Amazing Grace

I had a funeral in Colonial Heights this past week for a lady who was 96 years old. The service gave me the opportunity to share with her family that we are all children of God and that Jesus came to prepare us for eternal life.

There was once a conference on the various religions of the world. Scholars were debating what belief was unique to the Christian faith. There were many different ideas, and the debate continued until C.S. Lewis walked into the room. He was asked, “What is the one thing that is totally unique to the Christian faith?” Dr. Lewis answered, “That’s easy. It is grace.”

Christianity is the only faith that says salvation is a gift you receive by God’s grace and not by works. Buddhists say you save yourself by ceasing all desire. Hindus teach you save yourself by detaching yourself from your ego. Judaism says you save yourself through repentance, prayer and obeying the law. The Bible says that God has done for you what you cannot do for yourself. God has given us a Savior – Jesus Christ.

Many religions teach that you must work your way to God, while Christianity says that God has come down to you. The key principle of Christianity is not based on performance, but acceptance. When we accept what Christ has done for us on the cross, God will accept us. Romans 8:15 shows that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, God will adopt us as His child. There is no way we will deserve heaven, but when we accept Jesus, we can know Jesus has prepared a place for each of us. Christianity is not a religion – it is a relationship.

One day we will all die. One day we will all pass from this life to eternal life. An empty tomb guarantees that you can cross safely into the presence of God who created you and loves you. Jesus will be sitting beside God. Jesus, who rose from the dead to give each of us new life.

Prayer – God, we thank you for doing for us what we could have never done for ourselves. Thank you for sending your only Son to come and die for each of our sins. Amen.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Paul Zoetemeijer, Ismael Paramo & Jon Tyson, courtesy of Unsplash