Everyday Grace

I am continuing to read Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson.  It is a good book on how grace affects all of our relationships.  Here are some quotes from Chapter 2:

God's grace comes crashing into the darkness of deception and blame-shifting. Instead of only giving judgment for their sin, he gives hope of redemption. This hope of redemption is the only hope we have in relationships.

Either way, when we are doing well or doing badly, we are focused on ourselves. This inward focus will be the very thing that keeps us from the end goal of having a healthy, thriving, God-glorifying relationship.

Owning our own mess will make us gracious toward everybody else who is a mess also...We won't withhold forgiveness, because we will see how much we have been forgiven.

God does not wink at sin. He takes our sin very seriously, to the point of demanding that blood be shed to pay for our sin...God demands complete perfection, a complete fulfilling of the Law. He doesn't ask to love the best we can.

Martin Luther writes, "First the Law helps to control violent outbursts of sin and to keep order in the world (curb). Second, the Law accuses us and shows us our sin (mirror). Third, the Law teaches us Christians what we should and should not do to live a God-pleasing life (a guide). The power to live according to the Law comes from the Gospel. 

 Repentance is a good think as long as you remember that every way you have failed to love has been paid for by Jesus Christ.