The Art Of Grace: Recent Episodes
Shawn Lazar
If you belong to a religious tradition that mixes grace and law, or faith and works, you’ll probably lack assurance of your salvation. After all, if salvation depends on what you do, and you know that you’re undependable, you’ll never be sure that you’ve done what it takes to be saved. You might hope to […]
One of the most persistent sins in the Old Testament was grumbling and complaining against God. And if you consume the news at all, you’ll see the same grumbling in most headlines about all aspects of life. If that’s the world’s attitude, what kind of words should come out of a Christian’s mouth? Life can […]
In this episode, Lucas Kitchen, Shawn Lazar, and Dane Allen engage in a spirited, multi-layered discussion regarding the primary purpose of the Gospel of John. The conversation explores whether the book was written as a purely evangelistic document intended to bring unbelievers to faith , or if its purpose is broader, encompassing the discipleship and spiritual deepening of the church. The hosts examine key passages, specifically the […]
Join Lucas Kitchen, Shawn Lazar, and Dane Allen as they engage in a lively and transparent podcast to discuss a core issue within Free Grace theology: the precise nature of the saving message. The central point of debate revolves around the phrase, "Believe in Jesus for eternal life." Shawn, who has been working on an […]
Here's a proven method for discerning the will of God for specific decisions and situations.
Do you believe that Jesus can save you from the power of sin now? You should! Consider what John told his spiritual children...
Christians should give according to what they have purposed in their hearts. But what are some heart issues when it comes to money and giving?
Christians are under grace, not law. What grace-based principles can guide Christian giving?
Popular teaching about tithing assumes that Christians are under the Law. Is that true?
Everyone has heard that Christians should tithe. But is that really Biblical? What if what popularly passes for tithing is really a myth?
How much forgiveness do you want from God? How much would you show to others? Why should you forgive?
God allows us to be overwhelmed to the point of death so we will learn to trust in Him who raises the dead.
Christmas means God became man—an act of divine love and grace that reveals His deep involvement in our world, bringing hope and redemption to humanity.
We would rather ignore suffering than do something about it. How can Christians be motivated to be compassionate?
Does the Eastern Orthodox church teach salvation by works? This quote makes the answer clear...
Is grace a license to sin? That is one of the most common objections to Free Grace theology and to the grace message in particular. People are afraid that if you teach that salvation really is by grace, through faith in Christ, and given as a gift totally apart from your behavior, that will encourage […]
Reece (10 years old) asks: “If something can’t come from nothing, where did God come from?” Answer: Great question, Reece. That’s also an age-old question. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle asked it. And so have most of the great teachers in Christianity. Let me give you two different kinds of answers. First, there’s the answer […]
One of the mistakes that Free Grace people can make in discipleship is to lose sight of how eternal rewards are also a matter of grace. In one of the most crucial passages on rewards in the New Testament (i.e., 1 Cor 3:5-8), Paul has something to say about whether we really “earn” our rewards: […]
Do you know the basic Biblical distinction between eternal life and eternal rewards? The following graphics should help you out. Send your questions or comments to Shawn.
The gospel is so very simple. The Son of God became a man, died on the cross for your sins, and rose again from the dead three days later so that He could offer us salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, totally apart from our works. Faith is merely the instrument through which we […]
Tucker Carlson recently said, “I should say at the outset, I’m an Episcopalian, so don’t take any theological advice from me because I don’t have any. I grew up in the shallowest faith tradition that’s ever been invented. It’s not even a Christian religion at this point, I say with shame.” That’s a sad evaluation […]
In January, we adopted a calico kitten that we named Beans. She was intelligent and affectionate. I called her my “theology kitty” because she’d sleep in my lap or among the piles of books in my library as I studied and wrote. She was a delightful addition to the household. Then last week, while the […]
Not everyone’s brains are wired the same. We consider some behaviors “normal” and other behaviors “atypical.” I’m thinking about things such as paying attention, reasoning, problem-solving, emotional control, comprehending texts, interpreting social cues, and sensitivity to sound and touch. Over the decades, we’ve learned more about the natural range of human behaviors and neurology. In […]
One of the hardest things about parenting is getting my kids to pay attention. Getting them to remember instructions has been very challenging. I know they’re capable of it. They have amazing memories…when they want to! They can remember, down to the penny, how much money I owe them for doing chores. Or they can […]
Are you still hopeful about the Christian life or are you just about ready to give up? Have you been burned out for so long that you’re not sure how much longer you can go on? You can get so beat down by sin that you don’t know what’s possible for Christ to do for […]
Have you made your New Years’ resolutions? What are you planning? Will you go to the gym regularly? Cut out carbs? Buckle down on learning that new language? Save more money? Drink more water and less alcohol? Read the Bible in a year? Do you know what those resolutions are? Laws. They’re little-“l” laws you […]
As my kids get older, it’s satisfying to see them do more and more on their own. Today, Daphne spent five hours working on a horse ranch. She won’t be paid any money; she’s earning riding lessons. At breakfast, Abby was teaching Scout how to make oatmeal. She already knows how to make the instant […]
All Christians are designed to be fruitful. Jesus compared us to branches on a vine, and in John 15:1-5, He presented four possibilities of fruitfulness: you can bear no fruit, some fruit, more fruit, or much fruit (see here). However, it is worth pointing out that you can take two very different approaches to the […]
I’m growing a Meyer lemon tree in a container in my kitchen. It’s inside the house because they’ll die in the cold, so it’ll stay in my kitchen until spring. I grew it from seed. It’s now a seedling with leaves, and I hope that, in a few years, it will start to flower and […]
Christians are not under a legalistic obligation to give money to support other Christians. You should never feel condemned for not giving. And you certainly should never think that your salvation depends upon it. Everlasting life is free (Rom 6:23). God loved you while you were still a sinner (Rom 5:8), so His love for […]
Has a preacher ever accused you of robbing God because you don’t tithe, or threatened you with a curse if you didn’t donate to your church or to another ministry? Christendom is filled with messages of fear and condemnation about giving that are designed to get you to open up your wallet. And these threats […]
People often confuse the doctrine of eternal security with the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. But the two are entirely different things and operate according to different principles. Free Grace people believe in eternal security, popularly called Once Saved, Always Saved (or OSAS for short), while Calvinists believe in the perseverance of the […]
Does your mind get stressed with thoughts and speculations about the future? Are you constantly thinking about tomorrow—about dreams, plans, and visions? Are you always thinking about what other people think about you? God gave you a mind, so you can’t help but think. The question is what should you be preoccupied with? Well, what […]
One of the most persistent sins in the Old Testament was grumbling and complaining against God. And if you consume the news at all, you’ll see the same grumbling in most headlines—about all aspects of life! If that’s the world’s attitude, what kind of words should come out of a Christian’s mouth? Life can be […]
Question: If believers are eternally secure, why did Jesus say, “He who endures to the end will be saved”? Doesn’t that show you need to keep believing and doing good work to the end of your life to go to heaven when you die? Answer: Whenever the Bible speaks about salvation, you must find out […]
God answers every prayer. Sometimes it’s with a “Yes,” but often His answer is “No!” You might think getting a “No” is disappointing. But you should be happy about it. Why are you disappointed when God says “No” to your prayers? Is it because you’re so invested in your plans that you can’t stand to […]
Giving to support the work of spreading the gospel and preaching God’s Word is a practical act of discipleship and an exercise of faith. But where should you give, and to whom should you give? Unlike giving under the Old Covenant, which had very specific rules, percentages, and timelines, New Testament giving is much freer, […]
Why does God want you to give money to support the work of spreading the gospel? You might think the answer is obvious—isn’t it because God needs your money to get the job done? And yet, as soon as you put the matter that way, you know that’s the wrong answer. God created the universe […]
Grace and work don’t mix. You’re either saved by one or the other but never by a mixture of both. But even though grace excludes works as a basis of salvation, does that mean Free Grace theology is against godly living? Religious people find it very hard to believe that God relates to you based […]
One of the hardest things about communicating the grace message to religious people is getting them to see they’re not believing in Jesus for what He promised. That can be hard because they often do believe in Jesus for something—but for something less than what He is. Do you know what supplemental health insurance is? […]
A “hostile takeover” refers to “the acquisition of one company by another corporation against the wishes of the former.” If the Christian life is a kind of takeover, is it hostile? Jesus is Lord and wants to exercise that Lordship over your entire life—over your every thought, word, and deed. However, making Jesus “Lord of […]
In Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis used the term “deeper magic” as a metaphor for the gospel. He didn’t explicitly put in a Christian sermon, but the concepts still rang out clearly in the story. Likewise, if you listen carefully to culture, you’ll hear echoes of gospel themes—echoes of that “deeper magic”—present in secular […]
Paul almost makes a very serious spiritual mistake in Romans 7:18. As we’ll see, he avoids it. But if you don’t understand the error, chances are you might make it. Here’s what Paul wrote, For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is […]
God created men and women to live by faith. He also made us with emotions. Faith and feelings are two essential aspects of our humanity. But somewhere along the way, they can get out of order, negatively impacting your Christian walk. Paul wrote: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so […]
Someone said, “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” What makes you feel confident? And more specifically, where do you put your confidence in living the Christian life day by day? Even when you believe in Jesus for salvation and know for sure that you’ll spend eternity with God, where do you put […]
Can you overemphasize Jesus’ death on the cross? That’s hard to imagine, but one way comes to mind. I love preaching the cross. It’s central to everything I believe about Jesus, God, and the way of salvation. I consider myself a “theologian of the cross.” But there's a danger there. How so? You can put […]
Do you want people to notice the good things you do or not? Jesus said two things about that question that might appear contradictory, but the harmonization is both simple, and it reveals something crucial about Christian living. On the one hand, Jesus said He wanted His disciples to do good works that other people […]
If you belong to a religious tradition that mixes grace and law, or faith and works, you’ll probably lack assurance of your salvation. After all, if salvation depends on what you do, and you know that you’re undependable, you’ll never be sure that you’ve done what it takes to be saved. You might hope to […]
I often wake up around 3 am. If I can’t fall back asleep immediately, I’ll get up to read, write, or pray. But sometimes, I wake up with my mind racing. Late last month, I woke up, and worries flooded my mind, my chest tightened, and I started overthinking all the potentials, possibilities, and pitfalls […]
The Old Testament is full of examples of godly men and women who got victory by resting in faith in the promises of God. If you’ve ever wondered how you can life a life of faith—a life of rest—then I will be exploring these wonderful heroes and heroines of the faith. For example, think of […]
Do you depend upon Christ moment-by-moment—for big things and little things? Two weeks ago, while backing out of the driveway, we ran over a child’s scooter with a loud crunch and a pop. We blew a tire. The next day I went to the tire store and found that all the remaining tires were in […]
People sometimes ask me how to get started in preaching. Well, I didn’t get started in preaching by preaching, but by witnessing. A few months after I was born again, I started telling people about Jesus and the first group I remember going to were the kids at the Muslim Student Association. (That was an […]
I believe in sanctification by grace, not by law. However, does that mean grace-based parents shouldn’t discipline their kids? Does grace require you to let your kids run free without rules or consequences? To paraphrase Paul, “Absolutely not!” Grace doesn’t eliminate the law—it clarifies the role the law plays. That was a significant emphasis in […]
Your vocabulary matters. The words and phrases you use shape your understanding of what it means to live a normal Christian life. There are many ways that our Christian vocabulary—our Christianese—can obscure the saving message. But it can just as quickly obscure essential sanctification truths. For example, at the beginning of a church service, have […]
People who believe in salvation by works often wonder about the difference between true believers and false believers. In part, I think they ask that question because they lack assurance. They wonder, “Am I really a believer? How can I know?” Since they think salvation depends partly on how you act, they often think the […]
The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked (1 John 2:6). Quick question: How did Abraham get from Ur to Canaan? Step by step. How did the Israelites go from Egypt to the Promised Land? Step by step. And how do you live the Christian life? The same way. […]
I often hear this objection to eternal security: “If you can’t lose your salvation, how do you explain Satan falling away? And what happened to Adam and Eve?” What happened to Satan, Adam, and Eve was tragic, but here are five reasons they didn’t lose their salvation. First, salvation didn’t exist before the fall. Some […]
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders (1 Timothy 4:14, emphasis added). The Holy Spirit gives every believer a spiritual gift, and as Paul implied to Timothy, you can neglect it. Why would you do […]
Every generation needs to be evangelized—and that starts at home. Parents and grandparents are responsible for telling their kids that Jesus died for them on the cross, rose again from the dead, and now offers them everlasting life simply by believing in Him for it. You’ll have to tell them more than once before those […]
Have you heard that one in four “practicing Christian millennials” believe the church is irrelevant? A quarter! And those are kids in the church. Proverbs says: Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds (Proverbs 27:23). Parents, teachers, and pastors need to know the “condition of their flocks.” If young […]
“The more I did, the less happened,” Major Ian Thomas reflected. “Thus by the age of nineteen, I had been reduced to a state of complete exhaustion spiritually, until I felt there was no point in going on” (Edman, They Found the Secret, p. 169). Major Thomas remembered his early years as a Christian when […]
God is holy, righteous, and just. Each of those terms spells out a different response to sin. Because God is holy, He hates sin. For example: “Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”—this is the LORD’s declaration (Zech 8:17). Because God is […]
God is holy, righteous, and just. Each of those terms spells out a different response to sin. Because God is holy, He hates sin. For example: “Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”—this is the LORD’s declaration (Zech 8:17). Because God is […]
God has plenty of prodigal children. How can they get back on the right path? Prodigals need to realize that you can't live without your Father. In the parable, the prodigal son tried to live his life on his own terms, based on his own resources, dreams, and desires (Luke 15:11-32). And what happened? Everything […]
Do you want to know God’s plan for you? It’s simple. God’s plan for you is Jesus. In fact, God has no plans for you outside of Jesus. The Father’s plans for you are entirely Christo-centric, that is, centered on Christ. For example, God determined that the only way to Him is through Jesus: Jesus […]
Have you ever felt completely useless? That can be good for your spiritual growth. Consider what happened to Moses. According to Luke: Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions. When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. […]
Have you ever heard someone say: “The Bible never says we’re saved by faith alone!” Let’s admit, they’re right. That phrase doesn’t appear in the NT. Martin Luther, the great Reformer, added the word “alone” to his translation of Rom 3:28. Here is what Paul said: For we conclude that a person is justified by […]
The Greek poet Ovid said, “If you want to be loved, be loveable.” That sums up society’s conditional love. Think of how we treat celebrities. The public’s love of celebrities is very fickle, depending entirely on what they do: “To be considered famous or have celebrity status doesn’t just involve being in a bunch of […]
As fall settles in and the nights come quicker and cooler, I enjoy sitting outside by a fire. Who isn’t mesmerized by the flicking flames and the glowing red embers of a roaring fire pit? Those embers remind me that Christianity is a relationship with Jesus and His people. After all, a Christian is someone […]
How big are your problems? And more importantly, how big is your view of Jesus? If the Christian life means living in dependence upon Christ for every situation you can face in this world, then you need to be sure of how big Jesus is to be sure that you can trust Him in your […]
People often struggle with the apparent disagreement between Paul and James over justification. But there isn’t a disagreement between them because the Bible teaches two kinds of justification. As Paul said, For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God (Rom 4:2). Paul, who repeatedly taught justification […]
Here’s a simple illustration of how Bible truth should take precedence over emotions in your life. Think of your life like a train. A train consists of a locomotive and all the railway cars that it pulls. Locomotives can be powered by different kinds of engines, such as steam, diesel, or electricity. Likewise, the locomotive […]
Obedience matters to salvation, but maybe not in the way you think. Do you want to be righteous before God? Do you want Him to see you as good—as really good? Do you want God’s approval so you can be certain your heavenly Father does not just love you reluctantly but wholeheartedly? How can you […]
What would you think if you heard someone pray, “Lord, please send the Messiah to come and save us from our sins?” Wouldn’t you say to her, “I have good news! You don’t need to pray that prayer. God has already sent the Messiah. His name is Jesus.” But if she insisted on begging God […]
How do you go about planting a church? We need more churches worldwide—especially grace-based churches—but who will start them? Here’s a quick overview of Paul’s church planting method. No one chapter in the Bible describes it, but you get the general idea from the Book of Acts and the comments made in Paul’s epistles. Here’s […]
Everyone loves John 10:10, but we tend only to quote the last half of the verse. Here’s the whole thing: “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10). Jesus was drawing a contrast. He called Himself the […]
I’m on a quest for a grace-based spirituality. That’s not what most of you are familiar with. Instead, you’re familiar with performance-based spiritualities where God’s relationship—His love for you—depends on what you do for Him. But what if spirituality is more about what God does for you? It might be hard to imagine the difference […]
Legalistic religion is usually manipulative. The threat of hell, and the promise of heaven, are used by religion to motivate people to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do. For example, the doctrine of salvation-by-works has often been used to convince young men to kill and be killed in holy wars. We’re all familiar with that […]
I’m a recovering news junky. I’ve read newspapers for most of my life. And before entering the ministry, I worked for newspapers (on the production side). I love the fast-paced environment, where editors and journalists argue, debate, and prod each other to chase down leads, find just the right interviewee, and break the most important […]
“Don’t let your heart be troubled,” Jesus said to the disciples in the upper room. He was nearing the end of His earthly ministry, but they didn’t know it yet. “Believe in God, believe also in me,” He continued. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told […]
Bertrand Russell, the famous atheist, claimed: “Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly, as I have said, the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and disputes. Fear is […]
Have you ever made a hasty, life-changing decision in a moment of doubting God? David did. You see it in 1 Samuel 26-27. King Saul was hunting David. He was surviving in the wilderness, in the nooks and crannies of the hills, hiding from cave to cave. His life was miserable—but at least he had […]
Do you remember The Jerry Springer Show? Did you watch it? (Be honest!) It was both denounced as trash TV and celebrated as America’s “infamous guilty pleasure.” Springer took all of America’s most bizarre dysfunctional and deviant behavior and put it in front of daytime TV cameras. There were kung-fu hillbillies, adults who lived like […]
I heard an Orthodox Bishop make an interesting confession. Hilarion Alfeyev is a world-renown scholar with two doctoral degrees in theology, including one from Oxford, the author of numerous theology books (several of which I own and enjoy), and also a talented classical composer. But after a long career in the church and the academy, […]
“Is it a sin to not go to church?” Before answering that question, let me clarify that “church” is not so much a place where you go but an identity that you have. The church is not the building but the Body. If you believe in Jesus for eternal life, you belong to the church, […]
Americans love progress. We disagree about what true progress looks like, but in principle, we’re all for it. We want to go forward, not backward. At some level, you have this idea that your life with progress over time. But does God have the same idea of progress as you do? I think it’s safe […]
“Do you know what you don’t know?” That’s an odd question asked by an article in the Harvard Business Review. The author continues: “When put to the test, most people find they can’t explain the workings of everyday things they think they understand. “Don’t believe me? Find an object you use daily (a zipper, a […]
What are you here for? What’s the ultimate purpose of your existence? What gives your life meaning and makes it worth living? Atheism and Christianity give you two very different answers. The atheist has to say you aren’t here for any higher purpose. Your life has no meaning except for what you make of it. […]
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1 NKJV). Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Of course, we know that Paul’s answer is a firm “No.” It makes no sense to think that grace should motivate you to sin. But instead of rushing to […]
Part of a gracious Christian witness includes how you act and interact online. For example, what should you assume when you see someone share a quote? Should you assume that they appreciate that particular quote? Or should you assume they must also endorse all the author’s opinions, especially heretical ones? Before answering, think about Paul. […]
Confusion. That’s what many people feel when they learn that eternal life is free. They hear that good news and ask, “But don’t I have to do something?” It’s disorienting. Your whole life was oriented towards earning things. If you wanted something, the most natural thing to ask is, “What do I need to do?” […]
A friend asked, “Do you think it’s right to tell people they need to forgive God?” My first thought is purely theological: God cannot and does not sin. When you forgive someone, it is usually because they have sinned against you, and God does not sin against anyone, so there is nothing for you to […]
My hope is to help you better understand God’s grace in Christ. Understanding comes before believing. If you’re a Christian who wants to grow in your faith, that’s an important point to learn. On the one hand, your faith can’t rise above what you understand. After all, you can’t be persuaded that something is true […]
When you think about love, what’s the first picture that comes to mind? It might be a scene from a movie, or favorite photo of your parents, or a memory of your first love. People often think in pictures. No wonder, then, that God often teaches using vivid imagery and word pictures. For example, take […]
Have you ever heard the term “cheap grace”? What about “free grace”? Do you know the difference? Here’s an illustration. What’s the difference between someone giving you a beautiful house as a gift and selling it to you for a dollar? On the surface, there isn’t much difference—only a dollar! And a dollar isn’t very […]
In the 2018 western, Damsel, a country parson proposes to the woman whose husband he accidentally killed, “I mean, look at this wasteland around us. How is anyone supposed to meet anyone out here, let alone someone you can trust, y’know? So badly, I miss having someone to love me. But even more so, I […]
I was listening to the testimony of a woman named Carol, whose life had taken every possible wrong turn. Her father, a Southern Baptist pastor, committed suicide when she was five. That devasted her, and Carol was mad at God for letting it happen. Growing up, she ran from God. She got pregnant at thirteen […]
Have you noticed all the new holidays that commemorate causes throughout the year? You have Earth Day, Women’s Equality Day, Juneteenth, Cinco de Mayo, International Literacy Day, Transgender Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, International Human Rights Day, and so on. Each represents a different cause to support. Some are worthy. Others, not so much. […]
I drove past a Lutheran church whose sign read, “God believes in you.” “He does?” I thought. “But what does He believe about me?” You see, faith always has content. When you believe, you always believe something. And when you say you believe in someone (e.g., “I believe in you.” “God believes in you.”), you’re […]
My life profoundly changed after becoming a father. After Daphne, Zane, and Scout were born, every decision in my mostly self-centered life suddenly included asking, “What about the kids?” And I soon developed a new worry: am I failing as a father? My wife and I take our vocations of motherhood and fatherhood very seriously. […]
Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion (Psalm 51:1 CSB). Did you catch that? King David tells us that God is compassionate—not just somewhat compassionate but abundantly compassionate. God is that because He is gracious. That is exactly what you need when you’re […]
The new birth is permanent. It is irrevocable. Jesus said the believer “will not perish” and “will never die” (John 3:16; 11:28). If a believer could perish or die, then Jesus could not have made those promises because they would be false. By analogy, God warned Adam that he would die if he ate the […]
What’s the story about grace? I want to live a grace-filled life. I am burnt out by the legalism of society, where I’m constantly judged by how I measure up to hundreds of “little-l” laws, and consistently found wanting. Maybe you want to live a grace-filled life, too. If so, it may help to understand […]
One of my kids asked, “Do you even know what you’re doing?” Sometimes even my kids wonder about my very questionable parenting. I wish there were a rule book for how to be a good parent. Actually, there are! Many of them. Shelves of them in every bookstore, all promising to tell you the secret […]
Do you remember your spiritual birthday? Some people do. They’re blessed to know the exact day they first believed in Jesus for eternal life, and their salvation was settled forever. But other people have no memory of when that happened, which concerns them. They’ve heard some preachers say that if you don’t remember the moment […]
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer (Romans 12:12). I heard a preacher say, “Pray as you can, not as you can’t.” He talked about how praying can be hard—not that it must be, but we often make it so. People and traditions can turn praying into a highly complex exercise, […]
Do you like being surprised? Do you like it when your life situation changes quickly and unexpectedly and the plans you carefully made suddenly fall through?
I don’t!
I enjoy small surprises, but not big ones.
I like surprises that don’t really matter, don’t inconvenience me, and above all, don’t take away the control I want to have over my life.
I’m not fond of surprises that throw my life into turmoil and uncertainty. I prefer to know what’s coming.
You know that life is unpredictable because the world is not in your control. But did you also realize that life with God is just as unpredictable because He is not in your control either? Just ask the Israelites.
When God brought Israel out of Egypt, they didn’t know how He would save them from Pharaoh’s approaching army. With the Egyptians in hot pursuit, the Lord led Israel to the edge of the Red Sea and gave them an impossible command:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward” (Exodus 14:15, emphasis added).
I can imagine the Israelites protesting, "You want us to keep walking? Into the water???"
God gave the command but did not reveal His plan. He did not explain why they should go forward into the sea.
Instead of giving Israel a plan, God gave them Himself, and that was more than enough.
Then God said to Moses:
“As for you, lift up your staff and reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:15-16).
You know the rest of the story.
Israel walked to the water in faith, without knowing what would happen next (I would have lingered at the back of the line!). The waters miraculously parted, and to everyone’s amazement, the nation crossed safely over dry land. But when Pharaoh's army chased after them, the sea roared back and drowned them all.
I imagine the Israelites were very surprised! (Not to mention the Egyptians!)
Can you think of a time in your life when things fell apart, your plans fell through, and your future became anxiously uncertain without any guarantees that life would turn out for the better?
Do you remember praying to the Lord and trusting Him to carry you through?
Do you remember how the Lord was faithful to you during that time, even though you didn’t know how He would bring you across your Red Sea moment, yet, He got you across?
That’s what life with God is like.
Jesus doesn’t always reveal His plans because He wants you to trust that He is the plan. That can be both comforting and concerning. It is comforting because you have Him. But it’s concerning because you’re called to go forward in faith, without knowing what’s coming. You’re called to follow Him one step at a time, even if where He leads is not where you expected to be or desired to go.
If you plan on following God, then plan on being surprised.
Why should you believe in God?
The famous Spanish philosopher, Miguel de Unamuno, once wrote:
“It is the ardent longing for a God who guarantees the eternity of consciousness that leads us to believe in him” (Unamuno, Tragic Sense of Life, p. 186).
Unamuno recognized that people long for eternal existence.
Life is short. Painfully so. As you get older, you wonder, “Is this all there is? Could this really be close to the end?” Your life seems so significant and so full of unrealized potential. It seems like you were made for more than what you can accomplish in this life.
You need more time.
You need forever!
As Unamuno says, you long for eternity.
But people don’t just want an offer of eternal life—as Unamuno also says, they want a God who guarantees it.
There are many so-called gods worshiped around the world by a bewildering variety of religions, and many offer some kind of hope for eternity. But they don’t offer guarantees.
Instead, these religions hold out eternal life as a reward reserved for the most faithful, devout, compassionate, and submissive. They say that if you try hard enough to meet the standards, then maybe, just maybe, after death, you’ll be worthy enough to end up in “the Good Place.” But there are no guarantees. It all depends on you and your best efforts, and there’s no way to know for sure if you’ll be successful. You can hope for eternity, you don’t have a guarantee of it.
That’s why I love Jesus.
The Lord Jesus Christ is so different from every other would-be Messiah and stands out from every other religion in the world.
Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for your sinful life, and rose from the dead so that He could give you everlasting life.
He promised that everyone who believed in Him would never die (John 11:25-26). He guaranteed it, saying if you believe you will never perish, never thirst, never hunger, never be judged, never be snatched away from His hand, and never be cast out. As Jesus said:
“For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).
He will do it. It’s certain. And it's all by pure grace. If you’re a believer, then your eternal destiny is guaranteed. That's a fundamental existential reason for you to believe in God.
If Unamuno is right that people long for a God who guarantees eternity, then people are really longing for Jesus.