A thought by Philip Yancey (2014-10-21) from his
book, Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News? (p. 34). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on
the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
He then finishes the
statement with, “God may indeed keep track of how well we love.” So how are we doing on that list, I wonder?
Philip
shares earlier in this book, “Jesus ‘came from the Father, full of grace and
truth,’ wrote John in the preface to his gospel. The church has worked
tirelessly on the truth part of that formula: witness the church councils,
creeds, volumes of theology, and denominational splits over minor points of
doctrine. I yearn for the church to compete just as hard in conveying what Paul
calls the “incomparable riches” of God’s grace. Often, it seems, we’re
perceived more as guilt dispensers than as grace dispensers.”
Yes we need
truth and we need to share truth but the world really needs grace and love.
Philip
says, “When we make condescending judgments, or proclaim lofty words that don’t
translate into action, or simply speak without first listening, we fail to love
— and thus deter a thirsty world from Living Water. The good news about God’s
grace goes unheard.”
As Paul
says in 1st Corinthian 13, “the greatest of these is love.” Yes there
were times that Jesus argued but He came because He love us.
So how are
you doing in this area?
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