LIBERATING GRACE

LIBERATING GRACE

As a seminary student in the mid-seventies, I enrolled in courses on Church History.  One of our required readings was “Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther” by Roland Bainton.  Although Martin Luther is best known as the ‘father’ of the Protestant Reformation, his personal struggle with the reality of God’s grace resonates deeply with many of us.  Below, I will summarize a portion of Luther’s grace journey, as recounted by Mr. Bainton.

In 1505, a 21-year-old Martin Luther was walking toward the village of Stotternheim, Germany, when the sky became suddenly overcast.  A raging storm blew up and a bolt of lightning flashed through the sky, knocking Martin to the ground.  “St Anne help me!” he cried out, “I will become a monk.”  Martin had grown up in a medieval culture filled with great fear and he thought the lightning had been launched at him by God as a message, a glimpse of the terror of the Judgment Day.  Martin knew he needed to preserve his soul and thought the best way to do that was to become a monk.  So off to the monastery he went in search of God’s grace and mercy.

After becoming a priest, he was invited to celebrate his first mass.  Martin’s family came for the occasion.  The chapel was filled; the psalms were sung.  Then Martin took his place behind the altar and began.  But just moments into the mass, he was struck by sheer terror.  Here he was, in his own words, “miserable, little, dust and ashes, and full of sin” and now daring to speak to the living, eternal and fearsome God.

Somehow Martin got through the mass and kept going as a monk, but those initial experiences reflected his terrible inner struggle.  He got to the point where he was convinced that God was so pure and holy that no one could ever hope to be saved.  All mankind would be abandoned to the torments of hell.  In Martin’s words, “More than once I was driven to the very abyss of despair so that I wished I had never been created.   Love God?  I hated him!”

Then in 1513, 8 years after that thunderstorm, 7 years after that first terrible mass, Martin had a third great religious experience.  He was lecturing on the book of Psalms at the University of Wittenberg, followed by lectures on Romans and Galatians.  It was during those studies that Martin Luther discovered a life transforming insight from the gospel – that God’s requirement for us is not perfection, but faith.

“My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner deeply troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage Him.  Therefore, I did not love this just and angry God, but rather hated and murmured against Him.  Then I grasped that the justice of God is that He, through grace and mercy, justifies us by faith.  Whereas before the ‘justice of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in a greater love.”

My friends, there is absolutely nothing you or I could ever do to merit the grace of Almighty God.  The very best we can do is to “come boldly to the throne of grace” and bow in humble and heartfelt submission to Him. (Hebrews 4:16) By this simple act of obedience and faith, we make our covenant confession to Christ. Thereby, we enter His school of discipleship, becoming lifelong learners and walking in daily communion with Him. 

It’s a grace thing.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)  At your convenience, please read the biblical book of Romans, especially chapters 6-8.

One praise chorus that I love has these simple yet powerful lyrics:

Grace…grace…God’s grace…

Grace that can pardon and cleanse within…

Grace…grace…God’s grace…

Grace that is greater than all my sins.

It’s a grace thing…a loving and liberating gift of God.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!