Brennan Manning & A Reflection On Grace

Last night I learned that Brennan Manning had died. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Manning for his writing. I believe I have read his full body of work, some books more than once, and few authors, if any, have helped me understand grace more clearly than Brennan.

He was an imperfect man who stumbled and limped through life. He wasn’t what many of us would envision when we think of the ‘victorious Christian’, yet that’s exactly what he was. He got up one more time than he stumbled, and this last time he got up to enter into the arms of his Abba. Brennan Manning knew that he was completely dependent on the grace of God, and the ‘relentless tenderness of Jesus’…Only when you and I realize that too, will we truly be victorious.

Very often as I read the writings of Mr. Manning I found myself cringing. I think grace often does that. One would think that as we reflect on the good news of Jesus Christ, and the grace with which he has lavished upon us, we would be quick to embrace it. Far too often though, that isn’t the case. Sometimes grace is just as hard to accept as it is to give. Most times we Christians talk a good game about grace, but in practice we leave much to be desired. This is just as true of ourselves as it is of others. We know God forgives…but does he really forgive like that? God is full of grace, but even when I’ve done this?

Yes…even then. This is truly the good news. The grace of God poured out through Jesus Christ is even more amazing than we could ever have imagined. Perhaps a cringe is often the proper response to a grace this amazing…it is meant to astound us. But don’t stop there. Meditate on this cringe-worthy grace…this Gospel that is utterly unbelievable…and fall on your knees before a God who loves and forgives in a way that is completely beyond our understanding…

Thank you Brennan Manning for helping me to see this a little more clearly…

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

So that no one may boast…

New post over at Providential Irony, continuing the series we’ve been working on this week. Go check it out here:“So that no one may boast”

If you follow me over here, I’d really appreciate you following the new blog. I plan to eventually fade this one out. Thanks for reading!

The Church: The Ultimate Trophy Wife

Yesterday, I posted about how God has made us alive, and seated us with Christ in the heavenly places(Ephesians 2:6). You can read that post here. Today we are going to be looking at why God has done that.

Ephesians 2:7 tells us why we have been made alive and seated in the heavenly places with Christ.

 

“So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus…”

 

We as Christians are examples of the grace of God. In us, the redeemed people of God, the immeasurable riches of God’s grace will be on full display. Now, even now, we are certainly a picture of God’s grace. Seeing our sin, seeing where we’ve come from, knowing who we used to be, and knowing that in Christ we’ve been made new…knowing that in Christ, we’ve been given new life…even now, we are a picture of his grace…

 

But, in the coming ages, once things are indeed made as they should be…once Christ makes all things right, we as Christians, we as the Church, we as the bride of Christ will be proof positive of the immeasurable grace of God.

 

I know the term trophy wife has a very negative connotation, but I think in eternity, when all things are redeemed, even this term can be redeemed, and we as the church will be the ultimate trophy wife. We will be a shining example of the kindness and the grace of God. The heavenly host will be dazzled by our beauty…

 

But, here’s the kicker. As beautiful as we will be…even as beautiful as we are now in the eyes of God the Father(because when he sees us, he sees Christ)…our beauty doesn’t come from ourselves…And because of this fact, we won’t be the ones receiving the praise. Our beauty comes from Christ. Because our beauty comes solely from Christ, God will be the one receiving the praise and God will be receiving the glory. 

 

So, it is through the church, the Bride of Christ, that God has chosen to put the immeasurable riches of his grace on display. Now in part, one day in full. And all of this comes through Christ. All of this is grace…

 

Tomorrow we shall explore why this is all a work of grace, and why we can’t take credit for what God is doing in and through us, his Church.