At the beginning of our life
with God, we are aware of a gap between God and us, separation from God because
of sin.
We come to understand that
we cannot bridge this gap by our efforts or good behavior. We cannot earn God’s love and forgiveness; it
comes only by God’s grace. Salvation is
given by the grace of God, achieved through the power of God, offered through
the Spirit of God, and made secure by the promise of God. And so we commit our life to God.
But there is still a gap.
Now the gap is between the
me I am right now and the me I’m meant to be -- “current me” and “sanctified
me.” But here’s the problem: People think it is our job to bridge that gap
by our effort. But we can’t. This gap, too, can only be bridged by
grace. Self-improvement is no more God’s
plan than self-salvation. God’s plan is
not just for us to be saved by grace --
it is for us to live by grace. God’s plan is for my daily life to be given,
guided, guarded, and energized by the grace of God. To live in grace is to flow in the Spirit.
-- John
Ortberg in The Me I Want To Be
#3499
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