Do You Mind If I Stomp On The American Flag?”

     It seems that for years now the most controversial act of “Free speech” has been to desecrate the American flag by burning it or walking on it.  The most recent trend is to take your picture standing on it and spread it on social media.  Unfortunately, I believe that I am guilty of something much worse!  

     I understand why people get so angry, even violent when they see pictures of someone desecrating the American Flag.  My Grandfather was a medic in WWII, and saw first-hand the cost of the freedom that flag represents. 

     When I say that I am guilty of something much worse, I am not referring to the American Flag, but to something that is even more precious to me than my Country.  I am talking about my God.   

     Whenever I write about or preach about the amazing grace God has for us I will inevitably get a comment from someone to affect that “We don’t want to slip into Hyper, Cheap, Easy, or Greasy Grace!”

     I trust that their statements are made out of concern that people are going to use the Grace of God as an excuse to sin.  I understand this concern and it isn’t anything new.  Paul had to address this problem 2,000 years ago when he wrote, “Shall we continue to sin so that Grace may abound? God Forbid!” 

     With that said, I think that we cheapen the grace of God whenever we leave any hint in people’s minds that they have to in any way earn, deserve, or maintain the grace of God.  Biblical grace is defined as “Unmerited Favor.”  Unmerited means it ISN’T deserved.  It is a GIFT.  If we do anything to earn something it is no longer a gift.

     Let’s talk about the term “Cheap Grace.”  Grace is way better than Cheap! It is totally and completely FREE!  It costs us nothing!  All we have do to is receive it by Faith. 

     On the flip side of that coin, Grace definitely isn’t CHEAP, because it cost Jesus EVERYTHING!  He died an excruciating death to pay the debt that we owed for our sin! 

     

     Grace is not an idea or a theological concept!  Grace is a Person! Jesus Christ! 

     Paul tells us in Hebrews Chapter 10 that when we use God’s grace as an excuse to sin we “have trampled on the Son of God!”  I strive to avoid sin, not to earn or deserve God’s love, mercy and grace, but because I love Jesus.  I love Jesus because I am continuously overwhelmed by his love! 

God doesn’t want a Debt/Debtor relationship with us but a committed, passionate love affair with us! 

     I have the freedom to trample of the flag of the great country I live in, but I never would because I know the cost that flag represents. 

     I also have the freedom to trample on the grace of God by blatantly disregarding how he desires for me to live.  I have definitely been guilty of that in the past, but as I grow in my understanding of what Grace cost Jesus, I now long to honor that sacrifice!