QUOTES - CHRISTIAN LIFE - GRACE |
. . . grace that has conditions attached is no longer grace. (Marcus J Borg) |
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible with Apocrypha. The excerpts between the photos are from the book "What's So Amazing About Grace" by Philip Yancey. All of the background pictures are, of course, my photography. |
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Those who trust in him will understand truth, |
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But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24 |
. . . I worry that the prevailing
image of Christians has changed from that of a perfume atomizer to a
different spray apparatus: the kind used by insect exterminators. There's
a roach! Pump, spray,
pump, spray. There's
a spot of evil! Pump,
spray, pump, spray. Some Christians I know have taken on the task of
"moral exterminator" for the evil-infested society around them. |
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From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 |
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. . . righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus . . . Romans 3:24 NIV |
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[from the Council at Jerusalem regarding Gentiles (those
different from themselves)] We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. Acts 15:11 NIV |
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For if the many died through the one man’s
trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace
of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. Romans 5:15 |
One who has been touched by grace will no longer look on those who stray
as "those evil people" or "those poor people who need our help." Nor must
we search for signs of "loveworthiness." Grace teaches us that God loves
because of who God is, not because of who we are. Categories of worthiness
do not apply . . . |
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I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel . . . Galatians 1:6 |
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You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4 |
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For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God . . . Ephesians 2:8 |
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Let no
evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 |
"In the world the Christians are a colony of the true home," said Bonhoeffer.
Perhaps Christians should work harder toward establishing colonies of the
kingdom that point to our true home. All too often the church holds up a
mirror reflecting back the society around it, rather than a window revealing
a different way . . . . . . Think of the impact if the first
thing radical feminists thought when the conversation turned to evangelical
men was that they had the best reputation for keeping their marriage vows
and serving their wives in the costly fashion of Jesus at the cross. Think
of the impact if the first thing the homosexual community thought of when
someone mentioned evangelicals was that they were the people who lovingly
ran the AIDS shelters and tenderly cared for them down to their last gasp. A
little consistent wholesome modeling and costly servanthood are worth
millions of true words harshly spoken. |
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For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7 |
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Pursue peace with
everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to
it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God . . . Hebrews 12:14-15 |
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Each one should use whatever gift he has received
to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 NIV |
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"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5 (Proverbs 3:34) |
It is all too easy to point fingers at
German Christians of the 1930s, southern fundamentalists in the 1960s, or
South African Calvinists of the 1970s. What sobers me is that contemporary
Christians may someday be judged just as harshly. What trivialities do we
obsess over, and what weighty matters of the law — justice, mercy,
faithfulness — might we be missing?
Does God care more
about nose rings or about urban decay? Grunge music or world hunger? Worship
styles or a culture of violence? --------------------------
. . . so I guess that means you're
a Moonie?" Manning asked. She said yes and hung her head. To her
surprise Manning gave this response. "You know something, Susan? I deeply
admire your integrity and your fidelity to your conscience. You're
out here tramping the streets doing what you really believe in. You are a
challenge to anyone who claims the name ‘Christian.’" He and his wife both
hugged the startled flower peddler. |
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. . . he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9 |
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What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! Romans 6:1-2 |
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. . . everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and
more people,
may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15 |
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May grace and peace be yours in abundance 2 Peter 1:2 |
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