Grace Reframed
by: Joyce Chang
Grace: the free, unmerited favour of God in the form of salvation for sinners, and blessings.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. It has moved people to their knees, converted thousands, and transformed lives. It’s fundamental to our beliefs as Christians. It’s been sung and preached through the ages. But why do we live like grace is insufficient for us in our everyday lives?
One reason is that it’s hard for us to fully embrace grace without feeling indebted.
Perhaps you grew up like me, observing the Asian culture of giving and receiving between people.
The practice of things like fighting over the bill, and bringing gifts of food or materials when you visit someone’s home. It became embedded in me that when you receive something, you must always find a way to repay.
This philosophy is not necessarily bad. It keeps you other-centered. When translated to faith, however, it can prevent you from fully receiving what God has to offer because you frequently feel bad, like you need to repay Him, or serve Him to make up for it.
Maybe you don’t believe grace is sufficient for you. Your accumulated sins are too many to forgive, and Jesus has probably run out of patience by now. So you withdrawal from God out of guilt and continue to sin more. The vicious cycle of shame never ends.
Another reason is admitting you need grace, or in other words, you need help. Even though the Bible says, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” you don’t really want to delight in or boast about your weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). People will say and think things about you.
You want to be strong, or seen as strong, by your family, friends, co-workers, congregation members, partner, yourself and even God. You want everything under control. How do you help someone that doesn’t want to be helped? We wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers or move in our life, but the truth is we don’t let him.
When we do not fully, freely lean into grace as it’s given to us, we live like we have not been saved by grace.
In a talk about freedom in Christ, Dave Evans gives his take on Ephesians 2:8. He speaks about how we treat grace like a safety net, an airbag, or fire insurance. “If we got grace, we’re okay, because by grace you have been saved.” Then Evans poses a question, “By grace we are saved from fear or for life?”
We live like we are saved from fear. The reasons above all actually stem from fear; fear of not being in control, of letting go, of disapproval from God, and of acceptance from others. We’re scared to make the wrong move or the wrong decision. We let fear hinder us from taking leaps of faith (the assurance of things unseen).
“We’ve mistaken a faithful person as a person without doubt,” Evans says, “We have swapped certainty for faith.” But faith does not equate to no doubts or no mistakes. Faith is taking the risk of living, and saying, “’I’m assured,” not “I am sure.” By grace we are saved, through faith, for life.
Isn’t that what Jesus came down for? Not just to save us, but so we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b).
Do we trust that Jesus is enough? That is He is all we need? God promises us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
When we humbly set aside our pride and choose faith, not fear, we are promised a full life by Christ’s grace and power.
What areas of your life would change if you reminded yourself every morning that you are saved by grace – through faith – for life?
Joyce Chang is a service designer, photographer and entrepreneur, amongst many things. She currently works to help champion the Center for Redemptive Entrepreneurship at Tyndale University, while advocating for spaces of rest through The Secret Place. She loves doing what she does, including serving the church through as worship at New Hope Fellowship Downtown, Toronto.
Website: https://joyceycchang.com/
IG: @joycecchang
The Secret Place: @thesecretplaceca