Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Is it easier to give or to receive? 

While it is fulfilling to give gifts, it is often much harder to receive them. Personally, I find it difficult to accept gifts because I feel like I must repay the gift-giver for their generosity. This can also apply to our faith. 

As Christians, we are given the deepest gift of all: salvation. For the greatest gift in human history, it is easy to falsely believe that we are forever indebted to God and must somehow work to earn this gift. However, as the apostle Paul teaches, this isn’t the case.

Ephesians 2:8-9
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

God’s saving grace was never a reward for our works. While we are called to obey God’s commands and grow the fruit of the Spirit, our salvation does not rest upon this. All God asks is that we believe in Jesus and accept the gift of salvation that is free to us. Grace would fail to be grace if we had to earn it. Rather than a gift, it would be an exchange.

In Jesus’ earthly ministry, he healed many people and performed numerous miracles. He raised the dead, casted out demons, fed the hungry, and healed the sick. When Jesus performed these acts of grace, he did not ask for anything in return—all that he wanted was their faith. He never taught us that we must please God to repay him for his healing and for his sacrifice.

We must reject the idea of a works-based salvation and realize that Jesus’ sacrifice is an act of grace and mercy. God himself sacrificed his only Son for us, solely because of how much he loves us (John 3:16). This love is unconditional; there are no limits or caveats on God’s love. He willingly made this sacrifice knowing that we could never repay him for his kindness. 

Salvation is a gift that must be received.

Let us thank God every day for the overflowing love and grace he has for his people. It is only after we accept our fallen human nature that we learn to trust in God alone to save us. We must put down our pride and humbly go before Jesus, thanking him for fully paying our debts on the cross.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 

Questions:
What is the greatest gift you have ever received? How did you feel after you received it?

What happens to our faith when we prioritize pleasing God over trusting him?

Next Steps:
This week, begin a gratitude journal to thank God for the gifts he gives you every day.

Attend GrowthTrack to help determine your spiritual gifts and get connected with the church.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for all our sins. You are such a loving and merciful God whose gifts are immeasurable. As we go about the week, help us remember that your grace is freely given, and that there is nothing we can do to earn it. Help us also to show this grace to others in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.