Grace — The Great Expense

You are all children of God through faith.
Galatians 3:26

Paul knew both the agonies and the ecstasies of spiritual parenthood. He was like a mother, nurse, tutor, father and friend. He longed for each of the Galatians to reach maturity in Christ. He reminded them that every Christian is a member of God’s own family, a son or daughter of the Lord.

Martin Luther discusses Paul’s writings in relation to the costly grace of God. You are a child of God, Luther observes, because God was willing to pay the terrible price to redeem you.

WALK WITH MARTIN LUTHER
“Above all things, Christ must be kept in this matter of salvation.

“It certainly is truth that, as David says (Psalm 32:2) and Paul writes (Romans 4:8): ‘Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.’ Paul shows that this divine imputation comes only to him who believes in Christ and not because of good works.

“Although out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, he nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of his law and his righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, one who took upon himself all the punishment we deserve.

“He fulfilled the law for us. He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God’s wrath. Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but it cost Another much to get it for us. Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God himself.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Because both Paul and Luther studied the Scriptures intently, they were able to proclaim clearly the necessity of faith in Christ. Both men remind Christ’s forgetful followers of the high price of God’s grace.

Think of it as the family secret of the faithful—a secret God never intended for you to keep to yourself!