted to make his own statement.  This is our nature.

It is in our nature to work for the blessings of life.  Grace does not come easy.  Pride gets in the way.  Self-expression intervenes.  Self-determination interrupts.  To refuse the grace of God is to frustrate the grace of God.  Whether the needs of life, forgiveness, or joy and happiness are manifestations of God’s grace; they have to be accepted.  There is nothing we can do to earn the grace of God.  Humility is the necessary ingredient to accepting the grace of God.  Let God be God.  Even if being God means being kind and benevolent.  Let God be God.  I know.  Part of us wants to do something.  We feel guilty.  God fusses over us, and we do not deserve it at all.  We are shamed because God is so good.  The goodness of God leads us to repentance.  Accepting the grace of God is accepting the relationship of Creator/creation.  We do not want to take advantage of the grace of God.  We don’t want to fall on it as an excuse not to live for His pleasure and glory.  Frustrating the grace of God is no more than refusing it and relying upon something else.  Usually, we ourselves.