Abusing The Valuable Treasure Of Grace

Contend for the faith … For certain individuals … have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ.
Jude 3-4

If a rich friend gave you a blank check, would you: return the check unused, buy something you needed, buy something you wanted, empty the account and then ask for more?

Unlike friends with finite resources, God’s grace is infinite. But the riches of his grace aren’t to be used contrary to his wishes.

Jude confronted this problem in his short, potent letter, and John Calvin comments on the author’s admonition concerning the recipients’ abuses.

WALK WITH JOHN CALVIN
“Jude’s readers had abused the grace of God, leading themselves and others to take an impure and profane liberty in sinning.

“After being called by God, we ought not to glory carelessly in his grace, but instead walk watchfully; for if anyone trifles with God, the contempt of his grace will not be unpunished.

“Those whom God has honored with the greatest blessings, whom he had extolled to the same degree of honor as we enjoy at this day, he afterwards severely punished. In vain were they all proud of God’s grace who did not live in a manner suitable to their calling.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Gifts tend to bring out the best—and worst—in people. Some respond with pride, as if they deserved what they received all along. Others respond with humility, acknowledging the goodness of the giver and the unworthiness of the recipient.

God’s gift of grace shines brightly when you recall that you didn’t deserve what you received—forgiveness and pardon. Nor did you receive what you deserved—condemnation and judgment.

Don’t hesitate to receive God’s grace with gladness. But be careful how you handle it—as befitting a treasure too valuable to trifle with.