As Truth and Grace Go Forth
by Christopher Hendrix
We live in an age that exists towards the bottom of the hill of the Enlightenment period. Down this hill has rolled ideas and beliefs like rationalism (which has led to irrational conclusions), humanism (which has led to devaluing humans), and secularism (which has led to not getting rid of God but creating a new god). Down this hill, the waste has collected, and now we are left with a mound of uselessness. Not to mention, it smells terrible. Due to this pile of rubbish, our culture has come to a boiling point in which relativism has given way to a form of self-absolutism. The air of the culture is no longer filled with an acceptance of all beliefs (though even that was a farce) but now is described by the term cancel culture. People can’t find joy and peace among the trash of human philosophy. People can’t find grace in our culture. Though the world tries to earn it, all of its efforts are vanity.
Watch Pastor Chris Hendrix’s sermon on 1 Peter 5:10-14.
Yet, Christianity shines brighter and brighter amidst the culture of cancellations and hatred. Why is this? Because of God’s grace. From the beginning, middle, and end of the Christian’s life, it rests entirely upon God’s grace. God’s nature is full of grace. God’s works scream grace. All over Scripture, we see that God’s grace is undeserved favor. Romans 5:15 says, “For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” Grace is a gift given to us by the Triune God. The Father chose the believer to receive this grace. The Son died and rose again to merit grace for the believer. The Spirit applies the work of Christ to the believer. Every Christian holds to the truth in Ephesians 2:8–9,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
The God of grace gave the gift of grace generously. Grace is God’s inclination towards the believer.
But wait, there’s more! Grace is not only God’s inclination but God’s influence to transform our lives. When we fail, we don’t ride the roller coaster of cancellation, trying to earn the favor of the masses back. The Christian response involves repentance and trust. We admit our sin, recognize the evil of it, and turn from it. We are forgiven and free! Then, we look back to Christ and trust Him to strengthen us for the next battle with sin. This turning involves reading the Scriptures, meditating upon them, memorizing them, praying them, thinking from them, and believing them. As we read, the Spirit sanctifies our hearts from the truths, knocking and entering into the door of our minds. We then love them, cherish them, and hold fast to them. All of this is the grace of God influencing our hearts to turn away from sin. Most of all, the joy of the Christian derives from this grace.
So, though the front stage of the world scene is hatred for grace and love for canceling, the believer looks to the Triune God for grace and forgiveness. Though the world’s stink pervades much of everything, we have an eternal hope. As we live from and in the grace of God, the world takes note. Some will even want it because they see the true freedom and joy found in it. Some will hate it because they despise what it represents, and that is God Himself. As Christians, let us love our culture by taking the shovel of grace to the trash around us. Let us live and proclaim the grace of God in our families, churches, jobs, and neighborhoods. Our presence begins to clean the filth of the culture as truth and grace go forth.