2003. 6. 29. Pastor Ji Hoon Choi

"Salvation Received Through Grace"

Ephesians 2:8-9

David Seamands, a pastor and a theology professor, has counseled and helped numerous people for a long time. In his book titled "Freedom from the Performance Trap", he writes these following words:

Early in my ministry I discovered that the experience of grace is the most therapeutic factor in emotional and spiritual healing … the main task in counseling and inner healing is to remove the barriers to forgiveness so that people can receive grace-the gift of God's love freely offered to the undeserving and the unworthy.

Today's scripture says it was by the grace of God that we have been saved. What is this grace? In the New Testament, grace is related to the concept of joy. It also has the same etymology as the word gift. We may say that grace is "something we joyfully give." Grace can be defined by you giving something, without any expectation of a reward for something done well, but just for the joy of giving.

It is an especially good opportunity to experience this love of "grace" when we are with children. We usually don't give children something without an attached stipulation. I understand parents give things to and even rebuke their children because they love them with the hope that they will someday realize parental love and become persons who know how to love others. And we ourselves can feel the joy when we bestow something. Several days ago a child at the Vacation Bible School came to me before she left church and asked if I could give her a balloon. I gave her one. It was not because she obeyed me, nor was it a prize. Because I was able to provide it, I was happy to give it to her.

We should seriously meditate on these words of Jesus, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." The Bible says that we should get out of sinful lives and become the people of the God's kingdom of heaven not as the consequence of our prideful actions but as the result of the grace God has joyfully given us.

Particularly the grace of God has been given to all of us through the cross. We are not at all such beings who could become good persons out of our sins by ourselves. However, God gave his only son to this world, and Jesus took the responsibility for all our sorrows and sins, and died on the cross. When we look at the pain, sorrow and death of Jesus on the cross, our previously dead consciences and inner beings are revived. First of all, the fact that God gave His only son to the people who had left Him for their sins is a grace invaluable and beyond explanation. It is not by our pride but by the grace of God that our spirits, previously dead from sins and apprehensions, are revived by the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection.

Therefore, the most fundamental thing a Christian should do is to receive the grace through faith. This is living and acting as a person under the law of grace as described by First Thessalonians 5:16-18 as it says "Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances." In our religious lives, we make sacrifices, perform good works, and rush in our lives with a hope for reward. For this, one's determination and effort are required. However, in the center of those things, there is the grace of God that makes all these possible. God's grace is our life. It is said in Psalms chapter 63, verse 3, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." We could do nothing without the grace of God. On the other hand, since we were not charged for receiving the grace of God, we are able to live bravely and free.

I grew up in a religious home and attended a church since I was young. My mother was a conservative person who followed the words of Susanna Wesley, the mother of John Wesley. She said "You have to completely tame a child's obstinacy before he/she grows to be five years old." I fit this mold. Particularly while I was a student, I diligently participated in the church life as a Youth Group leader for hundreds of students.

Once I listened to the words of my mother, "Those whose insides are empty manifest them on their outsides," I was so afraid to commit the sin of vanity that I had gone church with just a black bag and plain clothes. When I look at the pictures of me wearing thick glasses at that time, I cannot find much joy on those faces. Although I was immature and had little wisdom, I am thankful for the grace of God that allowed me to not to deceive God and my conscience and to diligently pray to seek God.

However, despite my effort, as the sins in my life were revealed one after one, they caused me much concern. On the outside, I was lauded and became a theology student, but there was another aspect that I could not understand nor condone, as my family only loved those within the family. God clearly said in the Bible "Love your neighbor as if they were yourselves." First John 4:8 states "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Under the light of these words, I was a person who did not know God. Most challenging to me was that I did not have the freedom or the joy or the family life that other Christians had. Even if I prayed more diligently than they did, or had more knowledge about the Bible, or tried to live honestly, when I looked at my life, I realized that I didn't have the power to overcome dishonesty and hatred because I had no true love.

In old history of American churches, there is a mourner's bench in every worship room for those who felt the wrath of God and worried about repentance. In the days after my graduation from the theology school, wherever I sat was the mourner's bench. And then I began to read the Bible and changed my life to save my spirit. Reading the Bible, I hoped to participate in the God's heaven of the grace, faith and love, rather than participate in one of commandments, formalities or sacrificial rites. The prayer of David, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me," (Psalms 51:10) became my prayer.

One day on a log bridge, I finally encountered with the question of whether I would invite Jesus Christ as the lord of my life. It was a question whether I would have faith in God to the extent that I could obey His words and forgive those who as I thought had hurt me. It was a question whether I believed in God to the level that I could give up what I eagerly wanted if it was against the will of God. It was a question whether I believed in God to the level that I discard my worries about tomorrow and entrust my future in Him. Jesus once talked to a young officer who had kept all the commandments since he was a boy but felt something lacked. In Mark 10:21, Jesus says "… sell everything you have and give to the poor, and … then come, follow me." It was a question whether he believed in God to the extent that he could invite God, not himself, as the lord of his life. I could no way answer yes by myself. But all I could do was to look at Jesus who answered "Yes" to all these questions and was hung on the cross of pain and sorrow. With this, I want to say "My Lord, you are son of God. I am a sinner. Please come inside me and control me."

At the moment, I experienced the forgiveness and found the love of God. What was surprising was that I had no love in me, but the love of Jesus came to my heart. I could not forgive, but the forgiveness of Jesus came into my heart. I had no righteousness, but the righteousness of Jesus embraced me. Then by the idea to share Jesus Christ with others, I have chosen this path of service.

Reflecting on my life today, I still have nothing to show or to be proud of, except for the fact that I have been able to serve by the grace of God. Yet still I have many things to learn. I have fallen down many times. I do not want to find things outside the grace that Jesus Christ has bestowed on us without reason or cost. I would not be able to be in the place today without the confession of faith I offered to God at that very moment and the love of God I experienced through the confession of faith.

Today every person needs to experience the grace of God through being in Jesus Christ. In the grace of God, there are forgiveness and restoration of love. And there is a mission God planned. Today's scripture verse 10 says this. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." God has revived us who were dead by the sins together through His grace and with Christ. And while we are in His grace, He has us work in His love and bear fruits of good works. A church as the body of Christ where the Gospel is delivered, where people share bread and where people perform works is a true place for the grace of God.

The grace of God is not in a secret place. It is before our eyes for everyone to see. It is said in Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14. "… because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Perhaps, is there anyone who asks, "I know God is alive, but where in my life is God?" Jesus Christ died for you. Do you want to see the evidence for God's love? Jesus Christ died for you. Is there any who needs the forgiveness of God? Jesus Christ died for you. Is there anyone who confronts unbearable hardship and despair? Is there anyone who feels like he or she has been deserted? Jesus Christ died for you. Is there anyone who worries about the command oriented and Pharisee-like superficial religion? Is there anyone who is doubtful of life and worries for determination of its true meaning and goal? Jesus Christ also died for you. However, those who don't feel poverty in their spirits and try to establish their own righteousness by themselves cannot experience God's true heaven. To those who truly desire to experience the grace of God, Revelations 3:20 says. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

There is a tale. A son of an Indian went to collect pearl oysters and died with a shell in his mouth. It was an extremely big pearl. This father had always kept it as if it was his son's life, and before he left on a journey, the father gave it to the missionary who had always helped him. Seeing that it was so big, the missionary proposed to pay for it rather than receive it as a gift. This infuriated the father. The father could give his son's life only as a gift but never sell for money. Listening to the words, the missionary was reminded of the fact that God also had given us His only son's life and shown us the true way that we can be saved by faith.

Dear congregation. You and I all are persons who have received enormous grace in Christ. We received the salvation by an unconditional love that is invaluable and could not be obtained by effort. The work of God's salvation will continue among us when we determine our faiths by the virtue of this grace that we again invite Jesus Christ as the Lord of our spirit.