It was disappearing like popcorn. In a split second there was nothing left but an empty box. People walked away happily. In another location, a bigger crowd flocked like a swarm of bees around the box and then dispersed with big smiles on their faces. This was spotted repeatedly on the streets of downtown Vancouver during the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. Sponsors were giving out souvenirs to Canucks fans—gloves, scarves, flags, and shirts. Although people were willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the tickets to playoff games, they were excessively selfish and unbelievably swift to snatch those low budget souvenirs out of distributors’ hands. What mobilized the crowd in the lightning speed of NHL players on the rink? They were free gifts. We all love free gifts.
“Grace” is at the centre of the Christian faith. In the Reformed tradition, you cannot emphasize grace enough. As Paul said, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8 – 9) God has done everything so you don’t have to do anything for your salvation. This is grace—the essence of the gospel and it is absolutely free.
For many Christians living in the 21st century, grace means freedom and liberty to pursue anything. There is abundant love and mercy that will not run out. Forgiveness is always guaranteed if any offense is committed intentionally or accidently. So it is not just the secular world that is merrily humming “don’t worry, be happy.” We Christians also enjoy worry – free assurance of grace. Like many others in our own generation, we often “just do it” and worry about the result later. We take it now and pay for it later. Many go on to sin now and repent later.
In most Reformed traditions, we have lost the benefit of the piety discipline. Most of us are not excited to start a day with a prayer meeting at 4 a.m., followed by five other prayer meetings and a worship service, plus a full load of work out in the field. If anyone insists on this kind of daily practice, many will take it as a joke. We tend to suppress any practice that may induce discomfort and inconvenience in our congregational life. We value grace, but it must be free from any hassle and obligation. We are convinced that is what grace is supposed to be. It has to be absolutely free.
As Reformers proclaimed “sola gratia” (“only grace”) many centuries ago, they didn’t mean something like unconditional absolution. They proclaimed it with confidence because they fully understood the implication of it: full obedience to God. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) We thankfully and willingly obey God realizing that it is God, not us, who has done everything for our salvation and there is nothing we didn’t receive from Him. Grace was freely given to us not because it was commonly available, but because it has been made free by God Himself. It is free simply because God has paid the most expensive price for it—Jesus Christ, His own son. So ironically, God’s grace is free but extremely expensively free.
Vancouver, until recently the most coveted city in which to reside in in the world, was greatly disturbed on June 15, 2011, when the last game of the Stanley Cup finals was over. Unhappy about the result of the game and looking for an excuse for their misbehaviour, a number of young people started a riot that was readily joined by a bigger crowd. Many behaved like they were licensed to do anything. They burned, smashed, looted and destroyed many properties. Citizens were deeply disappointed and upset as they witnessed the attitude of those who seemingly owned the freedom to do anything. They couldn’t care less. But the next morning, the city was greatly encouraged and comforted to see a large number of volunteers, including some Canucks members, on the streets with broomsticks and garbage bags sweeping up the mess left behind. They were the people who knew freedom not only meant privilege but also responsibility.
For us living in the 21st century, grace means more than Reformers’ theology and complicated theory. It means our choices, behaviours, actions and witness to the world. We, as the people who understand how precious and expensive God’s grace is, are invited to show the rest of the world what God’s grace is and how we live His grace. It is free and we are free to show it to others.
